The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2026
The 2026 Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival is to take place across four full days of literary events – Friday 13 to Monday 16 November 2026. This will be the fifth consecutive year of this popular festival and, better still, 2026 is the National Year of Reading. Let’s do our best to continue to bring the love of reading and writing for all ages to Exmoor, Devon and Somerset.
Online booking will open via this website on Monday 21 September; with sponsors and Festival Friends able to access tickets one week earlier from Monday 14 September. Click HERE to discover how to become a Festival Friend for 2026.
The 2026 Lineup
The programme is now complete, and online and printed copies will be available before the end of August.
Amongst others appearing in 2026 will be Michael Morpurgo, Jonathan Dimbleby, Caroline Quentin, Larry Lamb, Julia Samuel, Baroness Minette Batters, Patrick Gale, Rachel Hore, Mary Keen, Joe Swift, Iain Dale, Cathy Rentzenbrink, Emily Haworth-Booth, Harriet Rix, Emily Howes, Kate Lord Brown, Paul Mason, Sara Hudston, Iain MacGregor and Rosie Barnes.
The Flow of the Festival
The four-day festival opens on Friday 13 November, a day that will feel very rooted on Exmoor. Beginning with the Literary Lunch with Iain Dale (discussing 250 Years of American Democracy) at Tarr Farm Inn located at the moor’s iconic Tarr Steps. Visitors will then be eased into talks in Dulverton Town Hall about the art and creation of Exmoor Magazine, followed by the legacy of Exmoor legend Hope Bourne.
Saturday is the first of the two main Festival days when festival-goers will have the choice of many distinct, thought-provoking but unrelated topics, all of which will inspire curiosity and conversation. Charles Dickens Rediscovered with Emily Howes and Helena Kelly, Photography & Autism with Rosie Barnes, The Palestinians with Jonathan Dimbleby, Horses with Celia Brayfield and Emily Haworth-Booth, beloved actor Larry Lamb’s life recorded in his poems, Garden Design with Mary Keen and Joe Swift, Caroline Quentin’s love of nature, Football Icons with Philippe Auclair and Jon Henderson, multi-million copy bestselling novelists Patrick Gale, Rachel Hore and Kate Lord Brown, a Crime Writing Discussion with Sarah Easter Collins and Jayne Chard, and life in Tuscany with Nicholas Hopton. Author and psychotherapist Julia Samuel will close the day with a reflective session about how we can all help the wellbeing and mental health of our farmers and rural community, particularly in this year following the drought, heatwaves, fires and Bluetongue.
On the Festival Sunday visitors will plan their day around a further wide-ranging selection of topics, including Communism with Paul Mason, Politics & the Media with Iain Dale and Rachel Johson, Marilyn Monroe with Andrew Wilson, Harvest with Baroness Minette Batters and Baroness Ann Mallelieu, The Rise of the Right with Victor Mallet, Agatha Christie with Cathy Rentzebrink and Battle with Iain MagGregor. The day will conclude with a mind-blowing session about the remarkable Bayeux Tapestry – here in the UK for the first time in almost 1000 years. Michael Lewis is the Curator of The Bayeux Tapestry Exhibition at the British Museum and he will be talking us through the story of the tapestry and its journey to London.
Monday is about learning, commencing with the exciting Schools Event with children’s author Jack Meggitt-Philips, looking at the Genius of Trees with Harriet Rix and then James Bailey will ask the question ‘What is the Meaning of Life?’ Perhaps that question is then answered by Michael and Clare Morpurgo at the festival finale in Dulverton’s All Saints’ Church… the meaning of life is love, family, caring about the countryside and nurturing future generations.
So, exactly who’s coming this year?
Discover full details below of all of the author talks and literary events at this year’s Festival in the order in which they will take place – there are 31 literary events in total at this year’s Festival.
Programme at a Glance
1. Literary Lunch with Iain Dale, 250 Years of American DemocracyFriday 13 November, 12 noon - 2.30, Tarr Farm Inn
Iain Dale
2. The Art of Exmoor MagazineFriday 13 November, 3.30 - 4.30pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Naomi Cudmore, Shaun Davey and Victoria Eveleigh
3. Hope Bourne – A Life Outside on ExmoorFriday 13 November, 5 - 7pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Sara Hudston and Charles Foster
4. Charles Dickens RediscoveredSaturday 14 November, 10 - 11am, Dulverton Town Hall
Emily Howes and Helena Kelly
5. Photography and AutismSaturday 14 November, 10.00 – 11.00am, Dulverton Heritage Centre
Rosie Barnes
6. Poetry by the FireSaturday 14 November, 10.30 – 11.45am, The Bridge Inn, Dulverton
Jane Lovell and Mark Haworth-Booth
7. Jonathan Dimbleby and the PalestiniansSaturday 14 November, 11.30 – 12.30, All Saints Church Dulverton
Jonathan Dimbleby
8. Writing HorsesSaturday 14 November, 11.30 – 12.30, Dulverton Town Hall
Celia Brayfield and Emily Haworth-Booth
9. Crime & Conversation Writing DiscussionSaturday 14 November, 1.15 - 2.45, Dulverton Library
Sarah Easter Collins and Jayne Chard
10. Garden DesignSaturday 14 November, 1.00 - 2.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Mary Keen & Joe Swift with Miranda Taylor
11. Larry Lamb’s Life in VerseSaturday 14 November, 1.00 - 2.00pm, All Saints Church, Dulverton
Larry Lamb with Roger Hammond
12. Drawn to Nature with Caroline QuentinSaturday 14 November, 3.00 - 4.00pm, All Saints Church, Dulverton
Caroline Quentin with Gaby Huddart
13. Football IconsSaturday 14 November, 3.00 - 4.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Philippe Auclair and Jon Henderson
14. Book Club – Family SecretsSaturday 14 November, 4.30 – 5.30pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Patrick Gale, Rachel Hore and Kate Lord Brown
15. Escape to TuscanySaturday 14 November, 4.30 – 5.30pm, Dulverton Heritage Centre
Nicholas Hopton with Miranda Taylor
16. Rural Wellbeing with Julia SamuelSaturday 14 November, 6.00 - 7.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Julia Samuel with Alice Thomson
17. The Story of Communism with Paul MasonSunday 15 November, 10.00 – 11.00am, Dulverton Town Hall
Paul Mason with Iain MacGregor
18. The Life of Chaim Soutine, Parisian PainterSunday 15 November, 10.00 – 11.00am, Dulverton Heritage Centre
Louise Franklin with Rachel Campbell-Johnston
19. Children’s Story Corner: Stories by the FireSunday 15 November, 10.30 - 11.45am, The Bridge Inn, Dulverton
Roger Hill and Andy Burton
20. Politics & the Media with Iain Dale and Rachel JohnsonSunday 15 November, 11.30am - 12.30pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Iain Dale with Rachel Johnson
21. The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe with Andrew WilsonSunday 15 November, 11.30am - 12.30pm, Dulverton Heritage Centre
Andrew Wilson
22. Harvest with Baronesses Minette Batters and Ann MallalieuSunday 15 November, 1.00 - 2.00pm, All Saints Church, Dulverton
Baronesses Minette Batters and Ann Mallalieu
23. The Agatha Christie Cure with Cathy RentzenbrinkSunday 15 November, 3.00 - 4.00pm, All Saints Church, Dulverton
Cathy Rentzenbrink with Gaby Huddart
24. Riding Exmoor with Lauren St JohnSunday 15 November, 3.00 - 4.00pm, Dulverton Heritage Centre
Lauren St John
25. Battle with Iain MacGregorSunday 15 November, 4.30 - 5.30pm, Dulverton Heritage Centre
Iain MacGregor
26. The Rise of the Right with Victor MalletSunday 15 November, 4.30 - 5.30pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Victor Mallet with Ivo Dawnay
27. The Story of The Bayeux TapestrySunday 15 November, 6.00 - 7.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Michael Lewis and David Musgrove
28. Festival Schools Event with Jack Meggitt-PhillipsMonday 16 November, 10.00am – 12.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Jack Meggitt-Phillips
29. The Genius of Trees with Harriet RixMonday 16 November, 2.30 - 3.30pm, Dulverton Town Hall
Harriet Rix with Sarah Lutyens
30. The Meaning of Life with James BaileyMonday 16 November, 4.00 - 5.00pm, Dulverton Town Hall
James Bailey with Gail Muller
31. Life and Love on the Farm with Clare & Michael MorpurgoMonday 16 November, 6.00 - 7.00pm, All Saints Church, Dulverton
Clare and Michael Morpurgo with Alice Thomson
The 2026 Festival Children’s Writing Competition
Entries for the 2026 Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition are now OPEN!
All the details can be found in the poster below…
Become a Friend of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2026
Would you like to become a valued Friend of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival? The minimum donation is only £20!
The Friends initiative began in 2024 and was formed to bring together all those who enjoy reading all year round and to encourage a richer and wider development of the event. In 2025 we had over 80 fabulous Friends! By becoming a Friend for 12 months you will give vital support to the Festival organisers in attracting writers of excellence to Dulverton – of both fiction and non-fiction. You will also help support our outreach programme which encourages reading and writing across our local schools via workshops and through our annual Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition and the Festival Schools Day.
Click HERE for all the details to become a Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Friend of 2026. The minimum donation remains at £20.
Our Generous Festival Sponsors and Supporters
Very many thanks to the host of generous local businesses who have already generously agreed to sponsor the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2026. Wihout their support, the event simply could not take place.
Stockham Farm Exmoor, Tozers Solicitors, Jackson Stops,Taunton, The Dulverton Development Programme, Mr and Mrs Prebensen of Hollam House, The Bridge Inn, Dulverton, The Exmoor Society, Risdon Solicitors, Jeff Pegrum Landscaping, Rupert White Interiors, Wellhayes Vineyard, Stags Dulverton, Mr and Mrs Huckins of Dulverton, Exmoor News, Ware Construction, Osteo & Physio Tiverton, Rothwell & Dunworth Antiquarian Books and Pet Pain Relief of Dulverton.
Our thanks also to the following for their ongoing support of the event: Dulverton Town Council, Tarr Farm Inn, Exmoor Magazine and Waterstones of Taunton and Barnstaple.
Would you like to become one of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival’s much-loved sponsors for 2026? If so, please contact Festival Director, Ali Pegrum at hello@visitdulverton.com. All the details for becoming a Festival Sponsor can be found here.
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Previous Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festivals…
Last year’s event received some phenomenal feedback, with festival-goers and authors describing it as a “tour de force” and an “impressive and inspiring literary weekend“. According to sponsor Exmoor Magazine, the Festival is “now firmly established as a gem in Exmoor’s crown“.
Enjoy much of the feedback from the 2025 Festival.
Take a look back at the authors and speakers that appeared at the 2025 Festival, at the 2024 Festival, at the 2023 Festival and at the 2022 Festival.
