The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023
The programme for the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2023 is complete, packed with top name author talks and workshops across Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November in Dulverton Town Hall. Tickets are NOW ON SALE HERE and the printed programme is available to pick up from locations across Exmoor, Devon and Somerset.
Festival Director, Ali Pegrum said “There is already a huge buzz about the 2023 Literary Festival right across Exmoor and tickets are selling fast! Our thanks to the amazing group of writers for taking part in the event and creating a literary celebration of which Devon and Somerset should be very proud.”
Top names attending, including Michael Morpurgo!
Top names will be attending in 2023, including Michael Morpurgo – one of the UK’s most celebrated and admired writers – with a brand new book All Around The Year about life on his Devon farm due out this autumn, in conversation with writer and journalist Alice Thomson, What I Wish I’d Known When I Was Young.
Historical Biography
Historical biographers Andrew Lownie and Catherine Ostler will discuss their recent biographies of two very different duchesses involved in very different scandals – Lownie’s Traitor King – the Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor (Edward VIII and Mrs Simpson) and Ostler’s The Duchess Countess (18thC Duchess of Richmond, Countess of Bristol) interviewed by Dulverton’s historical novelist Kate Lord Brown.
Politics
Award-winning writer, columnist and LBC presenter Rachel Johnson Rake’s Progress: My Political Midlife Crisis will discuss her fascinating life in the political arena with The Times writer and celebrated art critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston.
Fiction
This year’s ‘Book Club’ fiction panel will including best-selling novelists Sarah Turner (Instagram’s @theummumsymum) and her debut novel Stepping Up (a Richard & Judy Book Club special!); former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis The Butcher’s Hook; and Hannah Richell with The River Home and The Search Party to be released in January 2024. Poppy Flaxman, Manager of Waterstones Barnstaple will guide the conversation.
Wine
Restaurant critic and MasterChef judge William Sitwell returns to the 2023 festival with award-winning writer Henry Jeffreys Vines in a Cold Climate, discussing the remarkable revolution in English wine.
Our Countryside
Former SPAD to David Cameron, Julian Glover, author of the Government’s Landscapes Review: National Parks and AONBs will be talking to Exmoor’s favourite farmer and writer Victoria Eveleigh discussing ‘What is our countryside for?’ Perfect for an Exmoor audience and arguably the most emotive talk of the weekend!
Creativity
Another fascinating session will be celebrity photographer Harry Borden Survivor: A portrait of the survivors of the Holocaust & On Divorce and writer Albert Read with his newly released The Imagination Muscle in conversation with travel editor Miranda Taylor on the topic of creativity.
Humour
In a career spanning over 40 years, retired ITV sports reporter Dennis Coath has interviewed sporting legends including Muhammad Ali, Ayrton Senna and Sir Alex Ferguson. Here at the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival he recounts entertaining anecdotes from his professional life, as detailed in his book Rats, Pies and Pigeon Poo. Be prepared to laugh out loud!
Survival and Adventure
Dulverton will also welcome British explorer Belinda Kirk and the UK’s top military survival expert John Hudson in conversation with travel writer and publisher Hilary Bradt on the subject of survival and adventure.
Railways
Local train and history buffs won’t want to miss local railway historians Freddie Huxtable, Ian Coleby and Amyas Crump on the subject of Exmoor, Somerset and Devon’s lost railways and the impact of Dr Beechings’s controversial 1960’s closures on the rail network in the South West.
Creative Writing and Illustrating Workshops
On the Saturday afternoon, creative writing workshops for adults and children will be held in Dulverton Library, hosted by creative educators James Gillam of Fabula Arts and local children’s author and illustrator Annabel Collis. Learn more and book your tickets HERE.. Places are strictly limited, so book early to avoid disappointment. Up to two children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult (with free admission).
The Festival Children’s Writing Competition 2023
The festival will sees the return of the under-13’s Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Children’s Writing Competition, with prizes donated by our friends at Waterstones Barnstaple to be presented this year by Michael Morpurgo. The theme this year is to write a story about farming, farm life or farm animals in less than 500 words. Take a look at page 10 of the programme to see all the Rules of Entry and email your story to hello@visitdulverton.com. Remember that final entries to be submitted by 31 October.
PopUp Bookshop
Waterstones Barnstaple will again be providing a popup bookshop at the festival with author book signing. A perfect opportunity to purchase dedicated books as Christmas gifts!
Our Generous Festival Sponsors for 2023
The Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival is supported by Dulverton Town Council and generously sponsored by the following local businesses, without whom the event could not take place. We are immensely grateful. Town Mills B&B, James Pryce Tractors, Masons Kings Agricultural Machinery, Stockham Farm Exmoor, Exmoor News, Hedley Price Funeral Directors, Jeff Pegrum Landscaping, Tozers Solicitors, Ware Construction, Rothwell & Dunworth Books, Your First Book, Osteo & Physio Tiverton, Maitland Walker Solicitors, The Exclusive Cake Company, The Exmoor Feasting Company, Wellhayes Vineyard, Friendship & Sons Funeral Directors, Winsbere House B&B and Exmoor Character Cottages.
What Happened Last Year?
At the inaugural Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival in November 2022, story-lovers were treated to six hour-long informal talks that took place throughout the day in Dulverton Town Hall, given by bestselling authors and writers on a variety of topics such as politics and drama, rugby, psychology, historical, romantic and crime fiction, food and wine, yoga and writing for children.
Norman Scott discussed his memoir An Accidental Icon, looking back at his life and his much-documented turbulent relationship with 1970’s Liberal politician Jeremy Thorpe.
MasterChef judge and restaurant critic William Sitwell, one of Britain’s leading food writers, discussed the history of food, including the problems associated with feeding Britain during WWII – so topical today.
Political journalist and Times columnist Alice Thomson presents the popular interview series podcast Past Imperfect. At the festival she discussed her accompanying book with travel editor Miranda Taylor – What I Wish I’d Known When I Was Young, a superb illuminating study of famous, successful people and their often hard beginnings in life.
Sunday Times bestselling authors Veronica Henry The Impulse Purchase, Katherine Webb The Disappearance and Dulverton’s own Kate Lord Brown The Perfume Garden chatted together on the stage with Poppy Flaxman, Manager of Waterstones Barnstaple. They discussed what brings them inspiration and the highs and lows of writing romantic, historical and crime fiction.
The UK’s most respected rugby union correspondent, Rob Kitson, was interviewed onstage by South West rugby legend, Chris Bentley, about all things rugby, and particularly Rob’s bestseller Exe Men: The Extraordinary Rise of Exeter Chiefs.
There was even an opportunity for a brief seated yoga meditation therapy session with Colin Dunsmuir, writer and a leading voice in the global yoga community which was offered free of charge to festival goers at lunchtime.
For families, children and animal lovers… award-winning children’s author Claire Barker chatted about her popular books featuring animals, including the much-loved ghost dog Knitbone Pepper. Claire was in conversation with Exmoor farmer and author Victoria Eveleigh who has written several books with horses and ponies as a central theme, including the Katy’s Ponies series.
Festival Children’s Writing Competition 2022
The winner and runners up of the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival Writing Competition 2022 were announced on stage by the competition’s judge, historical fiction author Kate Lord Brown. There had been 22 entries from children right across the area and Kate judged the winner to be Orla Scandrett, age 8, with her story ‘The Hungry Deer’. The runners up were Thomas Hill, age 7, and Kirsty Tyrrell, age 10.
Click here to read Orla’s winning story.
(L to R) Children’s author Claire Barker, competition winner Orla Scandrett, children’s author Victoria Eveleigh and author Kate Lord Brown.
Praise for the Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival 2022
A capacity audience for Norman Scott
Author and speaker WS – “Yesterday’s programme was a triumph!”
Author and speaker RK – “It was an honour to be a small part of your inaugural festival.”
Author and speaker VH – “I just wanted to say a huge thank you for asking me to take part in the first Dulverton Exmoor Literary Festival, and to congratulate you. The atmosphere was so warm and inviting and the audience – our audience, at least! – were so attentive and interested. And bought so many books, which they don’t always! So hats off to you for a brilliant event, and in particular the outstanding brownies [in the Green Room]. You’ve set the bar high.”
Author and speaker VE – “It was by far the best organised festival I’ve attended as an author. Your communication beforehand was very reassuring.”
Author and speaker KLB – “Such a pleasure to speak at this event. Congratulations on its success – hope you’ll do it again!”
Author and speaker NS – “I just wanted to thank you and your super helpers for your great kindness to me on Sunday; it was by far the best festival I have been to. So lovely to be back on Exmoor.”
Author and speaker KW – “Thanks so much for the invite! I hope you’ll do it again next year, and I’m sure if you do it’ll just get bigger and better!”
Editor and interviewer MT – “Hooray. Hooray. Think it was a triumph.”
Interviewer CB – “I had a blast!”
Journalist and interviewer JM – “Dulverton was organised flawlessly with a capacity audience. And the queue to buy copies of the hardback copy of the book spoke volumes (sorry!).”
