On 12th July there will be even more books and bibliophiles in Hay than usual as the Hay PBFA Book Fair 2025 takes place in Hay Castle from 10am - 5pm. There will be specialist book dealers from around the UK exhibiting and there will be books for all tastes and budgets on offer.
The dealers will fill the Great Hall of the castle and the mezzanine level above and it is sure to be a truly beautiful sight seeing the castle overflowing with books and ephemera once again.
Entry to the fair is free as is entry to the castle for the whole day of the Fair so it is a perfect day to visit.
Join us for a special summer evening walk exploring Hay-on-Wye’s historic landscape and surrounding countryside, with exclusive insights from Hay Castle’s team.
Immerse yourself in the beauty of a summer evening as we set off on a circular guided walk from Hay Castle, led at a relaxed pace with plenty of time to enjoy the views.
This week, we’re joined by Sara Bowie, Retail & Events Manager at the Castle Trust, who will share updates on upcoming events and projects the Castle is up to.
Our route takes in Hay’s historic surroundings and countryside before returning to the Castle, where Tom True, Executive Director of Hay Castle, will meet us in the Castle grounds. Those who wish can stay on to enjoy their packed suppers in the shadow of the castle whilst perhaps asking Tom any questions about its rich history and exciting future.
This easy-to-moderate walk will last around 2 hours, with assistance provided where needed.
A perfect way to spend a summer evening, connecting with history, landscape, and community.
Kate Bliss, a regular face on BBC antiques programmes and an independent jewellery and fine art valuer is hosting a free ‘drop-in’ Valuation Day for jewellery and silver as well as other antiques and contemporary fine art.
Have you recently inherited items you know nothing about? Do you have jewellery you never wear? Kate offers a unique opportunity to find out more about your valuables including their potential value.
A Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, Kate has over 20 years experience valuing single items to unique collections and whole house contents. Whether it’s the right time to realise some assets or simply de-clutter, Kate will provide you with a verbal consultation and arrange items for sale if suitable.
Drop-in for a free valuation in the Clore Learning Space 10am to 4pm, Sat 19th July
The Shows
As well as visitor engagement and games, as part of our Knights and Castles event days we provide several 30 minute shows throughout each day. Each show takes the audience through the story of the life of the Knight and are designed to get the audience involved and feel like they are part of the story.
The Games
For many visitors it is the games that we provide that are the highlight. Our games are all Medieval games that transport players back in time. We fill our Games Arena with many different games, that are relevant to the period, that visitors can play at their leisure and return as much as they want.
In a small corner of a field in Wales, Tiffany Murray is hiding with Boggle the dog, dreaming of her mum's moussaka, blackberry and apple crumble, and, if she's lucky, ice-cold lemonade. A sheep bleats. The smell of hay tickles her nose. The twang of a guitar and crack of a snare carry on the breeze.
It's the late 1970s and Tiff lives with her mum, Joan, at Rockfield, the iconic recording studios. This place of legend, where some of the most famous rock albums of all time were recorded, is the background to a freewheeling, ever-changing whirlwind of a childhood. Tiff's days are spent running around the farm, making friends with local wildlife and helping out with the endless array of dishes her mum creates to keep the bands fed. She's looking for a dog, she's looking for a father; but the one constantthroughout is her and Joan, building an unconventional family in the most unlikely of locations.
My Family and Other Rock Stars is Tiff's remarkable, truly unique story of growing up in a rural idyll, of Cordon Bleu cookery and of a childhood where the chances of bumping into Freddie Mercury playing piano, or a group of Hell's Angels turning up to record for Lemmy, or even the hope of David Bowie appearing, were as normal as hopscotch and homework.
FOLK HORROR STORIES
Ancient folklore meets modern anxiety...Dive into the eerie and unsettling world of Folk Horror. Contemporary authors and film-makers draw on the archiac folk and fairytales of our ancestors to reveal another, more precarious relationship with our environment -in which we are no longer in charge... Expect shapeshifters, foolhardy pacts and unquiet graves. Don't expect happily ever after! 16+
Daniel Morden is a Welsh storyteller in the oral tradition. Morden retells traditional stories from various cultures, in particular the Celtic and the ancient Greek. He has performed all over the world, in schools and theatres, at festivals and on the radio. He is also an award-winning author of such books as DARK TALES FROM THE WOODS. In 2017 he was awarded the Hay Festival Medal for Drama.
'To experience Daniel Morden in full flight is an amazing thing. He combines the skills of the Troubadour, the actor, the bard, the standup comedian and the preacher in the pulpit. One of the UK’s greatest storytellers.'
Ian Macmillan, Radio 3
Open 10am to 5pm,
seven days a week.
Hay Castle
Oxford Road
Hay-on-Wye
HR3 5DG
01497 820079
info@haycastletrust.org