New Buxton History Festival to bring leading historians to town

Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust is set to host its first-ever Buxton History Festival, a three-day programme of talks, performances and creative workshops taking place from Friday 17 to Sunday 19 April 2026.

The festival will be held at the Buxton Crescent Assembly Room and the Grade II-listed Pump Room, bringing a host of respected historians, writers and performers to the town.

Sponsored by Yale University Press, the event will explore stories of bravery, creativity and human ingenuity — from medieval manuscripts and Georgian masquerades to Victorian artists, atomic pioneers and the making of early England.

Simon Wallwork, CEO of Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, said:
Buxton has always been a place where people come to learn, reflect and be inspired. The History Festival builds on that tradition by bringing exceptional speakers to our town and opening up stories that still shape the world around us. We’re delighted to launch a new cultural event that celebrates curiosity and supports the Trust’s work to ensure it protects and provides access for all to Buxton’s remarkable heritage.

Across the weekend, visitors will be able to enjoy 14 talks covering subjects including Georgian high society, Victorian philanthropy, early 20th-century literature, radical politics and the origins of industrial Britain.

Speakers include Dr Meg Kobza, Professor Rory Naismith, Professor Gareth Williams, Dr Serena Dyer, Melanie McDonagh and Professor Nick Higham.

Programme highlights

Friday 17 April

• Dr Meg Kobza on the dazzling world of Georgian masquerades
• Kathryn Ecclestone on Vera Brittain, faith and social class in Edwardian Buxton
• Sienna Wells uncovering the hidden lives of medieval manuscripts
• Professor Rory Naismith reassessing Offa of Mercia and early English kingship

Saturday 18 April

• Dr Richard Gaunt on rediscovering Victorian artist Emma Wilmot
• Professor Gareth Williams on Britain’s pioneering atomic programme
• Dr Ruth Larsen on the political and philanthropic life of Lady Knightley
• Dr Caroline McCaffrey-Howarth on the extraordinary collector Lady Charlotte Schreiber
• Dr Serena Dyer exploring what it felt like to wear the clothes of the past

Sunday 19 April

• Melanie McDonagh on early 20th-century literary converts
• Geoff Andrews tracing Labour’s radical roots
• Professor Edmond Smith on rivers, rocks and the making of industrial Britain
• Professor Nick Higham on the transformation from Roman Britain to Anglo-Saxon England

As part of the festival, the travelling Makory Maker Space will also be in Buxton on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April, celebrating the town’s craft heritage and the creativity that continues to shape the region today.

The Makory Tour brings artists from across Derbyshire together to offer hands-on activities inspired by the county’s long history of innovation.

During those two days, milliner Claire Brown will host drop-in workshops titled Ribbons and Regency, where visitors can learn how to create Regency-style cockades — decorative ribbon rosettes worn as expressions of style, identity or political allegiance.

All proceeds from the festival will support the charitable work of Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust, helping preserve and celebrate the town’s heritage for everyone.

The full programme and tickets are available online at: https://www.buxtonexperience.com/tour/history-festival