Highclere Castle, the main filming location for Downton Abbey.

Literature, film and TV

Many of our famous writers have been inspired by the drama of the landscape. Wordsworth loved the light on a Cumbrian lake. The wildness of the Yorkshire Moors compelled Emily Bronte to write Wuthering Heights. The misty marshlands of Kent feature in many of Charles Dickens’ novels, and the rural idylls of Dorset were beloved by Thomas Hardy. But if writing a great English novel is not on your agenda, visit one of the many stately homes which are regularly used for film locations and TV locations. Make your own costume drama at houses like Highclere Castle, the setting of the fictional Downton Abbey.

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June events: Step back in time at Broadstairs Dickens Festival

The usually quiet coastal town Broadstairs comes to life to celebrate the life of Dickens at this week-long, eclectic festival.

Location: Broadstairs, Kent

 

Celebrate Portsmouth's literary heritage at BookFest

Meet some of the UK's most beloved authors in an annual literary festival for the whole family.

Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

 

September events: Live the sense and sensibilities of Jane Austen’s Bath

Step into a Georgian world and explore the City of Bath that inspired one of England’s most famous writers.

Location: Bath, Somerset

 
Stratford Literary Festival

Add Stratford Literary Festival to your list of things to do in April

Be in the company of celebrity authors and best-selling writers at this lively literary event in the UK.

Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire

 

September events: Give cultural films a go at Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival

Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival gives you the chance to watch films you won’t find in your local cinema in a range of unusual surroundings.

Location: Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland

 

November events: Join the highbrow chit-chat at Chester Literature Festival

There’s no shortage of wordy stimulation and novel debate for book worms at the Chester Literature Festival.

Location: Chester, Cheshire

 

July events: Penzance Literary Festival

A literary festival on the Cornish coast with a distinctly local flavour and a relaxed atmosphere that’s ideal for book lovers.

Location: Penzance, Cornwall

 

September events: Experience Agatha Christie's Riviera in Devon

Discover Agatha Christie's Riviera and follow in her footsteps by attending her namesake festival, and walking the Agatha Christie Mile in the bustling harbour town of Torquay.

Location: Torquay, Devon

 

Experience York's Literature Festival

Rub shoulders with best-selling authors as York gets all bookish.

Location: York, North Yorkshire

 

October Events: Read and be merry at the Ilkley Literature Festival

Book lovers simply can’t miss this prestigious literature event in the Yorkshire Dales, that's taking place between 1 and 17 October.

Location: Ilkley, West Yorkshire

 

July events: Alice's Day

Rediscover the charm of Wonderland with a fun-packed day of events on Oxford’s unique Alice’s Day.

Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire

 

Adventure like the Famous Five in Dorset

Visit the Isle of Purbeck on Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, which is said to have inspired Enid Blyton's books.

Location: Purbeck, Dorset

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