Calendar of Events
This page gives details of the events that Ancient Wessex Members are planning in 2025. Watch this space for updates - and follow us on Facebook
Set out at the bottom are the events that were attended in 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.
Members don't all turn up to every event, but there will be a variety of demonstrations and displays.
Some of the events are workshops that must be booked.
Please follow the links to find out more about the events at their websites.
If you want to check or clarify please contact the network at info@ancientwessex.net
The Ancient Wessex Facebook Page also lists events and gives some more details and feedback, often with images, we encourage our fans and followers to look at that and post their comments. But you don't have to have a Facebook account to just look at that.
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2025 Events
Ancient Wessex Diary 2024 - Event
March 30th & 31st - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistory Days - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
May 4th Saturday - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Beltane Festival, Wicker Man Burning – Demos & Sales
www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/beltain-celtic-fire-festival
June 8th & 9th Green Scythe Fair - Thorney Lakes, Muchelney, Somerset, www.greenfair.org.uk
July 13th to 28th - British Council for Archaeology - Festival of archaeology - national events - https://festival.archaeologyuk.org/
July 27th & 28th - Salisbury Museum - Festival of Archaeology - demos and displays - https://salisburymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/festival-of-archaeology-2024/
July 27th & 28th - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Dark Ages - Sadly this event is too modern for the network and we are at Salisbury Museum.
August 24th/25th - Oak Fair - Stock Gaylard, Dorset - Demos & Sales http://stockgaylard.com/the-oak-fair.asp https://www.facebook.com/oakfair1/
September 21st & 22nd - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Apple Day - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2023
March 25th & 26th - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistory Days - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
April 22nd & 23rd - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Workshops - Pottery (Saturday) and Wood Carving (Sunday) Booking Required via website:-
https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/whats-on
April 29th Saturday - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Beltane Festival, Wicker Man Burning – Demos & Sales
www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/beltain-celtic-fire-festival
May 13th & 14th - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistoric Pottery workshops with Bill Crumbleholme and Wood Carving with Mark Vyvyan-Penney see booking webpage
June 10th & 11th Green Scythe Fair - Thorney Lakes, Muchelney, Somerset, www.greenfair.org.uk
Saturday Workshops - see booking webpage. Sunday general public admission
July 15th to 30th - British Council for Archaeology - Festival of archaeology - national events - https://festival.archaeologyuk.org/
July 22nd - 30th - Corfe Castle - Festival of Archaeology - Have a go sessions and talks, demonstrations etc (no need to book sessions, but usual National Trust entrance fees are payable.)
https://www.facebook.com/NationalTrustArchaeology/videos/1017748999587678 This video features AWN during the 2022 event at Corfe.
July 22nd & 23rd - Salisbury Museum - Festival of Archaeology - Bill & Wife Diane Crumbleholme - Pottery & textile demos and displays - http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/ https://www.archaeologyuk.org/festival/festival-event-listing/festival-of-archaeology-2.html
July 30th - Hengefest - Maumbury Rings, Dorchester - Demonstrations and displays.
https://discoverdorchester.co.uk/home-of-hillforts-and-henges-2023/
August (TBC) - Wareham Saxon Festival - AWN tells the stories of times before the "Dark Ages"! Apparently NOT happening this year?
August 26th/27th - Stock Gaylard, Dorset - Oak Fair - Demos & Sales http://stockgaylard.com/the-oak-fair.asp
September 23rd & 24th - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Apple Day - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
October 7th & 8th - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistoric Pottery workshops with Bill Crumbleholme and Viking and Celtic Wood Carving with Mark Vyvyan-Penney see booking webpage
October 14th & 15th - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Workshops - Pottery (only Saturday) and Wood Carving (Saturday - but Sunday is sold out) Booking Required via website link below:-
https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/whats-on
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2022
April 30th Saturday - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Beltane Festival, Wicker Man Burning – Demos & Sales www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/whats-on
June 11th & 12th Green Scythe Fair - Thorney Lakes, Muchelney, Somerset, www.greenfair.org.uk
June 18th - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Ancient Pottery workshop with AWN's Bill Crumbleholme. Tickets sold out https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/workshop-calendar/2022/june/18/prehistoric-pottery
June 19th - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Wood Carving workshop with AWN's Mark Vyvyan-Penney . Tickets sold out
https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/workshop-calendar/2022/june/19/woodcarving
July 16th to 31st - British Council for Archaeology - Festival of archaeology - national events - https://festival.archaeologyuk.org/
July 16th & 17th - Badbury Rings, National Trust Kingston Lacy Estate, Dorset - Demonstrations etc
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/badbury-rings
July 16th & 17th - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistoric Pottery workshops with Bill & Diane Crumbleholme
July 23rd - 31st - Corfe Castle - Festival of Archaeology - "Corfe Before The Castle" - Have a go sessions and talks, demonstrations etc
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/13589b01-ea94-4f5a-9adb-d5d491a49f41/pages/details
July 23rd & 24th - Salisbury Museum - Festival of Archaeology - Bill & Diane Crumbleholme pottery & textile demonstrations, displays, have a go at creating a prehistoric pottery decoration & help weaving - http://www.salisburymuseum.org.uk/
27th/28th August - Stock Gaylard, Dorset - Oak Fair - Demos & Sales http://stockgaylard.com/the-oak-fair.asp
18th September - Roman Town House, Dorchester - Heritage Days - Demonstrations and displays
24th & 25th September (??) - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Apple Day - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2021 Events
24th - 25th July - Salisbury Museum - Archaeology Festival
https://salisburymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/events/salisbury-museum-festival-archaeology-2021
13th & 14th August - Wareham Saxon Festival - AWN tells the stories of times before the "Dark Ages"!
28th/29th August - Stock Gaylard, Dorset - Oak Fair - Demos & Sales
http://stockgaylard.com/the-oak-fair.asp
24th & 25th September - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Apple Day - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2019 Events
23th/24th March – Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistory Weekend – Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/ancient-weekends
This is a link to Bill's report about his experimental firing at this event. http://www.crumbleholme.plus.com/Beakerfolk/beakerfolk-atc-bbw.htm
6th April – Saturday – Bill's Woden Wood Kiln Firing - How Bill's functional pots are fired
https://www.facebook.com/events/377653653050394/
4th May – Saturday - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Beltane Festival, Wicker Man Burning – Demos & Sales
www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/event-list/
11th May – Saturday - Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington – Launch of Open For Art - Bill Demos & Sales
https://www.openforart.co.uk/2018/11/open-for-art-2019-launch-event/
18th/19th May - Burton Bradstock, National Trust Spring Tide Festival - Demos & Sales AWN Appearance TBC
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/burton-bradstock/features/spring-tide-food-festival-at-hive-beach
18th May- 2nd June – Open For Art – Open Studios – Bill Crumbleholme display of work with the Upwey Potters
https://sites.google.com/site/upweypotters/events/annual-exhibition
25th May - DorsetCentre for the Creative Arts - Bronze Casting Masterclass with Mark Vyvyan Penney
https://www.facebook.com/events/1218340241676550/
8th June – Saturday – Salisbury Museum – Mark tin casting workshop with young curators.
8th & 9th June – Sunday - Green Scythe Fair www.greenfair.org.uk
22nd/23rd June – Valence House Museum Prehistory Festival, Dagenham http://valencehousecollections.co.uk/
6th/7th and 13th/14th July - Corfe Castle – Demos and sales
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/b7ac28d5-b652-49f6-824a-ba39a99f4b10/pages/details
13th-28th July Festival of Archaeology www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk
13th/14th July - Salisbury Museum - Archaeology Festival
https://salisburymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/events/festival-archaeology-2019
27th/28th July - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Dark Ages Weekend https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
2nd -6th August – Friday-Tuesday - Dorset Arts & Crafts Association, Wareham – Mark Demos & Sales
https://www.dorsetartsandcrafts.org/
19th-22nd August - Stone Age Camp - Neolithic pottery workshops at Out of Eden, Llanidloes, Wales
https://sites.google.com/site/ancientwessexnetwork/in-the-news/awngoingtostoneagecampatoutofeden
24th/25th August - Stock Gaylard, Dorset - Oak Fair - Demos & Sales
http://stockgaylard.com/the-oak-fair.asp
7th September - Test Valley, Hampshire, Zionshill Copse Community Woodfair - Demos & Sales
14th/15th September - Oxford – Detectival - Metal Detecting Event - Demos & Sales
https://www.facebook.com/events/near-burford-oxfordshire-cotswolds/detectival-2019/520792095052563/
29th September Sunday - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Apple Day - Demos & Sales
https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2018 Events
24th/25th March – Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Prehistory Weekend https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
5th May - Butser Farm, Hampshire - Beltane Festival, Wicker Man Burning
19th/20th May - Burton Bradstock, National Trust - Spring Tide Festival TBC
15th July - Thomas Hardy Festival - Kingston Maurward College
21st/22nd July - Salisbury Museum - PLEASE NOTE We are not attending this event as demonstrators, the focus is mainly on WW1, so we are too old! Archaeology Festival
28th/29th July - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Dark Ages Weekend https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
25th/26th August - Stock Gaylard, Dorset - Oak Fair
1st September - Test Valley, Hampshire, Zionshill Copse Community Woodfair
8th September – Avebury, Wiltshire - Avebury Day
15th/16th September - Oxford - Detectival
23rd September Sunday - Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne - Apple Day https://ancienttechnologycentre.com/public-events
To be negotiated :-
Brownsea Island, the National Trust have enquired about AWN doing their thing on the island in Poole Harbour. Maybe a project about Iron Age/Roman Black Burnished Ware pottery production methods ? This is being mooted for a further date!
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2017 Events
24th February - Bronze Casting Workshop at Dorset Centre for Creative Arts, Poundbury
3rd March - Dorset County Museum 7.00pm for 7.30pm - Presentation by Dr. Kate Verkooijen (one of AWN's founders) - Tears of the Sun: Bronze Age Amber Spacer Beads - Tracking the connections between Wessex, Mycenae and Central Europe. http://www.dorsetcountymuseum.org/events?item=742
1st & 2nd April Ancient Technology Centre "Prehistory Weekend" - http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk/public-events.html
8th April - Walford Mill Crafts, Wimborne - Raku pottery workshops 10am-4pm Bill and Jennie. link.
29th April Butser Farm (Saturday) Beltane Festival [demos and sales] (opens to public 4:30pm includes Wicker Man burning!)
22nd – 28th May, Bronzezeithof Uelsen, Germany .Mark and Will attended. "A new historical bronze casting event, to be held yearly. A festival for bronze casters to meet, exchange knowledge, work together on castings and experiments, discuss methods and also just have a good time together. The festival is organized by the Bronzezeithof"
22nd & 23rd July - Salisbury Museum festival of Archaeology
August - Wiltshire Family Pottery workshop - See https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/family-pottery-experience-tickets-36542154568
26th & 27th August Oak Fair Stock Gaylard
2nd September Test Valley Woodfair
16th - 17th September Oxford Metal Detecting event
24th September St Catherines Hill, Christchurch History Day
Ancient Wessex Diary - 2016 Events
19th -20th March Ancient Technology Centre Prehistoric Weekend
20th March Walford Mill -Taster day.Beaker Pottery (Bill), Metal casting (Mark), Viking Jewellery (Will) 10am-4pm
9th April – Salisbury Museum – Bill Potting with youthful archaeologists.
23rd April Walford Mill - Metalcasting Day 10am to 4pm (Mark and helper)
25th to 29th April - Salisbury Museum - Mark & Bill Living History workshops for schools
30th April Butser Farm (Saturday) Beltane Festival (opens to public 4:30pm includes Wicker Man burning!) (Bank Holiday weekend)
21st -22nd May, Burton Bradstock, Spring Tide Hive Beach
19th June Evershot Fair
25th & 26th June - Walford Mill Craft Centre - Artsreach workshops
9th and Sun 10th July - Martinstown Artsreach - History Village
16th -17th July 2016 – Wimborne History Festival
23th & 24th July - Salisbury Museum festival. http://www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk/events/1674
30th July - Avalon Marshes
13th - 21th August – Bronze Forum, Oerlinghausen, Germany
27th & 28th August Oak Fair Stock Gaylard
3rd September Test Valley Woodfair
10th September - Avebury Festival
16th - 18th September Oxford Metal Detecting event in the Heart of the Cotswolds
9th October Walford Mill - Raku pottery day 10am-4pm Bill
5th November Walford Mill - Woodcarving day 10am-4pm (Mark)