What's On

See a display of art celebrating Lesnes Abbey Woods. 

There will be paintings and wooden craftwork using materials from the local woods 

Some will be for sale on the day.

Using one of the very first photographic methods use natural products to make your own amazing art work with the help of sunlight and some old fashioned wet chemistry!

A great way to combine science and nature!

Watch as a floral arch is made from woven willow and flowers. 

The arch will be moved to the nave of the church for the Grand Procession to pass through.

Why not dress up and really embrace being in our woods. Maybe you could be a canon from the abbey, a humble woodsman, or a forest nymph, a deer, rabbit or even the green man or lady of the woods! There will be a face painter in the market to help perfect your look!

If none of that grabs you, just look amazing and join our grand procession around the abbey ruins at 4:00pm

Log splitting, log sawing, axe use, planes, pole lathes, shave horses, carving, weaving and other demonstrations and activities based on traditional skills all showcased by the Forest Club of Lesnes Abbey Woods.

Have a go at simple crafting activities, listen to woodland tales and try out a traditional carved slit drum.

We’re delighted to have ‘Nan & Van’ with us. Nonna Penny is an artist who is passionate about saving our planet, she creates her own stories and works with natural materials but also reuses & recycles as much as possible. Nonna Penny has an amazing van with all kinds of goodies to help children (and adults) create something unique & amazing.   As Nonna says  'We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing'

A vibrant eco-market with stalls providing food, drink, education and crafting opportunities. The focus is on locally produced products, recycling and providing background on how the products are made. There will also be stalls providing active assistance on the three Rs... Repair, Reuse and Recycle. All the other things you would expect, but all a little bit different. 

Live folk and country music from 1.00- 3.30pm on stage  featuring local and Kentish performers.

Morris Dancers from 3:30 pm.

Arranged by John Stevens with Claire Stevens in support.

With a small stage set up in the refectory of the old abbey, enjoy a wide range of music from local bands all in keeping with our woodland festival ambience.

There will be talks and demonstrations and an opportunity to take part in two scheduled workshops which you will need to sign up to on  the day.

• Find out what the best natural dyes are and where they come from.

• Learn about the new Lesnes Abbey dye garden

• Try out various printing methods on materials using the dyes in natural materials.

In the workshops you will be able to make dyed cloth using a range of materials under expert guidance.

Delve into the mysterious and usually out-of-bounds chalk pit for a day of meditative woodland based traditions involving nature. Prepare for a parade that will form the culmination of the day.

Lore of the Wild is a series of pre-recorded audio stories accompanied by a beautiful soundtrack voiced by Fox, Crow, Fungi, even the Wind herself.

Join writers Sophie and Bernadette on an enchanting walk. After each story, they will invite moments to reflect and celebrate as we gather in this ancient woodland to consider our relationship with the land during this time of harvest.

Book your walk here

All ages will enjoy this horrible history style story about a great man who was at the heart of the most famous medieval scandal but also shaped our local area.

Who was the Norman Knight who founded Lesnes Abbey and what did he get up to in his long and illustrious life. As second-in-command to King Henry II, Richard de Luci was once one of the most powerful people in England.  How did he come to found Lesnes Abbey?  And what was his connection to the murder of Thomas Becket - an event which shocked medieval Europe and influenced English history for hundreds of years.

Be guided round the woods and relax in these calming surroundings as you are encouraged to let all five of your senses explore nature and indulge in activities like bark rubbing.

Be guided round the woods and relax in these calming surroundings as you are encouraged to let all five of your senses explore nature and indulge in activities like bark rubbing.

Engage in activities to learn about and help the wildlife in the woods.