For more than thirty years, England's Medieval Festival has created unforgettable medieval memories for thousands of new and returning visitors from across the United Kingdom and around the world.

Today, England's Medieval Festival continues at its spectacular new home at The King's Grove in Pippingford Park, East Sussex, where the festival's long-established tradition of jousting, living history, medieval heritage, and immersive weekend celebration continues to grow.

Origins at Herstmonceux Castle

England's Medieval Festival was originally conceived in 1993 by Clive and Gilly Geisler as a celebration to mark the reopening to the public of the magnificent 15th-century moated Herstmonceux Castle.

Set in 250 acres of beautiful rolling hills in East Sussex, the castle needed a way to announce to the world that it was once again open, and a fully authentic medieval festival proved to be the ideal event.

Over the following decades, the festival grew into the largest annual festival of its kind in England, attracting thousands of visitors over the three days of the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The objective of the festival was always to recreate a setting so complete that visitors felt transported back in time for the day. In order to achieve this, no effort or attention to detail was too great.

From the moment of entering the grounds, the experience was designed to feel unique and inspiring. Visitors were greeted by costumed attendants and ticket sellers speaking in character, immediately setting the tone and transforming the scene into the Middle Ages.

The first impression was one of awe: colourful tents and marquees, hundreds of costumed merchants, knights in armour, archers, musicians, dancers, craftsmen, and performers all filling the visitor with anticipation for the day ahead.

While other properties around England have at times hosted medieval-themed events, none offered the complete scale, atmosphere, and quality of experience established over decades by England's Medieval Festival.

A New Chapter at The King's Grove

In 2022, the owners of Herstmonceux Castle decided that they would no longer continue to host England's Medieval Festival, as they were rewilding much of the grounds and there would no longer be sufficient space available to accommodate the festival at the scale for which it had become known.

Following almost thirty years at the castle, England's Medieval Festival moved to its new home at The King's Grove in Pippingford Park, East Sussex.

This new setting provides a spectacular and immersive backdrop for the next chapter of the festival's history, allowing the event not only to continue, but to grow.

England's Medieval Festival remains the premier medieval festival in the UK, now re-established in a woodland realm that offers an exceptional atmosphere for reenactment, heritage interpretation, living history, performance, and weekend festival adventure.

The Festival Continues

Today, England's Medieval Festival - King's Grove continues the tradition established in 1993, bringing together:

• British and international re-enactment groups
• living history encampments
• jousting tournaments
• medieval battles and demonstrations
• craftsmen and traders
• music, theatre, and storytelling
• camping, glamping, and evening entertainment

Visitors can come for the day, or stay for the entire festival weekend and experience the atmosphere of the realm after dark.

We look forward to welcoming both returning visitors and first-time guests to EMF - King's Grove, where the medieval world comes alive once again.

Looking for the Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle?

For nearly three decades, England's Medieval Festival was held at the historic Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, where it became one of the best-known medieval living history festivals in the United Kingdom.

Many visitors still search for the medieval festival at Herstmonceux Castle, Herstmonceux medieval festival, medieval heritage weekend at Herstmonceux, or living history weekend at Herstmonceux Castle because the event became such a well-known annual tradition.

Following changes to the use of the castle grounds in 2022, the original England's Medieval Festival moved to its new home at EMF - King's Grove at Pippingford Park, where the event continues today with the same organisers, performers, traders, and traditions that visitors have enjoyed for decades.

If you are searching for the medieval festival event formerly held at Herstmonceux Castle, you will find the original event now taking place at England's Medeival Festival - King's Grove.

Visitors searching for the historic medieval festival formerly held at Herstmonceux Castle are warmly invited to join us each August Bank Holiday weekend at England's Medieval Festival - King's Grove.

Medieval battle reenactment during England's Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex.