Highlights of Arundel Castle’s 2023 season

Arundel Castle has announced its 2023 events programme, featuring a wide range of activities for visitors of all ages. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from historical re-enactments and guided tours to family-friendly demonstrations and activities, live performances and even jousting.

Visitors can step back in time and experience the grandeur and pageantry of medieval England and explore the castle’s beautiful gardens and grounds.

Events include:

Medieval Festival – Good Friday April 7 – Easter Sunday April 9.

Step back in time to 1216 as Arundel Castle presents a Medieval Festival. This three-day event recreates the gathering of King John and his loyal followers to put down a rebellion and fend off a potential invasion from France.

Set within a large, tented encampment on the lower lawns of the castle, the event offers a plethora of activities to immerse visitors in the medieval world. Experience the thrill of axe throwing, archery, and falconry demonstrations, and witness combat re-enactments. Children will even have the chance to participate in Arundel Castle’s renowned ‘Kids Battles’.

There will be demonstrations of period crafts in the craft tent, including pewter casting, forging, cooking, leather work, and more. And visitors are sure to enjoy the live music from medieval musicians Myal and Peg, and the fire-eating skills of Whatapalaver.

Plant Fairs – Sunday April 23 and Sunday July 2

Discover a wide range of locally grown, garden-worthy, and often unusual plants at Arundel Castle’s Plant Fairs organised by a collective of specialist nurseries – Plant Fair Roadshows.

Set in the castle’s grounds, the fairs provide a unique opportunity to purchase plants directly from expert growers. Visitors can also receive free advice from the growers and the event’s resident Plant Doctor. 

Allium Extravaganza – May – please check Arundel Castle’s social media channels or website to find out when the flowers are in bloom

Experience the spectacular Allium Extravaganza at Arundel Castle this May, where thousands of alliums will burst into bloom with their vibrant, pom-pom-shaped heads. 

Known as the ‘fireworks of gardening’, these towering flowers will add a surge of colour to the castle’s gardens. Visitors can admire the long-stemmed plants in the English herbaceous borders and see the white blooms of the Cowanii and Mont Blanc complementing the Fitzalan Chapel’s White Garden.

Medieval Festival – A Skirmish – Saturday 27 – Monday May 29

Experience history at Arundel Castle’s 15^th-century Wars of the Roses family event. King Edward IV, Duke of York, faces rebellion from the supporters of the former King, Henry VI, Duke of Lancaster. For one weekend only, Arundel Castle serves as the backdrop for an imaginary Lancastrian raiding party engaging with Yorkist forces. The event includes three tented encampments showcasing 15th-century crafts, forging, leather work, cooking, weapons, and armour. In addition, visitors can participate in hands-on activities, such as archery, axe throwing, and warrior training, as well as Arundel Castle’s renowned ‘Kids battles’.

Falconry demonstrations, medieval music performances, fire eating, artillery demonstrations and skirmishes, all add to the immersive experience, transporting visitors back to this turbulent time in England’s history.

Medieval Weekend Festival – Saturday 8 and Sunday July 9

This weekend event will be set in 1474; the Earl of Arundel celebrates the birth of his first grandson with a knight’s foot tournament and an archery contest featuring teams from England, France, and Poland. 

The festival takes place on the lower lawns of Arundel Castle, where visitors can explore a tented encampment and see demonstrations of historical crafts, including pewter casting, forging, cooking, leather work, as well as combat, falconry and the Knights Tournament.

For those looking to get hands-on experience, there will be plenty of activities such as axe throwing, crossbows, archery, and even battles for children to get involved with. The festival also features medieval music from performers Myal and Peg, and a storyteller. 

International Medieval Jousting Tournament – Tuesday 25 – Sunday July 30

Over six days, eight jousters will fight to be crowned Champion of Champions, having been a past individual winner at Arundel or the top scorer for their country. Visitors can witness the thrilling display of horseback combat as the knights charge down the tilt rail and lances shatter on opponents’ shields.

Tickets include access to the castle, grounds and gardens, as well as full access to the event.  

History Days – Thursday August 10 and Thursday August 17

Arundel Castle explores different eras of history where you can meet various historical characters, such as a Norman knight, a pirate, and someone from the Stone Age. 

Try your hand at a variety of historical crafts and activities, including archery, mini catapults, crossbows, warrior training and a craft tent. There will even be battles for children to get involved with. 

In addition to the hands-on activities, there will be a storyteller, musician, and falconer on hand to entertain and engage with visitors. Impromptu combat and weapons demonstrations will also take place throughout the event. 

Shakespeare open-air theatre: Twelfth Night – Friday 18 and Saturday August 19

Experience the magic of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night in the gardens of Arundel Castle. The enchanting venue serves as the perfect stage for this romantic comedy, as the play’s several interwoven plots of romance, mistaken identities, and practical jokes come to life. 

Reserve your tickets from April.

Festival of History – Saturday 26 – Monday August 28

From the Stone Age to the 20th century, step back in time and explore 12,000 years at Arundel Castle’s Festival of History. This three-day event, set on the lower lawns of the castle, takes visitors on a journey through the development of costumes, weapons, armour, and battle tactics. 

With four living history groups and many individual historical interpreters, visitors will see demonstrations of historical crafts, including forging, cooking, leather work, and period crafts. In addition, there will be bows and gun demonstrations in the arena, as well as Saxon, Norman and Medieval Knights, falconry, Roman Gladiators, a medieval artillery demonstration, and a history parade, followed by the Grand Melee.   

Characters from History – Wednesday 25 and Thursday October 26

Step back in time and experience life in the 12th century at Arundel Castle’s Characters from History event. Meet characters from the castle’s past, including crusaders, knights, archers, and servants who will share their stories and give visitors a glimpse into people’s everyday lives at this time.

See the skill of a falconer, listen to tall tales from a storyteller, enjoy medieval tunes by a wandering musician, or take a tour of the Castle’s moat. Watch historical craft and weapons demonstrations – those over eight years old can try their hand at archery.

This event is perfect for history enthusiasts and families looking to immerse themselves in the past during the October half-term. 

While tickets for all events can be purchased at the gates of Arundel Castle, pre-booking is highly recommended, as many events sell out in advance. Ticket prices vary for each event. Visit www.arundelcastle.org for more information, ticket prices and FAQs. The Castle coffee shop, restaurant and tea terrace are available at all events. Catering, provided by the Knights’ Table, is also available at many of the events – detailed on the website.  

Arundel Castle is a restored medieval castle located in Arundel, West Sussex, England. It was established during the reign of Edward the Confessor and completed by Roger de Montgomery, who was a cousin of William the Conqueror. The castle has been the seat of the Earls of Arundel and the Dukes of Norfolk since the 11th century and is a Grade I-listed building. It was damaged during the English Civil War and then restored in the 18th and 19th centuries. The castle has been visited by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and has undergone several restorative works over the centuries. 

Now the seat of the 18^th Duke of Norfolk/Earl Marshall of England, Edward Fitzalan-Howard, today the castle features extensive gardens and is open to visitors between April and October.  

For more information, visit: https://www.arundelcastle.org.