
Kynren – the storied lands
A cultural regeneration charity focused on Bishop Auckland in County Durham has opened an immersive attraction featuring historically inspired live-action shows. Carly Hilts visited to learn more.

A cultural regeneration charity focused on Bishop Auckland in County Durham has opened an immersive attraction featuring historically inspired live-action shows. Carly Hilts visited to learn more.

This month sees a return of the Council for British Archaeology’s annual Festival
of Archaeology, with a wealth of in-person and online events taking place across
the UK in July and August. The theme for 2026 is ‘Archaeology and Nature’.
Here is a selection of regional highlights; for more details of each (including
prices and booking information, where relevant), and to explore the full programme, see www.archaeologyuk.org/festival.html.

Many of Cornwall’s churches preserve centuries-old murals of saints and religious scenes. Laura Miucci shares some of the stories behind these colourful creations, and explores how organised Community Archaeology visits to sites like these can boost the well-being of participants.

There are lots of great ways to get involved with history and archaeology over the next few months, including exhibitions, lectures, and conferences exploring a wide range of subjects. If you would prefer to get your heritage fix from the comfort of your sofa, though, there is a variety of resources on offer online, too, from virtual site tours and digital offerings by museums to podcasts, TV shows, and more. Kathryn Krakowka has put together a selection of some of the options available.

Chalke History Festival returns to the Wiltshire countryside this summer for a week of talks, performances, living history encampments, and more. A star-studded lineup of speakers will explore a vast variety of topics, spanning ancient to modern history, including many…

This month sees a return of the Council for British Archaeology’s annual Festival of Archaeology, with a wealth of in-person and online events taking place across the UK between 19 July and 3 August. The theme for 2025 is ‘Archaeology and Wellbeing’. Here is a selection of regional highlights; for more details, and to explore the full programme, see www.archaeologyuk.org/festival.html.

Carly Hilts reviews York’s annual celebration of its Norse heritage, which took place last month, and highlights three new archaeological displays and exhibitions in the city that you can still go and see.

There is a great range of opportunities to get involved in history, heritage, and archaeology this year, with new exhibitions, lectures, activities, and more coming up over the next few months. Or, if you would prefer to get your history fix from the comfort of your home, there are plenty of ways to do so, from virtual tours of museums and heritage sites to recently digitised resources and new radio and TV shows. Amy Brunskill has put together a summary of some of the latest options.