Wells Festival of Literature has been a fixture in the calendar for over 30 years. The festival now runs for 9 days. The Wells Festival of Literature 2025 will take place from 17 – 25 October. Cedars Hall is now the venue for all the events except the Wells Literary Quiz which usually takes place in a local hostelry. (In years gone by, some of the talks by authors took place in marquees in the gardens of the Bishop’s Palace. It could get a little chilly.) Cedars Hall is a state-of-the-art event venue with a well-stocked bar! It’s designed to hold concerts, so the acoustics are fantastic.
Wells festival of literature helps the community
Wells Festival of Literature not only provides entertaining and thought-provoking talks it also makes a real difference to school children in the local community. Profits from the festival help to support important educational projects in Somerset.
2024 was the most successful Wells Literature Festival to date with record ticket sales. Thousands of people attended the huge range of events. This will help to fund trips for pupils to talks by a well-known author or two and help to provide subsidised books, theatre trips and transportation to other literary events. A large part of the festival’s work is to encourage young people to love books and reading. Incredibly worthwhile aims.
buying TICKETS for the festival
In 2025, tickets to the Wells Festival of Literature went on general sale on 4 August. General admission to an event is £12.50 (plus a booking fee). Student tickets are £6 (plus £1 booking fee). The festival always attracts some well-known authors and many events sell-out quickly. Tickets can be purchased via the Wells Festival of Literature website. It is sometimes possible to buy unsold tickets ‘on the door’ at Cedars Hall.
Talks by authors take place from lunchtime onwards. Several of the events include a two course lunch.
Above: Robert Harris in conversation with William Waldergrave
Becoming a ‘Friend’ of Wells Festival of Literature has a number of benefits. Alongside helping to fund educational projects, a Friend of the festival receives a discount on tickets (£10 per ticket instead of £12.50), priority booking and invites to unique events.
SPEAKERS AT THE 2025 FESTIVAL of literature
The festival will focus on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Historian Anne Sebba will talk about women and girls who had to perform music in a concentration camp to stay alive. Their orchestra played for the labourers and for the officers in charge.
Former Foreign Office diplomat, Tim Willasey-Wilsey, will discuss his new book – The Spy and the Devil. The subject matter is Baron de Ropp, MI6’s top agent in Germany during the 1930s.
Headliners this year are, Prue Leith. Carol Klein and international BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet. Sebastian Faulks will open the festival. Quite the line-up!
Wells Festival of literature 2025 timetable
Friday 17 October
6pm Sebastian Faulks. 7.45pm Tim Spector
Saturday 18 October
10.30am Sophy Roberts. 12.15pm Horatio Clare. 2pm Gina Rippon. 3.45pm Edward St Aubyn. 5.30pm Dan Richards. 7.30pm Sumit Paul-Choudhury
Sunday 19 October
12 noon Nick Trend. 2.30pm Howard Jacobson. 4.15pm Mike Berners-Lee. 6pm Lamorna Ash. 7.45pm Wells Literary Quiz.
Monday 20 October
11.30am Midge Gillies (includes lunch). 2pm-5pm Poetry Readings and Prize Giving (free to enter). 6pm Masud Husain. 7.45pm Simon Kuper.
Tuesday 21 October
2pm Carol Klein (includes lunch). 4.15pm Tim Willasey-Wilsey. 6pm Stuart Maconie. 7.45pm Selena Wisnom.
Wednesday 22 October
2pm Lucy Mangan (includes lunch). 6pm Tim Bouverie. 7.45pm Emily Hauser.
Thursday 23 October
4.15pm Andrew Lownie. 6pm Anna Sebba. 7.45pm Steve Crawshaw.
Friday 24 October
2pm James Canton (includes lunch). 4.30pm Frank Close. 6.15pm Iain Dale. 8pm Christopher Summerfield.
Saturday 25 October
10.30am Prue Leith. 12.15pm Ros Ballaster. 2pm Tim Minshall. 3.45pm Luke Pepera. 5.30pm Lyse Doucet. 7.15pm Rachel Parris.
An event that channels its profits into the education of children should be applauded. The many sponsors, patrons and volunteers do a fantastic job. The literature festival is another of Somerset’s great festivals. Long may it continue.
If you are traveling from afar, The Cross at Croscombe is just a couple of miles from Wells.