What’s on at your castle
Spring/Summer 2025
The ferns are unfurling, the slow worms uncoiling and the redstarts returning – it’s time to plan a visit! Here are Snodhill’s summer events – plus booking details and info. If you want to bring a group, we’d be delighted to help arrange and host – get in touch at the Snodhill Castle links below…
GOLDEN VALLEY PILGRIM WAY WALK
May 8th – 12th, Sept 25th-29th
A 35 mile, 4-day escorted walking tour, passing by and pausing to contemplate the many historic and spiritual sites of the Golden Valley. Organised by the British Pilgrimage Trust.
Info here: https://www.britishpilgrimage.org/events/golden-valley-pilgrim-way-4-day
CASTLE TOURS DURING HEREFORDSHIRE HISTORIES WEEK
Friday May 16th, 11AM & 2PM
Garry Crook, castelologist, storyteller and SCPT Chair, reveals our latest discoveries in a tour that includes the newly opened wall walk and conserved chapel site. Tours are at 11 am and 2 pm and we invite donations of £10 per adult. Under 16s free, and dogs on leads are welcome. Enquire and book at info@snodhillcastle.org
SNODHILL SECRETS: A GUIDED WALK THROUGH CASTLE LANDS
Friday May 16th, depart Snodhill Castle 10.30am
Join Rebecca Lane of Historic England plus a qualified walking guide for a ramble round the historic lands and deer park of Snodhill, tracing its ancient boundaries and taking in the spectacular views from Vagar Hill. More details here:
https://herefordshirehistories.org/a-guided-walk-at-snodhill-castle/
HAY FESTIVAL WEEK TOURS
Saturday 24th, Tues 27th, Thurs 29th May, all at 2pm
The official Hay Festival programme tours are sold out, but we’re holding further tours on the above days all starting at 2pm. We invite donations of £10 per adult, under 16s free. Dogs on leads welcome.
Book your place by mailing info@snodhillcastle.org
MIDSUMMER’S DAY CHOIR AND PICNIC
Saturday June 21st, 3pm onwards
Celebrate midsummer’s day with the Peterchurch Community Choir singing from the Chapel – with songs both sacred and secular. Bring a picnic as Kilvert famously did on this day in 1871. With readings from the diaries. Open to all, no booking necessary.
SUMMER ARCHAEOLOGY BEGINS
Sunday June 29th – Sunday July 30th
Student archaeologists from Manchester and Cardiff unis and the Institute of Field Research (US) start excavating from Sunday June 29th through to July 30th. The castle is open to the public throughout, with informative open days to be held July 19-22nd. If you’re a member of a group and would like a guided tour of the digs, get in touch at info@snodhillcastle.org
Keep an eye on social media for finds and details!
MINIBEAST SAFARI
Saturday July 5th, 10am till 4pm or later
Join Snodhill Castle’s ecologist Tim Kaye on a journey of exploration into our underfoot wilderness. Grab a net and wonder at our tiny beasts as they hunt, forage and roam freely among our mountainous molehills, jungle bracken and towering anthills. Fun and fascination for all ages. Part of the castle’s ‘Fortifying the Future’ project, made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and lottery players. Book now at tim@clan-cic.org
DIG OPEN DAYS
July 19th – 22nd
These days are ‘Peak dig’, an opportunity to see the full extent of the excavations on display, prior to their being backfilled. Come by to see their work, hear of our finds, and share in their speculations with some summery refreshment. And if you’d like to organise a group tour in these fascinating final days, mail us at info@snodhillcastle.org
ROYAL FREE CHAPEL ALTAR STONE UNVEILING AND CEREMONY
August, date TBC
To mark the completion of the chapel conservation project, and as a thank you to all those who have generously donated to it, we’re placing a new flagstone, carved with consecration crosses, to mark the site of the altar. There will be a ceremony surrounding this event – details to follow in due course.
SNODHILL COMMUNITY DIG 1
Late August / September, 8 days, dates to be confirmed
If history gets under your skin, get it under your fingernails at our first community dig! We invite volunteers of all ages, aptitudes and abilities to help us investigate some of the castle’s most mysterious landscape features. All tools and training provided, and you can join in for as long or as little as you like. To register your interest please contact info@snodhillcastle.org. The Community Dig is part of the Trust’s ‘Fortifying the Future’ project, made possible thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and lottery players.
Loved your visit? Then volunteer!
We depend entirely on volunteers to keep the castle humming, as well as standing, and if the satisfaction of slashing undergrowth, breaking rocks and burning brash isn’t your thing, we need folk with skills in social media, membership administration, finance, information design, newsletter editing, database management and more! If this sounds like you get in touch at info@snodhillcastle.org
