


The Knights of the Round Table, mighty Roman legions, the Civil War and Spitfires flying overhead; 2000 years of history will flash by in just two days at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry, this August.
60 acres – about ¼ of the Stoneleigh Park showground - will be transformed into 2 millennia of living history for the outdoor event on 7-8 August. A grand medieval joust and a Roman encampment will rub shoulders with 18th Century pleasure gardens, a WW1 training camp and a cavalcade of vintage cars.
The Festival is the work of English Heritage, which is bringing the event to Stoneleigh Park for the second year in 2004. The aim is to bring English history to life for an audience that ranges from young families to history buffs. Around 6,000 visitors of all ages are expected
Visitors will be plunged into a mass of living history; heart-pounding jousting displays, the sights and sounds of the medieval period, soldiery from Romans to the Second World War. People will be able to sample the food, work, clothes and lives of everyday people from every period of history. Or they can sit back and watch a carnival of fashion through the ages, vintage cars and bicycles, and spectacular battle reconstructions.
All this will take place in the midst of Stoneleigh Park: 250 acres of Warwickshire countryside, located just minutes from the M1, M42, M40 and M45. The site also has conference and exhibition areas seating up to 2500 people and 7,500msq of exhibition space. For information about Stoneleigh Park visit www.stoneleighpark.com or call 02476 858306/7/8.
For more Festival details and ticket information visit www.english-heritage.org.uk. The Festival of History is produced in association with the Discovery Channel.
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Contacts
Stoneleigh Park Ltd: Kathryn Payne 02476 858267 / 07968 694728 /
kathrynp@rase.org.uk
Festival of History: Lawrence Hall 020 8392 5712 / 07813 115 129 /
lawrence.hall@mission-21.com.
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