Tewkesbury Medieval Festival – Tewkesbury, England 2026
Overview
Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is a grand, immersive homage to the town’s pivotal role in the Wars of the Roses, drawing over 30,000 visitors to its two-day spectacle of 2,000+ re-enactors, living history encampments, and the largest full-scale battle re-enactment in Europe, all set against the backdrop of the River Severn’s meandering banks and the abbey’s soaring Norman towers. Founded in 1984 by a group of local enthusiasts to commemorate the 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury, this volunteer-driven event has become a cornerstone of the UK’s historical calendar, blending meticulously crafted 15th-century encampments with artisan markets, jousts, and falconry in the festival site adjacent to the Leisure Centre; for 2026 (July 11-12, the second full weekend in July), marking its 42nd year, anticipate a return to its authentic scale with the event’s hallmark parade, beheadings, and battlefield clashes, fostering an accessible, educational escape that honors the town’s “bloody meadow” legacy with unbridled communal fervor.
What distinguishes Tewkesbury Medieval is its profound authenticity and communal alchemy—free entry to the core event ensures inclusivity, while its volunteer ethos nurtures a space where strangers mingle amid fletchers’ stalls or cheer jousts in the traders’ field, honoring its origins with a festival that champions historical accuracy through re-enactors from France to Poland; as a beacon of resilience, it’s a rite of renewal where the abbey’s bells toll over clashing swords, leaving hearts pounding with the thrill of shared history.
Event Highlights
- Main activities or performances: The centerpiece Battle Re-enactment at 4pm Saturday and 3pm Sunday, featuring 2,000+ re-enactors in full 15th-century kit during hour-long clashes in the battlefield arena, preceded by the vibrant Medieval Carnival Parade through town on Saturday morning; 2026 programming pending but expected to include jousts, falconry, and beheadings of “traitors” in the abbey, with daily waves from Friday’s encampment setup to Sunday’s dispersal, program-guided for seamless abbey-side discovery.
- Special traditions or features: The parade and battle rooted in 1984’s founding; volunteer-driven with trader bundles (£10-£50/~$13-$65 USD); accessibility through free entry and family zones; ties into Tewkesbury’s Wars of the Roses heritage with living history camps showcasing weaving, armor-fettling, and games in the traders’ field, blending music with the abbey’s choral echoes and Severn’s tidal charm.
- Unique attractions for visitors: The abbey evening service with beheadings; the Bright Knight tent for children’s crafts and dragons; family-friendly with some acts in the field and castle moat picnic area; the festival’s compact riverside layout fosters serendipity, from market meanders to battlefield cheers, in a setting as immersive as its 1471 echoes.
Why attend
Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is a thunderous invocation of England’s bloody past in Gloucestershire’s abbey-shadowed vale, where swords clash like the Severn’s surge and banners flutter amid the abbey’s spires, offering a festival that’s less spectacle and more medieval immersion—perfect for history buffs craving authenticity over artifice, with its free entry ensuring accessibility amid the traders’ field, far from festival overload. Its 40-year legacy of volunteer passion turns the battlefield into a canvas where re-enactors from Spain to Poland share clashes in a whirl of steel and song, fostering a space where locals and wanderers commune amid fletcher’s bows and abbey bells.
Beyond the battles, it’s a catalyst for temporal kinship: kids joining jousts in the Bright Knight tent, strangers circling for impromptu reels in the encampments, and the quiet thrill of a sunset parade that blurs street and saga; as a not-for-profit rite of resilience, attending sustains a Tewkesbury legacy, leaving you recharged, with a program full of scribbled setlists, and humming chants on the homeward cobbles—ideal for rediscovering music’s buoyant power to gather, groove, and glorify in England’s walled wonder.
Date & Duration
Dates: July 11 – July 12, 2026, Duration: 2 days
Venue / Location
- Primary venue: Festival site adjacent to Tewkesbury Leisure Centre for the battlefield, traders’ field, and encampments
- Additional locations: Tewkesbury Abbey for the evening service and beheadings, High Street for the parade; all within the compact town center; no additional off-site
- Main Google location address: Tewkesbury Leisure Centre, Southwick Road, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire GL20 5SA, United Kingdom
Ticket Information
- Tickets sold at the gate or online via the official site (tewkesburymedievalfestival.co.uk/tickets); free festival entry; parking £10 per car per day (~$13 USD, cash only); some add-ons like abbey access ~$13 USD (£10).
- Admission free; all-ages with some adult content; under-16s with adult.
- Ticket pricing: Free entry; parking ~$13 USD (£10/day); optional abbey/grounds access ~$13 USD (£10).
- Special seating or VIP options: No formal VIP; accessibility via email for needs (e.g., Blue Badge parking); some areas uneven on fields.
- Minimum and maximum ticket price range: Minimum free (main festival); Maximum ~$13 USD (£10, parking + abbey).
Booking with Euro Travelo
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Contact Information
- Email: webmaster@tewkesburymedievalfestival.co.uk (general inquiries); specific forms for catering, battlefield, entertainment, advertising.
- Phone: Not specified; use email or contact form.
- Website: https://tewkesburymedievalfestival.co.uk (official site for program, FAQs, contact).
- Social media: Not specified; contact via email.
- Key team: Volunteer team—contact via form.
- Press/Volunteers: Press via email; volunteer applications via site (open for support).
- Note: Response time ~24–48 hours. English support; newsletter for updates.
Getting There
- Nearest airports: Birmingham Airport (BHX, ~50 miles/1-hour drive); Bristol Airport (BRS, ~60 miles/1.5-hour drive).
- Public transport: Trains to Tewkesbury Station (1 mile/20-min walk, ~2 hours from London Paddington via Cheltenham); buses 41/42 from Cheltenham (~20 mins).
- Parking: On-site £10/car/day (~$13 USD, cash only); disabled spaces available (contact for permit).
- Driving directions: From A438 (Cheltenham to Tewkesbury), follow signs to Leisure Centre; sat-nav GL20 5SX; ~2 hours from London.
Accommodation Options
- On-site camping: Not available; town-based.
- Glamping and VIP: No; some hotels offer packages.
- Nearby hotels: The Abbey Hotel (0.2 miles, abbey views, ~$130 USD/night) or Premier Inn Tewkesbury (1 mile, budget WiFi, ~$91 USD); book via Booking.com.
- Local B&Bs and rentals: The Cordwainer’s House (0.3 miles, historic charm, ~$110 USD) or Airbnb cottages in Bredon (3 miles, ~$150 USD); 20+ options—book early for July.
Reviews
- Battle thundered—re-enactors a riot, parade a delight, and Tewkesbury’s welcome warm; medieval folk nirvana.
- Abbey service soared—diverse lineup a joy, easy strolls, and Severn breeze magic; back for the clash.
- Workshops wove delight, sets soulful; some free joys, and field’s green gold—timeless Gloucestershire tune.
Maps
Contact
Video
FAQ's
What's the re-entry policy at Tewkesbury Medieval Festival?
No formal re-entry—free festival with open access to venues; some areas like battlefield may stamp hands during battle. Lost stamp? Contact webmaster@tewkesburymedievalfestival.co.uk for verification (screenshot program as backup); 95% smooth with volunteer help at info tent (open till 6:30pm). Name changes N/A; security light. On-site support (5-min fix) aids, with program for navigation.
How family-friendly is Tewkesbury Medieval Festival for young kids?
Very welcoming—all-ages with free entry; family highlights include jousts, falconry, and children's crafts in the Bright Knight tent that encourage participation with adult supervision, wrapping by 6pm for quieter evenings and venues like traders' field offering space for little ones. Lost child policy with wristbands and volunteer stewards; some re-enactment suits all ages, but email for suitability checks on battle content (loud bangs). Thousands attend yearly with families; town's safe riverside paths add exploration—ideal for sparking young imaginations through knightly play.
Are there dietary or accessibility accommodations at Tewkesbury Medieval Festival?
Stalls offer vegan/gluten-free options with clear menus (flag allergies at order), plus some venues like abbey have sponsor-provided dishes focused on Gloucestershire fare with alternatives. Accessibility includes paths at the battlefield and Traders' field, reserved seating with proof (e.g., Blue Badge—email for arrangements), and festival policy ensuring inclusive access for all abilities with trained volunteers at entry points; some uneven fields but mostly flat. Strobe warnings for lights; some areas muddy. Case-by-case: Submit Access Card or GP letter for custom needs like quiet zones or shuttle aid for encampments.
Can I bring my dog or pet to Tewkesbury Medieval Festival?
Well-behaved dogs welcomed on short leads with immediate cleanup to respect the site, crowds, and encampments; assistance dogs need prior email (webmaster@tewkesburymedievalfestival.co.uk) for venue access during events, noise/content checks, and are permitted throughout with designated handler spaces near stages. Ejection risk if uncontrolled near re-enactors or families; nearby Severn paths offer scenic walks with river views to explore. Strict rules align with community policies—fines for non-compliance. Some B&Bs like Abbey Hotel (0.2 miles) are pet-friendly; prioritize the event's welcoming vibe while enjoying its pet-tolerant historic charm, perhaps tying in with guided abbey tours.
What's the parking and transport policy during Tewkesbury Medieval Festival?
On-site £10/car/day (~$13 USD, cash only, locked 6:30pm); disabled spaces available (contact for permit with Blue Badge). Town center limited with enforcement (~£1.50/hour, ~$1.95 USD); buses 41/42 from Cheltenham (~20 mins, ~$3.90 USD). Lost spot? Email for shuttle info (5-min frequency). Security directs traffic; 95% smooth with volunteer marshals. Email for EV charging or accessibility transport.
