Expect major literary lights to attend the Cliveden Literary Festival from 11 to 12 October, 2025, held in the historic home.
About Cliveden Literary Festival
Launched in 2017, the festival is seeped in the literary heritage of Cliveden House in which it is held. It is here in the literary salon that the greatest writers and thinkers from Pope to Swift, and Alfred Lord Tennyson to George Bernard Shaw used to congregate. Sir Winston Churchill also stayed here.
Cliveden Literary Festival 2025 Programme
The 2025 programme has not yet been announced but will appear here. The following is for the 2024 Cliveden Literary Festival.
The historic Cliveden House in Berkshire is the venue for this year’s festival, showcasing today’s foremost writers and thinkers in culture, politics, and history.
Salman Rushdie will converse with Ian McEwan about his illustrious and brave literary journey in what promises to be the literary highlight of the year.
Former MI6 head Alex Younger and historian Niall Ferguson will explore global challenges facing the West. Emily Maitlis and Michael Gove will delve into the prospects of British politics.
Renowned historians William Dalrymple and Simon Sebag Montefiore will examine the Mughal and Romanov empires. Tom Holland and Simon Sebag Montefiore will discuss the concept of holiness in history and its relevance in the modern secular world. Meanwhile, Merve Emre and Elif Shafak will debate the future of literature.
The full programme of events can be found here.
Cliveden Literary Festival 2025 Dates
11 to 12 October 2025
Where Is It Held?
Cliveden House in Berkshire, UK.
About Cliveden House
Built in 1666 by the second Duke of Buckingham as a gift to his mistress, for more than three-and-a-half centuries Cliveden House has been the hub of politics, power and pleasure. Now, owned by the National Trust and part of the Relais & Châteaux collection, Cliveden House Hotel is a five-star luxury hotel with 47 spacious rooms suites, as well as Spring Cottage summerhouse on the Thames, and Cliveden Spa. Only 45 minutes from London and 20 from Heathrow, it is easily accessible from the UK capital.
Main image: ClivedenParterre (c) KenRockwell.com. All images supplied by the Festival Organisers.
