Scriptorium Buttery:'The Three Choirs Festival In Gloucester'

Discover the remarkable history of the Three Choirs Festival, the worlds oldest music festival, founded in Gloucester in 1715.

Here, giants such as Ralph Vaughan Williams premiered Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis in 1910 before a packed cathedral nave that included Edward Elgar, while young Ivor Gurney and Herbert Howells looked on.From the first BBC live broadcasts in 1925 to moments of wartime uncertainty, 2026 Artistic Director Adrian Partington, archivist Simon Carpenter and Chief Executive David Francis reveal triumph, turbulence and tenacity across three centuries of Festivals in Gloucester.Purchase the brand new range of Gloucester History Festival merchandise when ordering your tickets and receive FREE postage and packing (valid until 12th April 2026).