Hay Castle Events

FOLK HORROR STORIES

DANIEL MORDEN is one of the UK's most popular tellers of ancient tales.

'GRUESOME, HYPNOTIC AND FANTASTICAL' The Times

Suitable 16+

Life Drawing is back for the Autumn term - beginning at 11am and finishing at 4pm

The model for this session will be David.

This takes place in the Clore Learning Space every other Monday from 11am until 4pm.



Please bring your own materials

The sessions cost £18 for the full day from 11-4pm and £12 for a morning or afternoon session only.
The morning session starts at 11am so please arrive at about 10.45am
The afternoon session starts at 1:45pm so please arrive at least 10 mins beforehand

11 - 12 - Drawing
12 - 12.15 - Break
12.15 - 1.15 - Drawing
1.15 - 1.45 - Lunch
1.45 - 2.45 - Drawing
2.45 - 3pm - Break
3 - 4pm - Drawing

Life Drawing is back for the Autumn term - beginning at 11am and finishing at 4pm

This takes place in the Clore Learning Space every other Monday from 11am until 4pm.



Please bring your own materials

The sessions cost £18 for the full day from 11-4pm and £12 for a morning or afternoon session only.
The morning session starts at 11am so please arrive at about 10.45am
The afternoon session starts at 1:45pm so please arrive at least 10 mins beforehand

11 - 12 - Drawing
12 - 12.15 - Break
12.15 - 1.15 - Drawing
1.15 - 1.45 - Lunch
1.45 - 2.45 - Drawing
2.45 - 3pm - Break
3 - 4pm - Drawing

Write The Book, Hay Castle, Hay-on-Wye. The Writing Retreat For Authors-To-Be.

A retreat for new writers and book lovers in rural Wales. Immerse yourself in the famous book town of Hay-on-Wye. Meet authors and booksellers, write, browse the magical bookshops, and enjoy exclusive events.

Price: £150 per day (excluding accommodation & travel)
Booking terms: £50 deposit, no refunds
Location: Hay-on-Wye
Date: Tue 25 Nov 10.00 to Wed 26 Nov 16:00

Price Includes:

• bookshop tours and talks

• writing hours

• lunches, snacks, coffees, teas, juices and cakes

• group coaching & mindful activities

• delicious food and special experiences

Suitable for anyone who loves reading and has a writing project they’d like to explore.

You’ll meet published authors including Helena Attlee for informal, cosy Q & As. There’ll be optional wellness activities to help you feel inspired and motivated. Team this with stunning countryside, a dreamy riverside location, vibrant local markets and delicious food, it’s the magical pre-Christmas trip you’ll want to be part of.

This event is being run by Helen Jane Campbell at Coaching by Helen - click here to book tickets

With more than 30 individual makers on show, join us at the Castle for an extravaganza of ideas for Christmas. Treat your friends, family, or yourself from a range of unique and inspiring crafts by local makers from ceramics, jewellery, glass, baskets, food gifts, clothing, photography, painting and much, much more.

Free entry all day.

A Child's Christmas is a double bill of two wonderful Christmas stories by two famous Welshmen - Dylan Thomas and Richard Burton.

Dylan Thomas ‘A Child's Christmas in Wales’ is back! We’re delighted to welcome Lighthouse Theatre back to the Castle with their wonderful evocation of a child's delight at the festive season. Richard Burton's A Christmas Story is not as well known, but is a funny, warm and thought provoking account of childhood memories...in many ways it was a conscious response to Dylan Thomas' own childhood narrative. Told by award-winning actors Adrian Metcalfe and James Scannell, this evening's festive entertainment has been described by the press as 'masterful story-telling' and 'perfect festive fare'.
Burton and Thomas were actors whose love of words shines through these two short but heart warming stories. Described by the South Wales Evening Post as ‘a joy’, this ‘Welsh Icons Xmas show’ returning for it’s third year at the Castle signals the start of many peoples festivities.

‘There were very few white Christmases in my part of Wales’….

£12.50
£8.00 concessions
7.00pm

Composer and poet Giles Swayne will be reading selections from his latest book of sonnets, Matters Arising. Known for his powerful choral compositions and deep engagement with global musical traditions, Swayne’s foray into poetry reveals the same intellectual rigor and emotional depth that characterizes his music.

The reading will introduce us to sonnets that reflect on memory, mortality, and the quiet drama of everyday life. Matters Arising is Swayne’s first major poetry collection, which has grown from the delight of writing sonnets, something he discovered when recovering from an illness in 2022. From reflections on his time in Africa to meditations on English landscapes, the poems are rich with imagery and insight. The approach is playful and his work is "an emphatic declaration on the side of high spirits, and a refusal to be cowed or slienced by menacing realities."

Following the critical acclaim of their debut album Source of the Severn, the Will Barnes Quartet returns with Outside the Light—a bold and expressive new chapter in their artistic journey. This second album deepens the group’s exploration of the interplay between jazz improvisation and the evocative landscapes of Mid Wales and the Welsh Marches. Through a collection of original compositions, the album weaves lyrical beauty with intricate rhythmic interplay.
​
Led by guitarist and composer Will Barnes, the quartet features pianist Jack Gonsalez, bassist Aidan Thorne, and drummer James Batten—an ensemble recognised for its tight chemistry and compelling live performances. Their sound pays homage to jazz greats such as Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, and Oscar Peterson, while forging a distinct voice rooted in contemporary expression.

The quartet has performed at major UK venues and festivals, including Pizza Express Jazz Club (Soho), Hay Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival, and BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends. Source of the Severn earned praise from critics, with MOJO highlighting their “springy deftness… cool precision… serious chops,” and The Jazz Mann describing the album as “evocative, intelligent… contemporary.”
​
Outside the Light showcases a group in full creative stride, offering audiences an immersive evening of modern jazz that’s both emotionally resonant and musically sophisticated.