Events

   NEW

  COMING SOON

  A programme of online events

  We're planning a series of online tutorials and workshops for 2026

    For more information watch this space...

  NEW

  FESTIVAL

  We're planning a series of smaller local festivals

   Our team is examining ways we can meet locally in smaller groups for festival-type events in 2026

   For more information watch this space...

NEW

Wentworth Writing Weekend

15th - 17th May 2026

Wentworth Castle is a palladian stately home built in the 1720s for Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford. It is out in the country about 4 miles from Barnsley and around 10 miles from Sheffield. Neither are visible from the house.

The building, now home to Northern College, has 60 acres of National Trust gardens covering a hillside with a folly castle at the top. We go in May when the Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in bloom. Here there are many different varieties of Rhododendron, and the Azalea Garden is exceptional in it's golden beauty and exquisite scent. Adjacent to the gardens is the Deer Park with it's herds of Red and Fallow deer. The Fallow deer are particularly beautiful. The park, house and gardens are surrounded by rolling fields with cattle and sheep leisurely grazing beyond the ha-ha. This is literally an idyllic location. Please have a look at their website.

At the rear of the house is the family church next to the Home Farm which is now a conference centre with en-suite rooms clustered around The Arched Barn conference room. It's here that we will be holding the NAWG Writers Retreat, as we usually do, this being our 15th year. 

There will be around 15 delegates, which is a small enough group for you to meet and become familiar with everyone. There will be writers of many genres and I can guarantee that they will be friendly and interesting company as many have been to a number of these events in the past.

We arrive after 2pm on Friday 15th of May and pick up our room keys from reception, easily found at the rear of the building. We gather at The Arched Barn, where there is coffee and tea always available. In the evening we go for a pleasant meal to a Toby Carvery a couple miles away, which costs about £10.

On Saturday morning there is an optional writing workshop with our tutor, Leonora Rustamova, who is an author, publisher's editor and creative writing teacher at a Leeds college. After lunch we can walk in the gardens, write and converse with other writers from different parts of the country, or do just what we like.

Dinner is in the dining room with the exotic painted ceiling, after which we gather at the Arched Barn where delegates can give talks (we've had a variety of talks:- on The National Space Centre, Dragonflies, Bees, Trilobites, 'My ranch near Santiago de Chile', the origins of money, Robin Hood who actually lived not far away etc.), there will be a literary quiz, and we enjoy a pleasant party atmosphere. There are no bars or shops at Northern College so if you would like a drink then please bring some with you.

On Sunday morning, if delegates would like one, we can have another writing workshop. These workshops are voluntary and sometimes people spend their time in the magnificent library (you should see it whether you use it or not) working on a writing project. It is your weekend and you can spend it how you like.   The cost is £255.

This includes 2 nights B&B in single or double en-suite accommodation, Saturday dinner and the tutored workshop. We keep the cost very close to break even. Directions for the college are available, the M1 is only a couple of miles away. If you come by train let me know and you will be picked up at Barnsley station.

Any questions? please contact Chris Huck Tel. 07968 095164. Old Vicarage, Scammonden, Huddersfield. HD3 3FT

To book please download and fill in this form  (CLICK HERE) and email to Chris Huck - email address is on the form. Then click the button below to pay by Credit Card or PayPal.