The du Maurier Fowey Literary Festival 2025 – events for those with a particular interest in Daphne du Maurier
Daphne du Maurier in 1925
The du Maurier Fowey Literary Festival 2025 takes place from 9th – 17th May. There is a fantastic array of talks, walks, workshops, reading groups, films, music events and even a quiz this year, so do look at the programme and start buying your tickets here https://www.foweyfestival.com.
There will, of course, be a number of events about or relating to Daphne du Maurier, and here they are:
Saturday 10th May starts bright and early with the first guided walk, Daphne du Maurier's Fowey. This is the ultimate guided walk exploring Daphne du Maurier's Fowey and giving you the opportunity to learn about Daphne, her life and her novels. You will be inspired by the landscape and the way it is intricately woven into Daphne's works. The walk begins at 10.30am and takes about two hours. It is a linear walk of 1.5 miles, mostly downhill and is led by experienced Blue Badge Guide Chrissie Le Marchant. The walk begins at the Main Carpark, Hanson Drive Fowey, PL23 1ET and ends on Town Quay Fowey.
If you are not able to attend the Saturday walk, there will be another opportunity to take part in this walk on Tuesday 13th May, also at 10.30am.
Daphne du Maurier during the years she lived at Kilmarth
Sunday 11th May again starts bright and early with the second walk of the Festival, Strands of Time. This time, Chrissie Le Marchant takes you on a fascinating circular walk, exploring the two historic villages of Par and Tywardreath and looking at their place in Daphne's writing, particularly her novels The House on the Strand and Rule Britannia. The walk takes about two hours and is a circular walk meeting at 10.30am at Par Beach Car Park, Par, PL24 2AS. This walk is steep in places.
Dr Patrick Newberry
At 11am in Fowey Town Hall, Dr Patrick Newberry presents his talk, Vanishing Cornwall, about Daphne du Maurier's wonderful book of the same name. Daphne du Maurier wrote Vanishing Cornwall in 1967, at a difficult time in her life, just after her husband had died. Patrick will look at the book's origins, its component parts, what it tells us about Daphne's relationship with this enchanted place, and he will make the case that this book deserves to be recognised as one of the best twentieth–century studies of Cornwall.
Many of you will know Patrick from previous festivals, so you will probably also want to attend the other talk he is presenting this year, which is The Country Houses of Cornwall and the Great Cornish Families. This year he will be focusing on the history of the families who lived in Cornwall's great houses and their impact on Cornwall. This event is on Saturday 17th May, in the Town Hall, at 4pm. You won't want to miss it.
Ella Westland, Malcolm Gould and Luke Thompson
Monday 12th May. Join Ella Westland, Malcolm Gould and Luke Thompson for Excavations: Writers and the Clay Country. These three experts will bring you an insightful event on the creative process and the connections between writing and the land. Each member of the panel will bring their own field of expertise to the discussion. Ella Westland is a regular Festival speaker and will be known to many of you. She has written extensively on Daphne du Maurier, and she will talk about Daphne and other authors who have been drawn to the working communities and surreal landscapes of this atmospheric place. Malcolm Gould, from the Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, will introduce you to the Cornish Alps, and writer Luke Thompson will discuss the powerful poetry of Jack Clemo. This is certain to be a lively and fascinating event.
Tuesday 13th May. Today is Daphne du Maurier's birthday, and three Daphne du Maurier-related events celebrate this.
Serena Trowbridge
Starting the day at 9.30am in Fowey Parish Hall, Serena Trowbridge will lead the first of this week's reading Groups. Today's book is Don't Look Now and Other Stories. Daphne's short stories are too often overlooked in favour of her novels, but they are a Gothic treasure trove full of mystery and the uncanny. Join Serena to discuss the merits of the short story form and Daphne's handling of complex and often disturbing subjects in this collection of stories. All you need to do is read the book before the event and bring your copy with you.
Many of you will know Serena from previous festivals and will know that, as well as her reading groups, she presents some fabulous talks. This year, she is presenting Frankenstein and Its Legacies on Monday 12th May, at 4pm in the Town Hall. You won't want to miss it.
The second du Maurier-related event today is the Daphne du Maurier's Fowey guided walk. See Saturday 10th May's information for details.
Festival Quiz Night
The third event, with an element of Daphne du Maurier, is the Festival Quiz Night, which takes place in Fowey Town Hall at 8pm. This is going to be a fun quiz, and whether you are a fan of literature, art, Cornwall, Daphne du Maurier, music or general trivia, there will be something for you. There will be quiz prizes and a raffle. This is going to be an evening you won't want to miss.
Kate Aspengren
Wednesday 14th May, begins with Kate Aspengren leading her book group in Fowey Parish Hall at 9.30am. Today's book is Daphne du Maurier's last novel, Rule Britannia. Published in 1972, the novel imagines a future in which the UK and the US have combined to form a single country. All you need to do is read the book before the event and bring your copy with you.
Ella Westland
Thursday 15th May. A new day and another book group. Today, Ella Westland leads her book group in Fowey Parish Hall at 9.30am. Today's book is Daphne du Maurier's novel, My Cousin Rachel. Published in 1951 and opening with the famous words, They used to hang men at Four Turnings in the old days, this novel about a troubled male narrator and a femme fatale is one of Daphne's classic tales, set in our Cornish landscape. All you need to do is read the book before the event and bring your copy with you.
Liz Gifford
Friday 16th May. Today at 2pm in Fowey Town Hall, Liz Gifford presents a talk about her new novel, The Mischief Makers, published in September 2024. The Mischief Makers is a haunting, stylish fictional reimagining of the life of Daphne du Maurier and her mysterious association with J. M. Barrie. J.M. Barrie worked with Daphne's father, Gerald, on many of his plays and Daphne and her sisters grew up with J.M. Barrie, a familiar figure in their home. Her aunt Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, Gerald's sister, had five sons, and it was these boys that the story of Peter Pan was created for. This and much more about J.M. Barrie, the du Maurier family and the Llewelyn Davies family is revealed in The Mischief Makers, and there will be much to discuss about the book at this fascinating talk.
Mark Mitchley
Saturday 17th May. Today is the last day of the festival, and at 11am in Fowey Town Hall, Mark Mitchley will give his talk Cornwall's Literary Heritage. Mark's book of the same name was published last autumn. Cornwall has a special literary heritage. Its writers and poets seem to come from its rich, deep and ancient rock formations, unique geology and proximity to the sea. Cornwall's writers have been shaped by landscape, from its bardic tradition and ancient language of Kernewek to the present day. Of course, Daphne du Maurier is one of many authors associated with Cornwall who are included in Mark's book and about whom we will be hearing today.
You are sure to be able to find something to interest you in this super part of the festival programme. We look forward to seeing you in Fowey, in May.
© Ann Willmore, March 2025.