Welcome to Wessex Society, the cultural society for the land of Thomas Hardy, King Alfred, Broadchurch, Hot Fuzz and The Wurzels. Here you can buy merchandise, learn about the region, and read our blog.
Wessex Chronicle (Blog)
Wessex Worthies: George Monk
George Monk, or Monck, (1608-70), was a general in the English Civil War. He fought on the Royalist side, but later led the Parliamentary Army in Scotland, being named as a possible successor to Oliver Cromwell. After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, King Charles II appointed him to the peerage, giving him the …
Wessex In Fiction: The Butterfly Lion
The Butterfly Lion is a 1996 novel for children by Michael Morpurgo, which won the Smarties Book Prize for that year. It tells the story of a South African boy named Bertie who finds an orphaned white lion cub, but is forced to give the lion to a circus and leave South Africa for a …
Wessex On Screen: Cal
Cal is the 2013 sequel to Shank, which we have covered on this blog before. It stars Wayne Virgo, Tom Payne and Emily Corcoran, and unlike its predecessor, was filmed entirely on location in Bristol. Written and directed by Christian Martin, it tells of the titular character returning home to Bristol to find it torn …
Contact Us
The Society holds events on the closest Saturday to Barnes Night (22nd February), St Ealdhelm’s Day (25th May) and King Alfred Day (26th October).See the blog for details of forthcoming events.