For centuries Chagford has been known as having magnetism for those involved in the Arts. Not least among these are the writers and poets who have used the landscape and nature as the inspiration for their work.

To celebrate the town's literary heritage, Ex  Libris an exhibition of  written works, illustrated with flowers, will be held later this year at the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Chagford  Friday 25th  July until Sunday July 27th.
(Friday & Saturday 10.00 am - 6.00 pm, Sunday 11.00 am - 5.00 pm).

Among those who have lived and worked in Chagford are such well-known luminaries as Evelyn Waugh, who wrote Brideshead Revisited whilst staying at the Easton Court Hotel; Mary Wesley, author of The Camomile Lawn and many other books, lived in Chagford for many years; Freya Stark, the adventuring botanist and traveller whose travel books about Afghanistan, Turkey and Syria enlightened thousands of people about the more mysterious parts of the world in the twentieth century lived on the edge of the parish; and R D Blackmore visiting Chagford heard and later adapted the local legend of Mary Whiddon's death at the hand of her jealous suitor to be a similar destiny, though not a fatal one, for his heroine Lorna Doone.

There are many more writers and poets, too many to mention here, who penned, typed or word -processed their work in Chagford in the past, and today others live and write here too: among them Sam North, the author of Booker long-listed The Unnumbered, who also worked alongside local creative animators Steve Dooley and Bobby Glbert in production of the 2012 App version of The Wind in the Willows. We await their version of Scrooge now in production.

As well as a collection of novels, autobiography and biography, travel books, poetry and film adaptation of books, there will be opportunities during the weekend to listen to the spoken word about the written word, in the form of lectures, readings and talks at different  venues and times in Chagford. 

The exhibition in Chagford in July will recognise those who have provided readers and performers with words and ideas for information and for pleasure, and will continue to provide pleasure and interest for the visitors as they browse among the  books and flowers - put the dates in your diary and enjoy a really splendid day out!

The Ex Libris Festival is a great opportunity to enjoy Chagford where you can choose from a range of top quality accommodation, wonderful places to eat and discover a shopaholic's paradise.  Ex Libris - a great weekend for your diary!

http://www.visitchagford.com