DETAILS of the free activities in store as part of this Saturday’s BBC History Festival were released this week.

The County Gazette backed event takes place between 10am and 4pm and is a celebration of Taunton and Somerset’s history.

Here’s what’s happening - all events and activities are free of charge and no tickets are required.

Brewhouse Theatre – Main House, hosted by David Garmston and Clinton Rogers, from BBC Points West.

  • 10am: Bygone Somerset on film – the newsreel archives of British Pathe with Mark Harris.
  • 10.45am: Jules Hudson – An exclusive preview of the new BBC TV series ‘Britain at Risk’.
  • 11.30am: Phil Harding – Digging for a living with the Channel 4 ‘Time Team’ expert.
  • 12.15am: Mark Horton – The BBC ‘Coast’ presenter reveals the story of the Bristol Channel.
  • 1pm: Bygone Somerset in the Newsreels – Mark Harris opens the archives of British Pathe.
  • 1.45pm: Jules Hudson – Passion for the past with the ‘Escape to the Country’ & ‘Countryfile’ host.
  • 2.30pm: Phil Harding – Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ expert talks about his life in archaeology.
  • 3.15pm: Mark Horton – The secrets of the Somerset coast revealed by the popular BBC presenter.

    Brewhouse Theatre – Studio

  • Displays featuring local archives, Somerset heritage and Taunton in old photographs. Pick up BBC Learning activity packs and the Somerset Routes booklet.
  • See Somerset people and places you know in eight archive films from BBC West’s ‘Day Out’ series. Presented by legendary broadcasters Derek Jones, Barry Paine & Angela Rippon:
  • 10am: Langport (1977) – with visits to Muchelney Church and the River Parrett.
  • 10.45am: Bridgwater (1979) – including the Blake Museum and the brick works.
  • 11.30am: Taunton (1980) – plus Hestercombe House and Sheppy’s Cider.
  • 1pm: The Quantocks (1983) – including Fyne Court & the last of the wortleberry pickers.
  • 2.30pm: Somerset Levels (1986) – see the Shoe Museum, basket-making & peat cutting.
  • 3.15pm: Burnham, Berrow & Brean (1987) – shipwrecks, lighthouses and the 19th Century fortress.

Outside The Brewhouse

  • The ‘Reel History of Britain’ Vintage Mobile Cinema – as seen on Melvyn Bragg’s recent BBC Two series. Climb aboard to see film clips from the BFI archive: ‘Housing Problems’ (1935), ‘Holiday’ (1957) and ‘Our School’ (1962).
  • ‘Zulu’! You’ve seen the film, now meet the soldiers. The 1879 Group brings the Anglo-Zulu War to life with Queen Victoria’s redcoats and re-creates a British Army Field Hospital of the time.
  • 15th Century re-enactors Sutton Household step back in time to reveal how our ancestors lived, dressed, worked and fought.
  • The BBC Somerset Bus with Emma Britton and Matt Faulkner broadcasting live.

Museum of Somerset

  • An English Civil War Encampment with The Taunton Garrison Living History Society including weaponry displays, drummers and a chance for you to join the Parliamentary forces. Musket Firing at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
  • Meet TV history presenters in the Castle Courtyard: Countryfile’s Jules Hudson at 12.00pm, Phil Harding of Time Team at 12.45pm and BBC Coast expert Mark Horton at 1.30pm.
  • Become a junior archaeologist and go history-hunting in our giant Dig Tray.
  • Meet the Tudor re-enactors in the historic Almshouse.
  • Sparky the Dragon.
  • Children’s activities including Roman writing, coin striking and costumes.
  • - Tours of the Castle Walls, ‘Meet the Curator’ and family trails around the Museum.
  • Free help and advice on identifying your own historical finds and archaeology.
  • BBC Somerset presenter Ben McGrail broadcasting live from the Castle Courtyard.

St James Church

  • Drop by and be taken back in time as we uncover the story of Somerset with five short talks:
  • 11.15am Taunton and the Civil War with Tom Mayberry, head of Somerset Heritage and Libraries;
  • 12pm Rorke's Drift with a Family Twist - Donald Phillips, the great nephew of John Chard VC;
  • 12.45pm Digging up Taunton; The History under our Feet with historian Robert Dunning;
  • 1.30pm ‘Zulu’ and the real Rorke's Drift by Zulu War expert Keith Piggott of the 1879 Group;
  • 2.15pm Literary Somerset; Romantic Poets to Monty Python – Author & broadcaster James Crowden

    Taunton Library

  • Children’s stories and Hands on History craft activities with the focus on the people of the past.

Market House

  • Taunton Carnival Historic Vehicle Display with vintage cars, V.W.s and Harley Davidson motorcycles.

All events and activities are free of charge and no tickets are required. For events with limited space or seating, admittance will be on a first come, first served basis. The organisers reserve the right to change or cancel attractions without prior public notice.