Shrine of St Jude

The National Shrine of Saint Jude on Tanner Street was founded by the Carmelite Order in 1955 and has been a centre of pilgrimage to St Jude in the UK. It is set in an attractive garden in an annex below the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Faversham Literary Festival is grateful for the support offered by the Shrine of Saint Jude

National Shrine of Saint Jude

Faversham Creek & The Swale

Writings on nature feature prominently on the festival programme each year. Follow Faversham Creek on foot to the beautiful Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, with bird-watching hides, freshwater dykes, reedbed, saltmarsh and seawall.

Abbey Physic Garden

Abbey Physic Community Garden is an enchanting walled garden tucked away behind the churchyard of St Mary of Charity. A half-acre garden, organically managed by a community team to promote the therapeutic benefits of horticulture, it is a haven for quiet reflection while also a hive of activity with a market garden, wildlife, workshops, art and poetry groups, a 'men's shed' and a community cafe. A wonderful place to spend time on your own, or with others as part of the garden community.

Abbey Physic Garden

Faversham Market & Shops

The Faversham Society run the Faversham Information Centre in the market square, where you can find the Kentish Heritage Bookshop as well as information and news about events in the town. The Faversham Society also run The Fleur Bookshop in Preston Street as well as the Fleur de Lis Museum and art gallery. It houses an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures drawn from Faversham’s long and colourful past. Here you can follow the town’s history from the earliest archaeological times, through its medieval and Elizabethan importance as a trading centre, its subsequent industrial growth, and more recent change from a bustling hub of Victorian and 20th-century work and social life to a high-quality heritage tourism destination.

Faversham Market & Shops

Faversham has many independent shops and is very proud of its market, which is the oldest market in Kent and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Market days are Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays every week, with two special monthly markets – Best of Faversham Arts, Crafts and Food Market, and Faversham Antiques and Vintage Market. Faversham has an abundance of lovely cafes, restaurants, pubs with fine dining and live music venues.

St Mary of Charity

St. Mary of Charity Church in Faversham is a historically significant parish church with a rich history dating back to the Norman period. Its impressive architecture, including a prominent tower, makes it a notable landmark in the town, and it continues to serve as a place of worship and a community gathering space.

The Benefice of Faversham

Shepherd Neame - Britain's Oldest Brewery

Faversham is home to Shepherd Neame, Britain's oldest brewer. Brewing has continued on this site for centuries, using natural ingredients from the town's aquifer and local hops, using art and science to create a range of award-winning ales. Visit the Shepherd Neame website to book a tour of the brewery and ale tastings.

Shepherd Neame Visitor Centre

About Faversham

One of England's historic gems, Faversham is a picturesque market town dating back to pre-Roman times. On the north coast of Kent, bordered by coastal nature reserves and the Kent Downs, we're one hour from St Pancras, with close connections to Ashford International and Canterbury.

About the Festival

Started in 2018 Faversham Literary Festival offers a week-long programme that is eclectic, thought-provoking and fun, with jam-packed events and plenty of rabble-rousing energy! It offers an exciting mix of well-known authors, leading thinkers, up-and-coming writers, and local talent, plus writing competitions for all ages, workshops, spoken word, slam poetry, children's and family events. The quality and scope of the programme is what gets us excited and makes it a festival that people want to come to.

Among the well-known authors we have welcomed to Faversham are Michael Palin, Jeanette Winterson, Tim Peake, Kate Mosse, Jeremy Deller, Alice Oseman, Maggie O'Farrell, Simon Armitage, Irvine Welsh, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, Lady Brenda Hale, John Cooper Clarke, Joanne Harris, Tim Marshall, Hollie McNish, Keith Brymer Jones, Michael Rosen, Jenni Murray, Lemn Sissay, Deborah Levy, Martin Bell, Jo Brand, Will Self, Lionel Shriver, Sarah Perry, Jenny Eclair, John Hegley, Tracey Thorn, Iain Sinclair, Gavin Esler, Viv Albertine, Stephen Morris, Melissa Harrison, Horatio Clare and many more...

The festival contributes to local charities and has made donations to Abbey Physic Community Garden, Faversham Community Boat Build and Cinque Ports Rowing, Faversham and Villages Refugee Solidarity Group, and others. We run a schools' outreach programme with creative competitions for children and students, providing books for school libraries and offering opportunities for young adults to get involved.

The literary festival brings thousands of visitors to Faversham and offers something for everyone. Key to its success is the support of local people who turn out in their droves to help make it happen – the volunteers and helpers, venue staff, cake bakers and caterers, and the all-important audience!

We hope to see you again in February 2025!

Access

The festival aims to ensure that your visit is safe and enjoyable. If you have specific access or other requirements for any of our venues please contact us in advance of purchasing your ticket. Companions of wheelchair users may attend events free of charge, subject to letting us know in advance. Guide dogs are welcome in all our venues.

Contact Us

For any enquiries please email: info@favershamliteraryfestival.org