Welcome to
Stony Words
2025
In 2025, StonyWords celebrates its 21st birthday. This year, 36 events organised by 17 groups or individuals in seven different venues. There’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Event Diary
To find out more, click on the event box and scroll down to read the full details
Song Loft
Performers' night - The Life, Music and Poetry of John Clare Date: Friday 17 January Doors open 7.30pm Venue: York House, London Road, Stony Stratford, MK11 1JQ Tickets: £11 from The Life, Music and Poetry of John Clare Folk band Innocent Hare together with Rob and...
Kieran Salter
Soup, a roll and a talk - Woodbine Willie: Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, Padre and War Poet Date: Saturday 18 January 12 noon Venue: Parish Hall, Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Free entry - donations to cover costs with surplus going to support relief...
Margaret Willes
Liberty over southwark bridge Date: Saturday 18 January 2pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from Margaret Willes on Liberty Over London Bridge or contact Rob and Liz Gifford e-mail: info@stonywords.org.uk or...
Caroline Dodds Pennock
On savage shores: How Indigenous Americans Discovered Europe Date: Saturday 18 January 3.30pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Uncommon Shores or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail: info@stonywords.org.uk...
Angela McShane
100 ballads Date: Saturday 18 January 5pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: 100 Ballads or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail info@stonywords.org.uk or telephone 01908 562025 The 100 Ballads Project looked...
The Annual Bardic Trials
Date: Saturday 18 January 7.30pm Venue: York House, London Road, Stony Stratford, MK11 1JQ Tickets: This is the people's chance to elect the Annual Bard of Stony Stratford. The 2025 Bard will be the 14th holder of the role - a figurehead for the spirit of culture,...
Alliance Française
La Galette des Rois and other French Traditions Date: Sunday 19 January 3pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford MK11 1BD Tickets: Free entry. Donations for refreshments welcome. Galette for sale at £2 per slice (cash only!). To book a...
Tim Skelton and Dianne Sutton
It's What's Happening to Houses - the story of Homeworld 81 Date: Monday January 20 7.30pm Venue: Upstairs@The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Free entry. HomeWorld 81 was an exhibition of housing for the future created by Milton Keynes...
Joe Laredo
Philanderer or Philosopher? The Literary Legacy of Casanova Date: Tuesday 21 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Free entry - donations to the work of Friends of Stony Stratford Library welcome. Book your...
Rosie Andrews
The puzzle wood Date: Tuesday January 21 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Admission Free. To reserve a place, e-mail: info@stonywords.org.uk or ring Rob and Liz Gifford on 01908 562025. Refreshments provided....
Story Time
Unpoppable Date: Thursday 23 January 10am to 10.30am Venue: The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Free entry Come and enjoy Unpoppable by Tim Hopgood. Under 5s and parents and carers welcome.
Fiona Stafford
Time and tide Date: Thursday 23 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Time and Tide or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or telephone 01908 562025. Time and Tide looks at...
Pen Vogler
Stuffed Date: Friday 24 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Stuffed or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or telephone 01908 562025. Stuffed is the history...
Ray and Jenny Rowlson
The Grand Canyon and the American South West Date: Saturday January 25 10.30am Venue: The Parish Hall, Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Free entry - to reserve a place e-mail info@stonywords.org.uk. There will be a voluntary collection for Book...
Mr Simpson’s Little Consort
come to the animal fair Date: Saturday 25 January 11am Venue: The Library @ 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Free admission. Tickets on the door. Crash-Bang-Walloping-Fun music and songs for children on a theme of animals. Dress up and bring your...
Hannah Jeans
women's reading habits in 17th century England Date: Saturday 25 January 1pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Women's Reading Habits in 17th Century England or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to...
Oren Margolis
Aldus Manutius – The Invention of the Publisher Date: Saturday 25 January 2.30pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Aldus Manutius or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to...
Michael Taylor
impossible monsters - Dinosaurs, Darwin and the War Between Science and religion Date: Saturday 25 January 4pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Impossible Monsters or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to...
Wine, Words and Whisky
Date: Saturday January 25 8pm Venue: The Wine Cellar, 2-4 Swinfens Yard, Stony Stratford, MK11 1SY Tickets: Admission free - buy your own refreshment Join members of Stony Stratford Theatre Society in an evening of poetry, drama, music and entertainment. January 25 is...
Mr Simpson’s Little Consort
A Walk Through the Gardens of Versailles with Louis XIV Date: Sunday 26 January 3pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £10 - pay on the door. To reserve a place, e-mail info@stonywords.org.uk Louis XIV, The Sun King,...
Stony Scala Film Club
Afire Date: Sunday 26 January 7pm Venue: Marquee Suite, Cock Hotel, Stony Stratford, MK11 1AH Tickets: £5 per person. Reserve online via stonyscala.filmclub@aol.com and pay on arrival by cash or card. This German film won the Silver Bear Prize at the 2024 Berlin Film...
Pete Orford
The mystery of Edwin drood Date: Sunday 27 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: The Mystery of Edwin Drood or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or telephone 01908...
Andrew Hopper
the civil war petitions project Date: Tuesday 28 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Admission free. Refreshments provided. Donations welcome towards the work of the Cromwell Museum, Huntingdon: Cromwell. To...
Violet Moller
Inside the stargazer's palace Date: Wednesday 29 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library. 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Inside The Stargazer's Palace or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or telephone...
Story Time
Celebrating Traditional nursery rhymes Date: Thursday 30 January 10am Venue: The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: 10am Join us as we celebrate Traditional Children's Nursery Rhymes accompanied by Anna Page and her magnificent street...
Stony Playreaders
haunted! Or Four hauntings and an interval Date: Thursday 30 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1HD Tickets: Admission free but book in advance from: Haunted! Or, Four Hauntings and an Interval — by Stony Playreaders...
Stony Playreaders
haunted! Or four hauntings and an interval Date: Friday 31 January 7pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: Admission free but book in advance from: Haunted! Or, Four Hauntings and an Interval -- by Stony Playreaders...
Drama Llamas
splendour by Abi Morgan Date: Friday 31 January 8pm (doors open 7.30pm) Venue: York House, London Road, Stony Stratford, MK11 1JQ Tickets: £12, £10 (concessions) from: Drama Llamas online ticket sales powered by TicketSource Splendour was written in 2000 by Welsh...
Keith Plant
Our Three Favourite Psalms and Why We Love Them Date: Saturday 1 February 10.30am Venue: Evangelical Free Church, Wolverton Road. Stony Stratford, MK11 1DZ Tickets: Free admission This talk will focus on how the Psalms were used in worship and how they came together...
Stephen Alford
All His Spies – The Secret World of Robert Cecil Date: Saturday 1 February 1pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: All His Spies or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or...
Alice Hunt
republic - Britain's Revolutionary Decade 1649 - 1660 Date: Saturday 1 February 2.30pm Venue: Upstairs @ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Republic or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or...
Lubaaba Al-Azami
Travellers in the Golden Realm Date: Saturday 1 February 4pm Venue: Upstairs@ The Library, 5-7 Church Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1BD Tickets: £7 from: Travellers in the Golden Realm or contact Rob and Liz Gifford by e-mail to info@stonywords.org.uk or telephone...
Drama Llamas
splendour by Abi Morgan Date: Saturday 1 February 8pm (doors open 7.30pm) Venue: York House, London Road, Stony Stratford, MK11 1JQ Tickets: £12, £10 (concessions) from: Drama Llamas Present Splendour by Abi Morgan at York House Centre event tickets from TicketSource...
St. Mary and St. Giles Church Band
Shake, rattle and sing Date: Sunday 2 February 2.30pm Venue: St Mary and St Giles Church Tickets: Free entry - donations towards church funds welcome. SMSG Church Band will play songs which are familiar to children through TV programmes, school songs and folk tunes....
Drama Llamas
splendour by Abi Morgan Date: Sunday 2 February 3.30pm (doors open 3pm) Venue: York House, London Road, Stony Stratford, MK11 1JQ Tickets: £12, £10 (concessions) from: Drama Llamas Present Splendour by Abi Morgan at York House Centre event tickets from TicketSource...
Tales Tattled & Told @ The Bull Hotel
Date: Sunday 2 February 7.30pm Venue: The Bull Hotel Function Room, High Street, Stony Stratford, MK11 1AQ Tickets: £12 from: Tales Tattled & Told@StonyWords Literary Festival Tales Tattled & Told is proud to present Sarah Rundle, West End actress and one of...