I welcomed one of my hero authors, Michael Morpurgo, and his wife Clare, to Highclere Castle to talk about storytelling, history, the magic of reading, and the extraordinary charity they founded together — Farms for City Children.
Michael shared how War Horse came to life and why understanding the First World War matters more than ever today. We recalled the unforgettable day Joey, the National Theatre's War Horse puppet, came to Highclere in 2014 — walking through the very library where Almina, my predecessor, had nursed soldiers back from the trenches a century before.
Michael told the wonderful story behind Farms for City Children — how Clare, a childhood afternoon let loose near a Devon farm, courtesy of her father Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books, sparked a lifetime's passion for the countryside, and how that passion became a charity that has given over 120,000 inner-city children a week of real farm life.
We explored the importance of books and reading, handwriting, the friendship with Ted Hughes, the honest editorial partnership between Michael and Clare, and my own plans for a Highclere Literary Festival this October.
We ended with Michael's dream summer evening guest: the radiant Audrey Hepburn.
00:00 Welcome & Introduction
02:10 War Horse & Joey Comes to Highclere
06:30 History, World War I & Why It Still Matters
13:15 The Origins of Farms for City Children
21:45 A Real Farm — Not a Pretend Farm
28:00 Highclere: Farm, History & the Fifth Earl
33:20 The Power of Reading & the Literary Festival
38:10 Writing by Hand, Ted Hughes & the iPad
44:00 Editing, Marriage & Telling the Truth
49:30 Dream Party Guest: Audrey Hepburn
Topics Covered
War Horse & Highclere
- The origins of War Horse and why Michael believes we must understand history to navigate the present
- Lady Carnarvon recalls the day Joey, the War Horse puppet from the National Theatre, came to Highclere in 2014 to mark the centenary of World War I
- Highclere Castle served as a real military hospital during World War I — Lady Carnarvon's predecessor, Almina, nursed soldiers back from the trenches
- The contrast with the fictional Downton Abbey and the very real human stories preserved in letters at Highclere
History, War & Responsibility
- Michael reflects on why the First World War is so important — and how it directly caused the Second
- The role of individuals and political movements in triggering conflict, from Sarajevo to the rise of Hitler
- Why Michael feels it is "timely" to revisit these lessons today, given the state of the world
- Seeing War Horse in the theatre the night before recording — and what it still means to him
Farms for City Children
- Clare's childhood inspiration: sent outside to explore as a young girl near a Devon farm, she fell in love with the countryside, animals, and the rhythm of rural life
- Her father, Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books, instilled a love of the natural world
- Why Clare and Michael left teaching after realising they weren't reaching the children who needed them most
- How the charity started with one Victorian farmhouse in Devon and has since grown to multiple working farms
- Over 120,000 children have now spent a week on a real farm — milking cows, feeding lambs, grooming horses, doing genuine work
- Meeting former "farm children" now aged 45 with families of their own, who say the experience never left them
Highclere Today — A Living Estate
- Farming records at Highclere dating back to the 16th century; earliest written records from 749 AD
- Lady Carnarvon's rare breed Cornish pigs, Belted Galloway cattle, 1,400 ewes, and 2,500 lambs
- The Iron Age Fort and Bronze Age Tumuli on the estate
- William of Wykeham (1324–1404) — bishop and founder of Winchester College and New College, Oxford — lived at Highclere; it was his palace
- The fifth Earl of Carnarvon, who discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun, was a voracious reader; his will, written at 21, listed his books as among his most prized possessions
The Power of Reading & Writing
- Why books matter: they let children ask questions, explore mortality, understand the world, and feel less alone
- Michael's beach anecdote — watching his granddaughter's husband read to their one-year-old, with the baby turning the pages back — as a perfect image of how the love of books is passed on
- The importance of parents reading aloud, good libraries, and physical books
- Lady Carnarvon's Highclere Literary Festival — launching this October, with:
- A children's trail through the gardens (including a wardrobe inspired by Narnia and an entrance to fairyland)
- The Curious Tent and Speaker's Corner
- Writing and reading competitions with cash prizes
- Free entry for under-16s who have read a book or written something
- Lady Carnarvon's campaign for handwriting — the link between brain, hand, and pen
Ted Hughes, Writing by Hand & Technology
- Michael's lifelong habit of writing by hand — and how arthritis in his finger has forced a reluctant move to an iPad
- Neighbour and friend Ted Hughes on why handwriting matters: it keeps the mind and the process in sync
- Michael's delight at discovering he can dictate to his iPad ("It prints it out magically")
Editing, Marriage & Honesty
- Clare as Michael's first editor — "quite unfairly truthful" — and why he always takes her notes even when he doesn't want to
- The ongoing verdict: nothing he's written in the 65 books since War Horse has matched it
- Lady Carnarvon's husband editing her first book and his well-meaning but devastating comment: "Don't worry if nobody reads it — you've still tried very hard"
A Summer Evening Question
- If you could take anyone to Lady Carnarvon's summer jazz evening, who would it be?
- Clare: Gregory Peck
- Michael: Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday)
- A discussion of Audrey Hepburn's extraordinary grace — and how grace itself is something both Michael and Lady Carnarvon seek in their work and lives
Mentioned in This Episode
- War Horse — Michael Morpurgo (novel, stage production, Steven Spielberg film)
- Waiting for Anya — Michael Morpurgo
- The History Boys — Alan Bennett
- Farms for City Children — farmsforcitvchildren.org
- Highclere Literary Festival — October 2025, Highclere Castle
- Allen Lane — founder of Penguin Books
- Almina, Countess of Carnarvon — WWI hospital at Highclere
- William of Wykeham — founder of Winchester College and New College, Oxford
- The fifth Earl of Carnarvon — discoverer of Tutankhamun's tomb
- Ted Hughes — poet, neighbour of the Morpurgos
- Roman Holiday (1953) — dir. William Wyler, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck
About Lady Carnarvon's Podcast
Lady Carnarvon records her podcast from Highclere Castle, home of the real family whose story inspired Downton Abbey. Episodes explore history, heritage, literature, and the people and ideas that have shaped Highclere and the wider world.
You can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcasts at https://www.ladycarnarvon.com/podcast/
New episodes are published on the first day of every month.
