HISTORY is coming to Helmsley Arts Centre in March with a talk from author Justin Hill.

‘The Man Who Would Be King: Harald Hardrada, Jerusalem and 1066’ aims to recount the life of King Harald Hardrada, Thunderbolt of the North, and one of the most extraordinary lives of the Middle Ages.

Justin grew up in Yorkshire, attending St Peter’s School in York and went on to study English Language and Medieval Literature at Durham University. In his early writing career he wrote multiple fiction books including The Drink and Dream Tea House but later began to combine fiction with history to chronicle historic locations and times, such as his Conquest Trilogy, which focuses on the year 1066.

This year marks the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings, but also of the lesser known battles carried out in Yorkshire, the Battle of Stamford Bridge and the Battle of Fulford; in his informative and lively talk, Justin hopes to enlighten his audience on these subjects and more.

As well as history this coming month, Helmsley Arts Centre is showing the Airesborough Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s performance of HMS Pinafore. The society’s shows are always a huge hit in Helmsley and HMS Pinafore looks to be keeping up this trend. The show is a comic opera set on board a ship and tells the story of the Captain’s daughter falling in love with a common sailor despite her Father intentions for her to marry the First Lord of the Admiralty. The wit of HMS Pinafore focuses on love between members of different social statuses, satire of the British class system, and it pokes gentle fun at patriotism and party politics.

To find out more and buy tickets for the event on Friday, at 7.30pm, go to helmsleyarts.co.uk or phone the box office on 01439 771 700.