Eastnor Castle
April 4th, 2002 by freddie96
The Big Chill @ Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury, Herefordshire
August 16th–18th 2002
‘The location scout has unearthed yet another jaw-dropping setting… A northern fairy-tale situated in the Malvern Hills surrounded by a deer park, arboretum and lake set in 5,000 acres, Eastnor Castle is to be the backdrop to superb live acts and DJs.’ Time Out
‘Idyllic location, and another top line-up.’ DJ
Eastnor Castle probably surpasses any of the Big Chill sites for sheer beauty – but then only slightly. Dramatically situated in the Malvern Hills in an area of great natural beauty, the Eastnor Castle 5,000 acre estate includes four small lakes, yet is only ten minutes from the national motorway network. We believe it is the perfect setting for our largest Big Chill yet, which will feature four sound stages, all-night silent cinema, a big top Media Mix tent, Body & Soul, cocktail bars and a night-time Art Trail like none other we’ve done yet.
Other features of this event will include Big Chill FM on-site radio, a children’s tent, warm showers, market area as well as quiet and family camping. This combination of hilly terrain, breathtaking scenery and accessibility make Eastnor Estate an ideal location for The Big Chill.
Location has always been a critical factor for the Big Chill. ‘We work hard to find sites as beautiful as this,’ says Pete Lawrence, ‘and we work even harder to ensure we leave them that way. It’s such an honour being able to work with an estate like Eastnor – we have always dreamed of taking the Big Chill into spaces like this.’
Veterans of the Enchanted Garden will be pleased to know that there is a good deal more to Eastnor than its massive Norman Revival castle (which dates from 1820 and has recently been extensively renovated). The Eastnor estate is embowered by vast conifers, with plantations which spill out into surrounding hills and fields. These include arguably the most magnificent collection of cedars in the British Isles.
Most of Eastnor Castle’s exotic trees were planted in the second half of the 19th century, at the height of the Victorian passion for plant collecting. Indeed, the 2nd and 3rd Earls Somers collected seed on their travels specifically for this purpose. Many more plants came from botanical expeditions and from specialist nurseries where trees were raised from seed imported from all over the world. Suffice to say the Big Chill is looking forward to this one…
The full line-up is now coming together, confimations include France’s Gotan Project, Terry Callier, Cinematic Orchestra, Fila Brazillia, Mr Scruff, Norman Jay, Gilles Peterson, A Man Called Adam, Koop, Bola, Skam DJs, Wauvenfold, Cumulonimbus, Russ Dewbury, Tim ‘Love’ Lee live sound system, Tom Churchill, Charles Webster, Maurice Fulton, Simian Mobile Disco, Sounds From The Ground, Different Drummer Sound System, Jerry Dammers, Martin Morales, Catskills all-star tag team, Soul Of Man (Fingerlickin), Jambience, Jean Jacques Smoothie, Alucidnation, Xan, Lol Hammond and Pete Lawrence have all been confirmed.
TICKET DETAILS
Adult weekend tickets £89 per person
Children (ages 5-16) £25 – under 5’s free
NB. This price is inclusive of all entertainment and camping facilities. If you wish to bring a live-in vehicle, however, you will need to pre-book a place with a £10 surcharge. (Places for live-in vehicles are limited so you are advised to book early.)
BY CHEQUE : Now available from The Big Chill by cheque, made payable to PK Events Ltd, PO Box 7378, London N4 3RH (please enclose £1 booking fee per ticket). PK Events takes no responsibility for tickets lost or stolen. We recommend that you have them sent by special delivery (add £3.50) to avoid disappointment.
BY CREDIT CARD : Available now from Way Ahead box office www.wayahead.com / 24 hour hotline 0115 912 9152 (subject to booking fee) – see link below
INFO LINE: 0207 688 8080
‘A brand new venue for veteran chill-out promoters, whose last outing was the best festival of 2001.’ The Big Issue
Buy tickets for Eastnor from Way Ahead
EG2002 reviewed [a Klubworld 'special']
[galleryurl=http://www.bigchill.net/gallery.html?id=14]Take our photographic tour of Eastnor and its grounds[/galleryurl]
