![Jane Hawking speaking at the second Flamstead Book Festival [Picture: Alex Ridley] <i>(Image: Alex Ridley)</i>](/resources/images/15695434.jpg?type=mds-article-962)
Hundreds of people flocked to a Hertfordshire village book festival which included a rare public appearance by Jane Hawking, the former wife of Stephen Hawking.
Books in the Belfry was held in the medieval setting of St Leonard’s Church in Flamstead on Friday and Saturday.
The two-day festival featured a sell-out session from Jane Hawking, who was brought up in St Albans.
She was married to world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking for 25 years and penned Travelling to Infinity about their relationship.
The book was adapted for this year’s Oscar-winning film The Theory of Everything.
In one of her few public appearances this year, Jane talked about her moving account of love and loss with the celebrated scientist, as well as what it was like for her marriage to be played out on film by actors Felicity Jones and Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne.
Thanking organisers for inviting her, Jane said: “It was a delight to be involved.
“The setting was beautiful and the audience lovely.
“Thank you Flamstead for inviting me.”
The Flamstead festival, now in its second year, kicked off with thriller writer Sophie Hannah, whose novels have been adapted for ITV’s Case Sensitive drama.
Her most recent work, The Monogram Murders, is the first Hercule Poirot novel since Agatha Christie’s death, having been specially approved by the renowned crime writer’s estate.
The line-up also featured family events and workshops, as well as acclaimed children’s author Alex Scarrow, best known for his Time Riders series.
There was also a sports books session featuring Michael Calvin, whose ghosted work with Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas last week won Autobiography of the Year, and Hertfordshire author Ian Ridley.
Matt Biggs, a panellist on the long-running BBC Radio 4 show Gardeners’ Question Time, and Farming Today presenter Sybil Ruscoe hosted a light-hearted session over tea and scones.
Audiences were able to meet all the authors and get books signed on the day.
Festival co-organiser Vikki Orvice said: “Once again it was a great couple of days.
“So many well-known authors and personalities got behind it to make it such a success and the sun shone all day, too.
“We’d like to thank everyone involved, especially the volunteers who worked so hard on the day.”
The festival will help raise funds needed to safeguard medieval wall paintings of great historical importance in the church.
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