If you’ve never been to the Little Missenden Festival, this might just be the year to change that.
Tucked away in the Misbourne Valley (just a quick hop from Wycombe), the tiny village of Little Missenden punches well above its weight every October — hosting a festival that mixes world-class music with the cosiest, most atmospheric setting you can imagine.
Most of the concerts take place inside St John the Baptist Church, a 10th-century gem with medieval wall paintings still clinging to its stonework. Honestly, it’s worth a visit for the history alone — but when you add candlelight, viols, jazz piano or Renaissance polyphony into the mix, the whole thing becomes pretty magical.
A little background 🕰️
The festival has been running for over 60 years, quietly building a reputation as one of the Chilterns’ best-kept cultural secrets.
Think of it as a place where you can hear some of the finest classical, jazz, folk and world musicians — without needing to trek into London or book a cavernous concert hall.
It’s intimate, beautifully curated, and absolutely rooted in its village setting.
This year’s line-up 🎻🎷🎤
The 2025 programme (3rd–12th October) is a glorious mix. A few highlights that caught our eye:
- Monteverdi String Band with soprano Hannah Ely opening the festival in style (Fri 3 Oct, 8pm): The Madrigal Reimagined
- A jazz night with the Zoe Rahman quintet (Sat 4 Oct, 8pm): Colour of Sound
- The Piatti Quartet in two different concerts on Sunday 5 Oct: Albion Retracted and Solo Piano and Shostakovich Piano Quintent (with Huw Watkins)
- Rebeca Omordia (Tues 7 Oct, 8pm), who’ll be bringing a kaleidoscope of music by African composers to the piano: African Pianism
- Stile Antico (Sat 11 Oct, 8pm), one of the world’s finest vocal ensembles, marking their 20th anniversary with Renaissance choral works: Golden Renaissance
- A closing concert with the Chelys Viol Consort (Sun 12 Oct, 3pm), celebrating the music of Orlando Gibbons, who died 400 years ago
And if you’re already feeling festive, they’ve even programmed a special Christmas concert in December — seasonal music from Oliver Cromwell’s England performed by Siglo de Oro and the Spinacino Consort.
It’s eclectic, adventurous and local all at once. You can dip into one event or go full-on festival mode and book yourself a string of concerts.
Why go? 🌟
- The setting: an ancient church that feels like stepping back in time
- The vibe: intimate, friendly, and nothing like sitting in a massive concert hall
- The variety: early music, jazz, folk, African piano repertoire, art lectures, and more
- The bragging rights: “Oh yes, I heard them in a medieval village church before they went on tour…”
Tickets 🎫
Booking is open now via the Little Missenden Festival website. Concerts are popular (and seating is limited), so it’s worth getting in early if there’s something you’ve got your eye on. Programmes are free at the door, and you’ll find full details online.
👉 Whether you’re a classical connoisseur, a jazz enthusiast, or just up for something a bit different, the Little Missenden Festival is one of those events that reminds us how lucky we are to live in the Chilterns. Small village, big music.
Featured image by Reddingpa (CC BY 3.0 licence)
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