Pickering Book Tree

Midsummer Festival: Toni Bunnell
2026-06-19 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | Pickering Book Tree, 43a Market Place, Pickering, YO18 7AE
New Songs, Traditional Sound
Pickering Book Tree | Doors from 7pm | Tickets £5+

Join us in the Book Tree to hear Toni Bunnell perform original songs, music and stories, with all proceeds going to Protect the Wild.
Toni’s self-penned songs in the traditional style speak of social conscience and love of the natural world, bringing audiences and communities together with her rousing performances.
During the evening Toni will share songs and tunes from her new album, Between the Moon and Sea, including two pieces linked to her recent memoir Ferret in a Rucksack, which is inspired by her rescue ferrets. In between songs Toni will talk about where she gets her ideas from, some of which evolve into books while others result in songs she’ll sing on the night.

About the Musician
Toni Bunnell is a singer-songwriter who has played on the folk circuit in the UK and Germany for many years. She has recorded nine albums of her songs which she accompanies using the guitar, bouzouki, dulcimer and hurdy gurdy, plus an album of hurdy gurdy tunes. Toni has produced a book of 100 of her songs, called Across the Years.
Toni’s album, Tracking the Changes, received a 4 star review in RNR music magazine: ’These are songs that respect ‘the spirit of people throughout the world’, songs that remind us to ‘move to the future but remember the past’. Tracking the Changes is a living heritage’ — Andrew Darlington, RNR, 2024.
Toni is also the author of fifteen books, including two books of poems, one non-fiction on music therapy and two about hedgehogs, based on her work running a hedgehog rescue since 1990 and her background as a wildlife biologist. Ten works of fiction venture into parallel worlds and the supernatural.

Tickets
Pay what you feel (suggested price £10, min £5) with all proceeds going to Protect the Wild.

Available from the shop counter (currently cash only) or online at ticketsource.com

Direct link to booking page here

Doors will be open from 7pm for a 7.30pm start. The event will be held in our atmospheric upstairs event space.

Midsummer Festival: Old Songs
2026-06-21 19:00 - 21:00
Stories Told Through Music, Words and Art
Pickering Book Tree | Doors from 6.30pm | Tickets £15

As the Summer Solstice twilight nears, we welcome you to the Book Tree to travel into a selection of Britain’s folktales through a stunning artistic collaboration.
Old Songs is based on the book of the same name, written by Amy and illustrated by Gwen. Natalie will lead the trio in performing beautiful renditions of the traditional ballads featured in the book, while animated versions of Gwen’s illustrations will be projected onto a screen to accompany the songs. Giving deeper context to the stories, Amy will share readings and historical insights throughout the evening.

Old Songs
An astonishing collaboration of words and images that immerses readers in a magical folkloric world . . . These remarkable stories dice with the dangers around us and within us, and they challenge us to emerge triumphant — Juno Magazine
Old Songs fuses short stories, histories, lyrics and illustrations in an enthralling reimagining of traditional folk ballads. Sunday Times Bestselling historian Amy Jeffs and Illustrator Gwen Burns combine forces to create a rich compendium, singing of travel, mystery, magic and the essential urges of humanity.
Featuring iterations of fairy tales and sinister descendants of Greek myths and bible stories, as well as a cast of lesser-known characters with names like Tam Lim, Child Wynd and Maisery, Old Songs threads a tapestry of Britain’s landscape, history and cultures. At the base of hills we can visit to this day, elf queens kidnap hapless poets and carry them through rivers of blood; and at the foot of a tree whose offspring still stand in the forests of Northumberland, a girl mimes combing the hairless head of a dragon who was once her brother.
In spellbinding tales of brown-skinned girls who danced on their lovers’ graves, of golden-masted ships captained by the Devil, of fiddles that cried “Murder!”, of men kidnapped by fairies and boys married at fourteen, we find narrative motifs as ancient as humanity itself.
In the histories interconnecting the stories, we find the fantastical rooted in the everyday, bringing to light the real experiences of great swathes of people to whom such story-songs were not only familiar, but a way of escaping into the extraordinary and returning gratefully home. Bringing enchantment to familiar landscapes, ballads were created anew by each singer and passed down from fireside to fireside, at the knees of childhood nurses, in manuscripts and in early printed pamphlets. Now, ten stories are gathered here, beautifully recreated for modern readers.
The stories absorb you instantly . . . A treat for those captivated by the medieval, grisly and historic — The Northern Echo

Tickets
£15 from the shop counter (currently cash only) or online at ticketsource.com

Direct link to booking page here

Doors will be open from 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The event will be held in our atmospheric upstairs event space.

Midsummer Festival: Aidan Meighan
2026-06-22 19:00 - 20:30
The Folklore of Trees
Pickering Book Tree | Doors from 6.30pm | Tickets £5

The Folklore of Trees explores the fascinating stories and intriguing superstitions behind nature’s guardians. Insightfully written and beautifully illustrated by Aidan Meighan, it’s the perfect reading companion for every lover of the natural — and mythological — world.
This book reminds us of the enduring power of stories to connect us to our history, to nature and hopefully to an ever-greener future. We need to love life, we need to love trees — Chris Packham, wildlife TV presenter & campaigner
Uncover the myths, legends and secrets of the world’s most iconic trees.
Did you know that laurel is said to protect against snakebites and shield against witchcraft? Or that yews are often planted near graveyards to keep the devil out? Across cultures and centuries, trees have stood as guardians of life, inspiring stories that connect us to nature, spirituality and tradition.
The Folklore of Trees brings these tales together in a stunning hardback featuring a foreword by acclaimed naturalist, Chris Packham. Inside, you’ll explore 36 legendary species from around the globe, each paired with an intricate illustration and rich cultural context.
You’ll discover:

The Major Oak, said to shelter Robin Hood, and the baobabs of Madagascar, revered for their longevity.
Sacred trees of Celtic, Norse, Greek, Roman, Hindu, Buddhist and Indigenous traditions.
Fascinating myths behind olive branches of peace, dragon blood trees that bleed red sap and Japanese cherry blossoms symbolising life’s impermanence.
Seasonal customs, protective charms and superstitions.
A compact, beautifully designed format, perfect for gifting or personal reflection.

Whether you’re a nature lover, folklore enthusiast or simply curious about the stories rooted in our landscapes and forests, this book is your invitation to wander the cultural canopy.

About the Author
Aidan Meighan is an author, illustrator and arboreal devotee living in Somerset, with a passion for nature and storytelling. For fifteen years, Aidan has been passionately drawing trees, maps and beautiful places from around the world, working with travel and lifestyle books and magazines, brands and destinations, in his distinctive style.
Aidan is an enthusiast for the written word and print, being instrumental in the production of the Glastonbury Free Press newspaper since its inception in 2013. He is also a keen gardener and back-yard conservationist.
The Folklore of Trees is a joyful coming together of Aidan’s passions and interests.
You can find Aidan on his website, www.aidanmeighan.com, and on Instagram, @aidan_meighan.

Tickets
£5 from the shop counter (currently cash only) or online at ticketsource.com

Direct link to booking page here

Doors will be open from 6.30pm for a 7pm start. The event will be held in our atmospheric upstairs event space.

Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen
2026-07-03 19:30 - 22:00
Rachel Davis and Darren McMullen ignite the stage with a bold, fiery blend of Celtic tradition and contemporary folk energy. Their music is a thrilling fusion of driving rhythms, haunting melodies, and masterful instrumentation, at once deeply rooted and refreshingly modern.
With a dynamic mix of vocals, fiddles, guitar, banjo, mandolin, viola, bouzouki, and whistles, they breathe new life into age-old tunes while crafting original songs that feel instantly timeless. Every performance is a vibrant journey through sound. Passionate, precise, and irresistibly alive.
With over a decade of international touring and recording as core members of the award-winning Cape Breton Celtic supergroup Còig, Rachel and Darren are now forging a new path with their latest collaborative project, Home. This bold new venture has already garnered critical acclaim, winning the 2024 Music Nova Scotia Award for Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year, and earning nominations from both the Canadian Folk Music Awards and the East Coast Music Awards.
The gig will be in our atmospheric upstairs event space, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams. Drinks will be available to purchase at an informal bar before the show and during the interval.
Doors will open from 7pm, and the show will start at 7.30pm.

About the Musicians
Fans will be happy to know that the whole album lives up to the extraordinarily high standards that Darren and Rachel have already set for themselves. They really had nothing left to prove coming into this project, but they’ve managed to outdo themselves, nonetheless — Roots Music Canada
Rachel Davis is a masterful fiddler known for her emotive playing and rich, expressive voice. She won the prestigious Canadian Folk Music Award for Traditional Singer of the Year in 2020.
Darren McMullen is a versatile and highly respected multi-instrumentalist, bringing deep musicality and rhythmic drive to the duo’s sound.
Between them, they have performed across Canada, the US, UK, Denmark, Belgium and Australia, with multiple East Coast Music Awards and a JUNO nomination to their names.
Set to release a highly anticipated new album in June 2026, Rachel and Darren continue to expand their artistry while staying grounded in the Celtic traditions that inspire them.
The first single, River and the Road is a touching folk track that blends evocative lyrics with a haunting melody, creating a deeply moving experience … Overall, this album seamlessly blends a variety of musical elements, creating a captivating tapestry of sound that invites listeners to immerse themselves in its rich textures and explore its compelling narratives — Canadian Beats

Find Out More
Read more about Rachel and Darren on their website
Follow Rachel and Darren on Facebook or Instagram
Explore Rachel and Darren’s music on YouTube or go straight to the videos for River and the Road and Long House with examples of their live performances here and here.

Sally Coulthard
2026-07-21 19:30 - 21:00
We are excited to welcome Sally Coulthard back to Pickering Book Tree to discuss her fascinating new book, A Brief History of the Coast in 100 Objects, which offers a wealth of insight into the often surprising objects connected to the coast and the people who live and work there.
Sally has authored more than thirty non-fiction books spanning a wonderful range of interests including nature writing, social history, folklore, and anthropology — always brilliantly researched, engaging, and informed by an immersion in the subjects she writes about through her own rural life in her Yorkshire smallholding.
We’ll chat with Sally about the book, her writing, research and inspiration. There’ll also be a chance to ask your questions and Sally will sign copies of the book at the end of the evening.
The shop door will be open from 7pm with complementary drinks available on arrival until the event starts at 7.30pm.
The event is free to attend, but booking is essential. Please contact the shop or use the form below to reserve your seats.
We look forward to seeing you there!

About the Book
A genuine delight, this richly woven tale of our maritime nation is as crafted as the objects it highlights. I’ve loved every page, and learnt and laughed along the way — Jules Hudson
An immersive history of our coasts and the people who have shaped them
The coast means something different to everyone.
It’s a place of pleasure and reckless pursuits, of fishing, fearless endeavours and a crashing, rugged beauty. The coast is, and always has been, our first line of defence and our springboard to other cultures.
Through the lens of 100 carefully selected objects, this treasure chest of a book delves into the myriad ways our coastlines have shaped, and been shaped by, our history, culture, and identity. From Roman lighthouses to rosary beads, knitted jumpers to Viking slave shackles, each object serves as a portal to a unique story.
Sally Coulthard’s engaging narrative goes far beyond the traditional seaside holiday to illuminate the coast’s role as a first line of defence, a site of trade, and a catalyst for cultural exchange. Readers will discover how the coast has influenced our beliefs, economy, and even our domestic lives. And, looking out to sea, this book will show how Britain’s story is anchored to those of our European neighbours and of faraway lands.
From one of Britain’s finest historians of material culture, this book vividly captures the enduring magic and significance of our shores. Whether it’s smugglers’ underpants or sailor’s hoaxes, whale vomit or pickled puffin – it all washes up on the British coast…
A rich, perfect jigsaw of 100 genuinely fascinating pieces, building a deep and wide picture of Britain’s history through its salty edges. Prehistoric harpoons, slave shackles and a Pepysian fake nose all contribute to this superbly researched, lively tale of our islands. Enriching, engaging and a pleasure to read — Jo Bell

About the Author
Bestselling author and columnist Sally Coulthard has spent the last two decades writing about her favourite things – nature, history, and craft. Many of her books delve into the traditions of rural life – from artisans to agriculture – the people, plants, and creatures who make the countryside tick.
Sally’s work often weaves together different disciplines, pulling threads from social history, anthropology, archaeology, design, and nature writing to bring her diverse subjects to life.
