Aaron Manning

À Warwick! À Warwick!

Story producer by day, storyteller by night. I’m a British historian and author, privileged enough to work in some of the greatest castles and palaces ever built.

I was born in the shadows of Warwick Castle, its ghosts and devils lurking in my nightmares, tales of Kingmakers and giants filled my dreams. But I’ve always loved all stories you can escape in to; it’s why I’ve I love reading and writing about history – to escape into the past is the greatest journey anyone can take!

After graduating from the University of Sheffield with a first class BA in 2011, and an MA in Modern History in 2015, I’ve spent my career loving and looking after incredible castles and palaces. I was the Head of Interpretation at Warwick Castle, researching its colourful history, writing scripts for jousting shows and Halloween scare mazes, developing school lessons and giving talks and tours to hundreds of thousands of people every year. Since 2016, I’ve been doing the same for Historic Royal Palaces – the charity that looks after Hampton Court Palace and the Tower of London – transforming stories into experiences, inviting you to step back in time to the court of Henry VIII or the household of William the Conqueror. Whether intricate recreated interiors or evocative exhibitions, large scale projections or seasonal fun at Halloween and Christmas, you can usually find me behind the scenes crafting narratives and bringing stories to life.

I couldn’t be more privileged to work in these palaces, but I’ve never lost my love for the stories of my hometown castle. My university dissertation was a study of the ‘Duke of Hollywood’, an earl of Warwick who attempted to become a Hollywood star in the 1930s, and you can usually find my deep in an archive exploring the other colourful lives of a thousand-year dynasty.

In my spare time, I’m also Director of the Warwick Words History Festival and shared the stage with some of Britain’s greatest historians and authors. When not musing on history, you can find me lost in stories, at the cinema, on the TV, or with my grandparents.

You can reach me on Instagram, I’d love to connect and nerd out on history: @warwick_historian