MORE details have emerged about a historical literature festival which organisers hope will “put Odiham on the map”.

Last week, The Gazette revealed that The Odiham Society is drawing up plans to host an historical books and literature festival in April 2011.

Ted Johns, chairman of the village conservation group, has now told The Gazette that hundreds of visitors could come to the village for the Celebrating History! festival that he believes would be the only one in the UK dedicated to historical literature.

He hopes renowned authors, such as Andrew Roberts, would be able to attend the week-long festival, and that if successful it could be held every two years.

Dr Johns said the Odiham Society had been looking to stage an event that would raise the village’s standing.

He said: “In the middle of the night it suddenly came to me that if we were to build on the character of Odiham, then something to do with the history would be great.

“I then did some research and found out there was no other comparable festival in the UK.”

The event already has the backing of North East Hampshire MP James Arbuthnot and former Basingstoke MP and Odiham resident Sir David Mitchell, who will be patrons.

Dr Johns added that plans are at an early stage, but he envisaged buildings in Odiham, including the Cross Barn, in Palace Gate Farm, and All Saints’ Church, in The Bury, being used to hold talks, presentations, exhibitions and film showings.

The Odiham Society will meet at the end of this month to discuss setting up a limited company to organise and raise the £50,000 estimated cost of the festival.

For more information on the event and to help organise, email Dr Johns at nr09@dial.pipex.com.