About

Folk in the Barn was born in 2003 in order to meet a need.  Back in 2002 Show of Hands didn’t have a Canterbury, or even Kentish ‘On the Level’ gig,  and I needed to see them  without having to drive across 3 counties.  So with a bit of helpful advice from them and persuasion from the friendly folk on ‘Longdogs’ I decided to have a go at promoting them myself.  That first gig in April 2003 in the Kingston Barn was eventful but also a wonderful night and a ripple was started. 2002 was also the year I’d come across an amazing band called ColvinQuarmby.  They came to play  locally and we rushed to see them as we’d remembered they were brilliant. Our party of nine that night made up 50% of the audience which was a shame for the Band. It wasn’t their fault, we’d seen them play to 600 people,  it was down to poor promotion. I felt sorry for the Band that they’d travelled a long way for that and it made me determined to do something about it. So CQ became gig number two.  Their first gig in the Barn was a sell out and they’re now regular favourites.

The venue for those first two gigs was the historic and beautiful Kingston Barn, an old Kentish Flint Tithe Barn in the village of Kingston, which lies 5 miles Southeast of Canterbury.  The Barn was originally given to the people of Kingston to be used as a community hall in 1931.  It was restored and converted in 1996 to its present superb state and provides a cosy, welcoming, and beautiful space, with good access and facilities.  Most of the Folk in the Barn concerts have been held in the Barn, but some take place in the elegant and more spacious Canterbury Cathedral International Study Centre, located in the Precincts of Canterbury Cathedral.  Both venues have great ambience and make perfect settings for acoustic music.   We will continue to look for and use other interesting local venues as necessary in order to provide the best and friendliest local Acoustic Music concerts.  To keep in touch with you and let you know what’s going on we have an emailing list, if you‘d like to join to get priority booking and up to date info on gigs, please email me Debs Earl at info@folkinthebarn.co.uk or fill in the box on the contact page.

Kingston from Bonny Bush Hill