Could you be the
Young Historian of the Year?
Share your passion of the past
We are looking for people aged 11-18 living in Devon and Cornwall to join our Young Historian of the Year competition and show off their love for history.
The subject – British History. Be it how we have lived and died, how we have related to each other at home, or responded to those further afield. In War and Peace, Romans to Vikings, Saxons to Normans, The Tudors to Modern Times, in Cities, Towns or Villages, there is always something to explore, talk and write about in British History. Join in and present the part of the past that you love.
How to apply
To apply for the Young Historian of the Year Competition, you must be aged 11-18 and be living or studying in Devon or Cornwall.
There will be two ways to submit your research for the competition:
Written Presentation – A traditional typed essay
Digital Presentation – A podcast or video presentation
To register your interest please complete the registration form and return it to [email protected]. Please register your interest by 1 June 2026.
How the competition works
The Young Historian of the Year competition will be split into two stages, and prizes will be awarded throughout the competition.
Stage One
Stage one is a chance for you to tell us about your history interests, and there are two ways to submit your research.
During this stage, you will be asked to answer the following questions, presented as either a Written Presentation (Traditional Typed Essay) or a Digital Presentation (Podcast or Video):
- Which is your favourite historical period?
- Which is your favourite historical site and why?
- What subject you would like to write about in British History and why if selected to be part of Stage Two?
Stage One Submission Deadline: Friday 26 June 2026. Any submissions
received after this date will not be included for judging.
We will notify everyone who has qualified from Stage One and are being invited to enter Stage Two by email by Friday 17 July 2026.
The Passion of the Past Award will be presented to those who have shown exceptional enthusiasm and love for history during their work within the first stage.
Stage Two
If you qualify from Stage One, you will be invited to participate in Stage Two. Stage Two is more in depth and will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your history knowledge and show us your skills as a historian.
You will be asked to expand on the subject you told us about in the first stage of the competition. This is an opportunity to show off your research skills and tell us why you selected your chosen topic.
This should also be presented as either a Written Presentation (Traditional Typed Essay) or a Digital Presentation (Podcast or Video).
Stage Two Submission Deadline: Monday 1 February 2027. Any submissions received after this date will not be included for judging.
The final Young Historian of the Year results will be awarded on Thursday 1 April 2027.
The South West Awards will be given to the best presentations from Stage Two that focus on the history of the South West, particularly relating to Devon or Cornwall.
Further Information
If you have any questions or queries relating to the competition, do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected].