Port Eliot Festival founder dies

The founder of the Port Eliot Festival, Peregrine Nicholas Eliot, 10th Earl of St Germans, has died aged 75.

He died on Friday (15th July), following a battle with cancer.

Lord St Germans was born on 2nd January 1941 and educated at Eton. He was married to Catherine St Germans, former style editor of the Daily Telegraph Magazine and director of the Port Eliot Festival. 

A statement paying tribute to Eliot on the Port Eliot Festival website said: "Everybody at Port Eliot is sad beyond measure at having to confirm that Peregrine, Lord St Germans, passed away on the afternoon of Friday 15th July."

It continued: "Peregrine died after a short illness following surgery for cancer. Peregrine loved Port Eliot, the festival and the Elephant Fayre that preceded it, and made clear that he wanted this year's festival to go ahead with instructions that it should be the best ever. So, we are more determined than ever that that is what it will be." 

St Germans launched the Elephant Fayre in 1981, succeeded by The Port Eliot Festival in 2003. The festival takes place in St Germans in Cornwall.

The first names for this year’s festival have been confirmed with authors including Ali Smith, Bruce Robinson, Helen Dunsmore, Sara Pascoe and Nina Stibbe among those attending.

Catherine St Germans said of the festival: "If you felt inclined to rugby tackle any of the Port Eliot team to the ground and force us to sum up the festival in a pithy sentence we’d be lying there together for ages. I may be wrong, but I’d hazard a guess that Bo Ningen and the Kenwood Ladies Pond Association have never shared a bill before. All at Port Eliot are pleased to make these dream scenarios real."

She added: "Another reason to come: mobile phone reception all over the site is shockingly poor. Ditch yours and live a free life - at least for a weekend. Port Eliot is like falling from the sky into a magic garden where you will be constantly surprised and delighted; where you can drink, dance, discuss, dress up, camp, explore, get lost, fall asleep under the stars to the sound of Andrew Weatherall, and wake up to the ringing of church bells."

Port Eliot Festival will take place from 28th to 31st July 2016.