Rocket Licensing, the licensing agent in the UK and Eire for the wildly popular and award-winning children’s history brand Horrible Histories (published by Scholastic), has announced a new Horrible Histories experiential partnership with the UK’s National Trust, Europe’s largest conservation charity, which looks after nature, beauty and history for everyone to enjoy.

West London’s Osterley Park and House, a popular National Trust-owned family venue and Georgian estate, is putting on Horrible Histories-inspired activities for families in an event that will continue for just over six months.

Based on the bestselling book Gorgeous Georgians by Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brown, the Gorgeous Georgians interactive family-friendly trail starts at half term on 17 February 2025 and continues until 31 August around Osterley’s house, garden and parkland, giving fans the opportunity to uncover the quirks and scandals of Georgian history while exploring a real Georgian manor house.

The trail is specially designed to entertain children of all ages with a combination of games, activities and historical information, including ten interactive stations where visitors can find out more about child rat catchers and chimney sweeps, pirates and highwaymen, not to mention some of the lesser-known facts about the era’s foul foods and sometimes startling toileting habits.

This amazing programme is included in the price of admission to Osterley, where visitors can also find Horrible Histories merchandise in the visitor shop throughout the event. More details about the event – and the park – can be found here.

Horrible Histories is a phenomenon. Now entering its fourth decade of success, the world’s bestselling children’s history-book series by Terry Deary and illustrated by Martin Brown is celebrated for its ground-breakingly funny and factual approach to history with unique appeal to kids (and big kids) and unflinching eye for all things horrible. Today, 31 years since the books first appeared, over 30 million copies are in print across 31 countries. Published by Scholastic, new books for 2025 include new Horrible Histories city guides for Bath and Glasgow.

The massive success of the books has in turn inspired long-running stage shows and tours, BAFTA- award-winning hit TV series, a star-studded feature film, and, of course, a licensing campaign.

Licensees include Tonie story characters based on Rotten Romans, Terrible Tudors and the all-new Vicious Vikings; board games and card games from University Games; Top Trumps and Monopoly games from Winning Moves; and even collectible coins from Group 288. More products are on the way this year including a new Monopoly game from Winning Moves.

The Osterley Park trail, meanwhile, extends the success of the brand in the family activity area. Popular offerings include a Roman-themed family trail at The British Museum, a Horrible Histories Maze at Warwick Castle, Horrible Histories Pirates at The National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool and Horrible Histories escape rooms in Liverpool and Coventry.

There’s also been a hit spin-off book and TV brand called Horrible Science that has itself inspired two popular trails in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in the heart of Sussex.

Elizabeth Scoggins, Nonfiction, Brands and Licensing Publisher, Scholastic UK, says: “We’re thrilled to see Terry and Martin’s world’s bestselling children’s history-book series bring its unique take on some of the Gorgeous Georgian era’s most fascinating and foul events on a real Georgian estate. Young and old will love the activities, the stories and, of course, the venue. Our thanks to the National Trust and, of course, to the many Gorgeous Georgians this interactive family-friendly trail celebrates.”

Melissa Satterly, Brand Manager, Rocket Licensing, says: “A wonderful building steeped in history with massive family appeal is the perfect venue for a family event that delves into the highs and lows of a truly fascinating era. Horrible Histories and Osterley Park and House are a perfect match for an engaging experiential activation for families!”

About Rocket Licensing
Seventeen years old and one of the UK’s leading award-winning licensing agents, Rocket Licensing represents a diverse and focused roster of brands that spans entertainment, preschool, heritage, lifestyle and specialist interest properties. Rocket’s portfolio currently manages UK licensing programmes for an array of leading entertainment studios and licensors, including: Amazon MGM Studios; Bob Ross/Firefly; BocPix; Eastman Kodak Co; The European Space Agency (ESA); Hat Trick International; Kyandii, Legendary Entertainment; Scholastic/Horrible Histories; The Lumistella Company; and The Quarto Group. For more information, please visit www.rocketlicensing.com