Simple Minds have announced a major outdoor show in the grounds of English Heritage's Audley End House & Gardens.

The chart-topping Scottish group will play the Essex estate on Thursday, August 11 as part of this summer's Heritage Live concert series.

Supporting the Don't You (Forget About Me) and Alive and Kicking band will be special guests Big Country featuring The Skids’ frontman Richard Jobson, and Hue and Cry.

They’ll be joined by Saffron Walden’s own Joanna Eden Band, and Caezar.

Tickets for the concert will be available on pre-sale on Wednesday, March 30 at 9am.

They go on general sale on Friday, April 1 at 9am from Ticketmaster.

Pre-sale tickets can be accessed by registering in advance at Heritagelive.net.

Fronted by Jim Kerr, Simple Minds have been musical pioneers for over 40 glittering years, with this year marking the 40th anniversary of classic album New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84).

Simple Minds played the Philadelphia leg of Live Aid in 1985 and then enjoyed huge success around the world.

They topped the American charts with single Don't You (Forget About Me), the video for which was filmed at Knebworth House, and followed suit in the UK with 1989 No.1 hit Belfast Child.

Their other well-known singles include Promised You a Miracle, Waterfront, Sanctify Yourself, Up on the Catwalk and Someone, Somewhere in Summertime.

In selling over 60 million records, three of their studio albums have reached number one in the UK – Sparkle In The Rain, Once Upon A Time and Street Fighting Years – a chart-topping feat equalled by their live album, Live In The City Of Light, and best-of compilation Glittering Prize 81/92.

Fellow Scottish rockers Big Country were originally formed in 1981 and broke massively worldwide with the release of classic singles Fields Of Fire, Chance and signature song In A Big Country, all from debut album The Crossing.

Further hit singles including East Of Eden, Just a Shadow, and Where The Rose Is Sown cemented their place as icons of anthemic music.

They will be joined at Audley End House & Gardens by Richard Jobson, frontman of pioneering Scottish punk band the Skids.

Also a TV presenter, Jobson co-founded The Skids with Big Country co-founder Stuart Adamson, who passed away in 2001.

Brothers Patrick and Gregory Kane formed Hue and Cry in 1983 and the duo made a huge impact in the late 80s with the albums Seduced and Abandoned and Remote, as well as massive hit singles such as Labour of Love.

The duo were recognised by their peers when they were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Scottish Music Awards.

Saffron Walden’s Joanna Eden has performed her jazz influenced original music all over the world and supported world-class artists including Jamie Cullum, the Buena Vista Social Club, Ronan Keating, and The Blockheads.

She was among the support acts at Audley End last year for Van Morrison's concert.

Caezar, who will open the show, were formed in 2017 by two former members of cult Scottish band The Silencers.

Previously announced for the Heritage Live concert series at Audley End House & Gardens are Elbow on Saturday, August 13 and Tom Jones, who will perform on Sunday, August 14.