Description

Description

From 6-9 September, 40,000 local volunteers invite you to experience the hidden stories and architectural treasures of thousands of places across England. From castles to city halls, tunnels to tower tops, police cells to private homes, workshops to woodland walks, there’s plenty to see and do. Highlights this year include: To mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of A.W.N. Pugin, one of England’s most renowned architects, some of his finest and lesser known buildings will open their doors to public, such as his family home in Ramsgate, Kent, and Alton Towers Manor in Staffordshire; new excavations will be on show at Star Carr, Scarborough, England’s most important Mesolithic site in England; The Porsche Club GB will hold a spectacular classic car rally at the National Trust’s Calke Abbey in Derbyshire; the Leeds archives of one Britain’s leading retailers, Marks & Spencer, will provide access to their treasures for the first time.

Brochure

Description

Heritage Open Days is England’s contribution to European Heritage Days. Supported nationally by English Heritage, the event thrives on the enthusiasm and expertise of local people. In 2010, over 46,000 staff and volunteers from councils, amenity societies, community groups, companies and schools opened up and staged a record 4,463 places and activities, making Heritage Open Days Britain’s most popular cultural grassroots event. Over four days in September, venues of all ages, styles and functions open their doors free of charge.

Highlights for 2011 include: North Lees Hall in Derbyshire, inspiration to Mr Rochester’s house in Jane Eyre; an opportunity to look inside the decontamination centre against chemical or biological attack at the Greenham Common airbase in Newham; Augustus Pugin’s home and self-designed Gothic masterpiece The Grange in Kent; H.S. Smokehouse, the last surviving and still working herring brick smokehouse in Great Yarmouth; a unique chance to walk below HMS Victory's Water Line in Portsmouth; and special backstage tours of the North of England’s great Victorian theatres, The Theatre Royal in Newcastle upon Tyne, Blackpool’s Grand Theatre and the Grand Theatre & Opera House in Leeds.

You can now also connect with us on Twitter @heritageopenday to get latest news straight from the Heritage Open Days team.

Picture selection:

With over 12,000 visitors Spanish City Dome in Tyne & Wear proved the most popular Heritage Open Days site of the 2010 programme. © Andrew Heptinstall

Family exploring one of a windmill in Norfolk. © Alun Bull

Description

Heritage Open Days is England’s contribution to the European Heritage Days. With over 4,000 places and activities to explore and more than 40,000 volunteers providing a warm welcome, it is Britain’s largest cultural grassroots event. 2010 highlights include the recreation of a former village shop in Maldon/Essex; dance workshops for young and old in Hastings/East Sussex; a rare opportunity to take a tour of the world’s first complete steam powered factory in Portsmouth/Hampshire; the splendid Italianate official residence of the Lord Mayor of Bristol; tours of the Wolverhampton Wanderers’ legendary home turf; and access to Hull’s impressive Tidal Surge Barriers.