Free tours, talks and visits as Shropshire’s historic sites and buildings open their doors
Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is offering free entry this Sunday
An exciting programme of free events and activities will be on offer across Shropshire from this Thursday (8 September) to Sunday (11 September) as part of the annual national Heritage Open Days celebration.
The programme includes a chance to see sites which are not normally open to the public as well as tours, talks, film screenings, living history re-enactments and exhibitions.
During the four days Shropshire Council is offering:
- Behind the Scenes tour of Shropshire Archives in Shrewsbury: Thursday and Friday, 2pm.
- Free entry to Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery – Sunday, 10am to 5pm.
- Free entry to Shropshire Regimental Museum, Shrewsbury Castle – Sunday, 10.30am to 4pm. Laura’s Tower is open 11am – 3.30pm.
- Free walking tour of Shrewsbury town centre, Sunday at 11.30am.
- Free English Country Dance workshops with Maggie Love at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery: Sunday, 11am and 2pm
- A display on the history of Oswestry Racecourse, Oswestry Library – Thursday to Saturday, during opening hours
- Talk – Life in Church Street, Oswestry at the start of the 20th Century, by Sara Cox – Oswestry Library – Saturday, 1.30pm
Free events being provided by other groups and organisations across the county include:
- Climb St Mary’s Ellesmere Church Tower (Saturday)
- Guided walk from Llanymynech Wharf to Vyrnwy Aqueduct (Sunday)
- Guided tour of Lydbury North (Saturday)
- Discover Old Oswestry Hillfort walk (Saturday)
- Entry to Park Hall Countryside Farm WWI Trench Experience (Thursday to Sunday)
- Train rides on Tanat Valley Light Railway (Thursday to Sunday)
- Climb Lord Hill’s Column, Shrewsbury (Sunday)
- Walking tour of Shrewsbury Battlefield (Sunday)
- Tower Climb at St Leonard’s Bridgnorth (Saturday)
- Entry to Benthall Hall, Broseley (Saturday)
For full details of these and all of the events taking place across Shropshire, click here.
For events just in Shrewsbury, click here.
For events just in Oswestry, click here.
Stuart West, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for culture and leisure, said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for people to get behind the scenes of some of the county’s most precious historic places, with Shropshire once again offering a wealth of venues hosting a mix of the interesting and the unusual. I hope the many free events on offer attract visitors from across Shropshire and beyond.”
All of Shropshire’s Heritage Open Days events are free of charge but some need to be booked.
Heritage Open Days is the largest heritage festival in the country. Every single Heritage Open Days event is free, including over 150 National Trust properties, which waive their entry fees on the Saturday of the Heritage Open Days weekend.
Loyd Grossman, Patron of Heritage Open Days, said:
“At a time when many of our heritage sites, museums and buildings of cultural interest are under increasing economic pressure it’s heart-warming to see the number of Heritage Open Days events continue to grow. Our army of volunteers play an important role in championing our wonderfully diverse local heritage, opening up doors and keeping access free for these very special four days every year. We are keen to encourage people to stand up for the places that are important to them by bringing to life their stories for everyone to enjoy.”
Further information
About Heritage Open Days
- Heritage Open Days is co-ordinated and promoted nationally by the National Trust, and run locally by a large range of organisations (including civic societies, heritage organisations, and local councils, community champions and thousands of enthusiastic volunteers).
- Heritage Open Days is England’s contribution to European Heritage Days, taking place across 50 countries.
