Over four successive days from Thursday September 10th more buildings than ever before will open their doors free of charge to visitors, or there will be special events, tours and walks for people to enjoy.
Across the country last year more than one million people enjoyed Heritage Open Days at well over 3,700 properties not normally open to the public. This year visitors will be welcomed to more buildings than ever before of every imaginable type, age and style ranging from castles to factories and industrial workplaces, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to Buddhist temples.
Throughout Northumberland visitors will be able to choose from watching an historical re-enactment in Berwick Town Hall; joining a Woodhorn at War tour as part of a current exhibition at the museum and archives centre about how county folk coped with life in wartime Britain; taking part in an ecological self-build at Belford using local timber and sheep's wool; going on a guided walk through Bothal Woods; or taking a trip around the newly restored Blyth Battery.
There are lots more events happening across the region, details of which can be found on the website www.gmdt.net
Locally the Heritage Open Days programme is being co-ordinated by Greater Morpeth Development Trust beginning on the eve of the national event with a talk about Morpeth by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy at 7.30pm on Wednesday September 9th in The Chantry building. The talk is already sold out.
The following day there'll be a chance to learn even more about one of Morpeth's landmark buildings during an engaging talk about the Chantry by Peter Ryder. Beginning life as a 13th Century bridge chapel the Chantry was later converted to a school, then a mineral water factory before eventually becoming home to the world famous Morpeth Bagpipe Museum and a retail outlet for local craftspeople.
Twelve months ago the building was seriously damaged by the floods which swept through the town, but has now been fully restored and re-opened to the public. Peter Ryder's talk on the history of Morpeth Chantry takes place at 7pm on Thursday September 10th.
The Chantry Bagpipe Museum will also be open for the first three days of the Heritage Open Days events from 10am until 4pm.
Two walks have been included in the programme, the first being a four mile trek following a circular route around the hill on which Rothley Castle stands, which begins at 12.30pm on Thursday September 10th. The following day there's a nine mile walk along the Rothbury Carriageways taking in some spectacular views including the remains of Cartington Castle. That walk begins at 10am.
As part of the Heritage Open Days' programme there will be the chance to visit the Church of St Mary the Virgin that dates back to the 14th Century. The grave of suffragette Emily Wilding Davison can be found in the churchyard.
Local historian and illustrator John Caffrey will tell the fascinating story of Tommy Longstaff who founded the first museum in Morpeth at the Prince Albert pub on the site of Old Waulk's Mill which he bought along with two fields in 1851.
Following his death in 1862 Old Waulk's Mill field became known as Tommy's Field and in the 1940s was used for the first time as allotment gardens. John will recount the tale of Tommy Longstaff as well as talking about the flora and fauna there on site on Friday September 11th at 2pm.
As an important market town Morpeth was once reputed to have more pubs per head than anywhere else in England. During the Open Days there'll be the chance to visit three of the town's most historic pubs starting at 5pm on Friday September 11th.
Performances over four days of 'Traces and Graces' by European Players at the 17th Century Whalton Manor House and gardens, are already sold out.
Other highlights of the programme include the chance of a guided tour of Morpeth Clock Tower at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm on Saturday September 12th; a guided tour on Sunday September 13th from 2pm to 4pm of Newminster's Cistercian Abbey founded in 1138; and an Open Day organised by the Landmark Trust at Morpeth Castle built on a hill overlooking the River Wansbeck in 1300. More information about this event is available direct from the Trust on (01670) 503866.
Finally the whole four days of celebrations end with a tea party in Carlisle Park to mark its 80th anniversary. The event starts at 12 noon on Sunday September 13th in the park's formal gardens, before heading over to the bandstand and pavilion at 12.30pm for an afternoon of entertainment, tea and cakes and a 1920s fancy dress competition.
Tamsin Lilley, GMDT's Heritage Officer, said: "We are looking forward to four very special days celebrating Morpeth's architecture and heritage and we want as many people as possible to join in and enjoy the events, activities and the chance to look around some rarely opened buildings.
"One of the best thing about the programme is that everything is free!"
Full details of the Morpeth Heritage Open Days programme are listed on the GMDT website www.gmdt.net along with details on how to book certain events by calling GMDT on (01670) 503866. |
