Venues across Warwick district to open doors from Heritage Open Days

Attractions and venues across the Warwick district will once again be opening their doors to the public for the annual Heritage Open Days festival.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions this year’s event, which takes place from September 11 to September 20, is smaller than usual, however there are still opportunities to visit buildings, gardens and places of historic interest not normally open to the public, free of charge.

Some venues are also offering virtual tours.

One of this year’s highlights is a Great Fire of Warwick Walk on September 11.

The 90-minute walk, which has been organised by volunteers from a number of the town’s heritage sites will follow the route of the fire taking in the Lord Leycester Hospital, Court House, St Mary’s Church and Market Hall Museum.

Volunteer organiser Sue Rigby said: “This walk has been the result of a successful collaboration between Heritage Culture Warwickshire, Lord Leycester Hospital, St Mary’s Church and Unlocking Warwick.

"We are very excited to have been able to work together to tell people about this momentous event in Warwick’s history as part of Heritage Open Days”.

Other local sites opening during the festival include Warwick Castle who will be offering a fascinating evening lecture with their history team, Guy’s Cliffe Walled Garden, Hill Close Gardens, Foundry Wood, the Polish Centre, St Mary’s Allotments and Bagot’s Castle.

A number of churches will also be open to visitors.

The event will finish on September 20 when Spencer Yard, in Leamington’s Old Town, will have completed its transformation to an outdoor gallery for the ‘Paint the Yard’ Street Art Festival.

Cllr Martyn Ashford, chairman of Warwick District Council, said: “The Council is pleased to have been able to support and coordinate the district’s annual Heritage Open Days Festival, in challenging circumstances.

"I would like to thank the large number of volunteers who have given up their time to organise the fantastic range of activities taking place this year.”

A guide listing all the venues taking part and opening times is available from the Leamington and Warwick visitor information centres, Shire Hall, and Leamington Town Hall.

The Great Fire of Warwick Walk can be booked through the Warwick visitor information centre.

Events taking place include exhibitions, special tours, zoom presentations and more to educate people about the county’s past.

The list includes:

~ Fusilier Museum Warwick

On September 16 between 10am and 5pm, people can find out about more than 300 years of history of the county’s infantry regiment.

Discover amazing stories - Hannah Snell, a female soldier; ‘Bobby’, the antelope mascot; the cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather; Field Marshals Slim and Montgomery; and the famous D-Day landings - www.warwickfusiliers.co.uk

Talks will also be taking place on Zoom including: The Regiment & the Fusilier Museum Warwick – September 11 – 6.30pm – email [email protected] for more details.

Stretton to Suvla: Warwickshire and the Gallipoli Campaign – September 16 – 7.30pm – email [email protected] for more details.

~ Coventry Transport Museum

The museum will celebrate Coventry as the centre of the British car industry and the birthplace of the bicycle with free admission for all on September 12 and September 13 - www.transport- museum.com/events/1467/heritage_open_days__free_admission

~ Herbert Museum and Art Gallery

The gallery has prepared some online tours of the Coventry Archives and Undercroft, which will be available from September 19.

~ Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust

The Trust will be celebrating Heritage Open Days this year by 'virtually' opening up its extensive local history museum collection. Rarely seen treasures that help to tell the stories of some of the people and places from Stratford's past will be shared throughout the week on the charity's Twitter and Facebook pages.

The Trust cares for the five Shakespeare family homes and holds the world’s largest Shakespeare-related library, museum and archives that is open to the public, but it also has an extensive local history archive of Stratford-upon-Avon and south Warwickshire that includes records dating back to the 12th century.

Follow the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust on Twitter @ShakespeareBT and at www.facebook.com/ShakespeareBT

Shakespeare's Birthplace is open to the public, daily between 10am and 4pm. Tickets must be booked in advance at www.shakespeare.org.uk, normal admission charges apply.

~ Warwick Castle

On September 11, for the first time, the castle is teaming-up with Heritage Open Days to offer evening access.

History experts will help as visitors wander throughout beautiful castle interiors. They'll be on hand to answer questions and share fascinating facts about the castle and its 1,100 year history.

People can also access the grounds, including Pageant Field; landscaped by Capability Brown, and the Peacock Garden with its friendly, feathered residents - www.war-wickcastle.com/explore/events/heritage-open-days

~ Foundry Wood

Open September 11 to September 20, 10am to 4pm

There will be self-guided walks at the community woodland created on the site of the Ford Foundry and former railway sidings, with footpaths, pond and outdoor classroom www.foundrywood.co.uk

~ Holy Trinity Church in Leamington

Open September 12 and 19, noon to 3pm – Grade II listed building which was originally built as a proprietary chapel in 1847. It has a Daniel Cottier Arts and Crafts stained glass window, among others, and Italian mosaics on the chancel floor - www.holytrinityleamington.org.uk

~ Leamington History Group

A film about Leamington’s transformation from a small village to a thriving spa town has been produced by Leamington History Group and Postmaster Media - www.leamingtonhistory.co.uk/birth-of-a-spa-town

~ Royal Shakespeare Company

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the extension of its popular pop-up programme of outdoor performances to run throughout September in the Dell Gardens in Stratford

Running until the end of September and sponsored by Darwin Escapes, RSC Snapshots will take place from Friday to Sunday for 45 minutes at 1pm and 3pm each day - www.rsc.org.uk

~ Leamington Society

The society is inviting everyone to take a free virtual walk through the wonderful Jephson Gardens, looking at special trees on the way - www.leamingtonsociety.org

~Paint the Yard – Street Art Festival

Open September 20, 12 noon to 8pm – Visit Paint the Yard,

Leamington’s street art festival, to see how Leamington’s Spencer Yard has been transformed into an outdoor gallery. Booking is required and a virtual tour available: www.creativeleamington.co.uk/pty

~ Polish Centre

Open September 13 and 20, 12 noon to 3pm

Leamington Spa’s first Town Hall and former Police Station has, for the past 50 years, served as a centre for the Polish Community.

The original Council Chamber and the upper part of the Ballroom can be viewed.

~ St Mary’s Allotments in Leamington

Open September 12 and 13, September 19 and 20, 10am to 4pm

Allotment site with riverside chalets, established in 1894 on the banks of the River Leam. The site has a unique shed featured in TV design competition, baths from a local Victorian hospital and sculpture trail - www.stmarysallotments.org.uk

~ St Peter Apostle Catholic Church in Warwick

Open September 12, 10am to 4pm

Built in 1864, St Peter’s is a striking Gothic-Romanesque church designed by Henry Clutton. An altar decorated by AW Pugin is just one of a wealth of special features. Virtual tour available – www.catholicleamington.org.uk

~ Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington

Watch a recorded virtual tour to find out about the history of the building and Leamington’s spa waters presented by Collections and Engagement Manager, Vicki - http://bit.ly/PumpRoomsTour and www.warwickdc.gov.uk/royalpumprooms

~ The Court House in Warwick

Open September 19, 11am to 3pm

Designed and built by Francis Smith in 1725, the Court House replaced a medieval tavern and is one of the few buildings which survived the Great Fire of Warwick in 1694.

Free tours of the building by Unlocking Warwick volunteers will be held at 11am and 2pm each lasting 45 minutes. Limited places so booking is essential with the Warwick Visitor Information Centre in person or call 01926 492212. Covid-19 guidelines in place – www.thecourthousewarwick.co.uk

~ Guy’s Cliffe Walled Garden in Warwick

September 12 and 13, 10am to 3.45pm (last entry 3pm)

Explore the history of Guy’s Cliffe walled gardens, dating from the 1770s and supplying the Guy’s Cliffe estate until the 1940s. Work began six years ago to restore the Garden, using plans from the early 19th century.

Booking required, timed tickets only, call 01926 492 212 or email [email protected]

~ Heritage and Culture Warwickshire - Behind the Scenes of Warwickshire Museum Stores

Open September 17 – 12.30pm to 1.30pm - A first look at the new museum stores facility with Abi Flack and Sara Wear, from our curatorial team.

Abi will take you on a tour of the stores and both Sara and Abi will take your questions live.

During questions Abi will be a 'roving' curator and can move round the stores to pick out any objects you may have questions about - shorturl.at/abrJ0

~Hill Close Gardens in Warwick

Open September 12 and 13 – 11am to 5pm

An attraction with 16 restored Victorian detached gardens with summerhouses – www.hillclosegardens.com

~ Bagot’s Castle in Baginton

Open September 11, 12, 13, and 18, 19, 20 – 10am to 4pm

Built in 1380s by Sir William Bagot. Restoration works were completed to consolidate the remains of the ruin in 2012. Set in 19 acres of pastureland with picnic benches and children’s trails/activities – www.bagotscastle.org.uk

~ Catholic Church of Our Lady in Lillington

Open September 20 – 10am to 4pm

A magnificent modern church, with some of the most significant examples of dalle de verre glass in the country. A rare opportunity to appreciate the stunning interior. Virtual Tour available -

www.catholicleamington.org.uk

~ St John The Baptist Church in Wasperton

Open September 12 and 13 – 11am to 4pm

This small church remodelled in 1847 by GG Scott includes a 16 th Century pulpit, an18th century wrought iron communion rail, a timber porch, bellcote with spirelet and two Pugin designed windows.

~ St Peter’s Church in Barford

Open September 13, 16 and 20 – 10am to 4pm

There has been a church on the site since Saxon times. The present church was re-built in the 1840s with the exception of the tower which is 14th century. Careful examination of the Tower’s exterior shows bullet holes left during the Civil War.

~ All Saints Church in Ladbroke

Open September 12 – 2.30pm

Take a virtual tour of All Saints Church with its unusual striped tower, Gilbert Scott interior and fine stained glass –www.ladbrokechurch.org.uk

~ FarGo Village in Coventry

Sgt Bilko’s Vintage Emporium, one of FarGo’s permanent shops, who is taking part in the Heritage Open Days - www.facebook.com/sgtbilkosemporium

Further information is available at: https://www.warwickdc.gov.uk/info/20377/conservation/538/heritage_open_days