Heritage Open Days 2024

It’s September … which can only mean one thing – it’s the return of Heritage Open Days with hundreds of free events and experiences available in our cathedrals as they take part in this, the country’s largest festival of history and culture.

This year it’s Heritage Open Days 30th anniversary and the theme is Routes – Networks – Connections, which aims to bring together the past and present through workshops, talks, hidden spaces, walks and activities for all the family.

Heritage Open Days runs from 6-15 September and all our cathedrals will be opening their doors on one or more of the days during that period to offer free events as part of this festival – do check their websites for up to date information. You may have to book tickets.

Bradford Cathedral has a special heritage open day on Saturday September 14 which will explore the ‘monumental’ connections of the cathedral including two tours; a talk; stalls and representatives from local groups

Monuments that can be explored include those of the Market Charter, Joseph Priestley and the Canal, Abraham Balme and the turnpike, explorer William Scoresby, and the famous local Jowett family.

The day will also form part of a longer year-long project to include a miniature of the cathedral created by model maker Michael Scott for his model town of Chandwell. Michael Scott will be available to share the inspiration and journey behind his creation through paper, card, bricks, and stone, that ultimately inspired this latest endeavour: crafting a model of Bradford Cathedral.

It will be completed just in time for Bradford taking on the mantle of City Of Culture in 2025.

Maggie Myers, Director of Education and Visitors at Bradford Cathedral, said:

“Following on from the success of our William Morris Heritage Open Day last year, we are delighted that we have another exciting day of talks, tours and information- but on a very different topic.

“We have embraced this year’s theme of “Routes-Networks-Connections” by taking inspiration from the memorials in the Cathedral – to celebrate local names connected with transport, particularly the turnpikes, the canals and cars.

“We will also be highlighting the story of the Bradford Beck, which runs below the Cathedral and is connected with our history. Plus there’s a fascinating talk all about model-making and the exciting prospect of a model Bradford Cathedral!

“It promises to be a very interesting afternoon at Bradford Cathedral!”

Booking for the tours is essential and can be booked here. Booking is recommended for the talk, but all are welcome to turn up for the general activities – and the talk – on the day.

Ely Cathedral – On Saturday 14 there is free entry between 6 and 9pm – paid entry throughout the day.

A number of free Cathedral tours during the day and evening, will be available to book from 2 September, details below and in addition there’s a rare opportunity to visit Prior Crauden’s Chapel on Sunday 15 September. Booking is essential. Book here.

Coventry Cathedral will celebrate Yoko Ono and John Lennon’s Acorns for Peace planting. John Lennon and Yoko Ono unexpectedly showed up at the cathedral in June 1968, to enter their ‘living sculpture’ into the prestigious Exhibition of British Sculpture, held in the ruins of the cathedral which included the works of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, and which coincided with an international conference on ‘People and Cities’.

The question of space was central to the exhibition and the conference, as it was to John and Yoko’s living sculpture. Their ‘Acorns for Peace’, were planted outside the exhibition, on the grass outside the Chapel of Unity, constituting an event, which enfolded further when the acorns were moved soon after, by the cathedral, and soon stolen by a fan.

This workshop will follow the circuitous routes of specific acorns linked to the cathedral.

As well as Acorns for Peace, there are other tours that explore other routes telling the global story of the Cathedral in multi-dimensional ways, including a boulder from the Cretaceous age donated from Bethlehem and so much more. Plus there are talks from the cathedral ruins by a fireman from WW2 retelling the story of the burning of the cathedral hit during the Blitz in 1940.

Norwich Cathedral will take visitors back in time to August 1578 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1. During her East Anglian progress, Elizabeth stayed in Norwich for a week and attended a service at the Cathedral, where her Boleyn ancestors are buried. This tour focuses on contemporary and other visible reminders of this visit.

There are tower tours at Portsmouth Cathedral you can explore the Priors Tower at Carlisle, climb the 170 steps up the tower at Wakefield Cathedral for a bird’s eye view across the city, there are cloister tours at Hereford and Christ Church Cathedral Oxford has tours of the Cathedral, Great Hall, Picture Gallery, Library, quads and gardens plus short talks and tours, demonstrations and recitals will be held throughout the day. Leicester Cathedral is offering a special tour that looks at three artefacts especially crafted for the reinterment of Richard III and Southwell Minster is offering free access all areas heritage tours on 7 September– including its famous Chapter House with THOSE carvings!

And Worcester Cathedral is opening its doors on Saturday 14 September with historic graffiti hunts, garden tours and Monumental Women tours that tell the stories of the women who shaped their history.

More here.

Just some of the ways our cathedrals are celebrating their stories during Heritage Open Days this September. Do check out your local cathedral to find out what they have on offer.

Heritage Open Days (HODs) runs from 6-15 September and is supported by the National Trust, players of People’s Postcode Lottery and is run by thousands of local organisations and volunteers. HODs aims to bring people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history.