Doors open on Heritage Open Days

Explore Hare Hill House with animated displays of the various incarnations of the house

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Heritage Open Days is a once-a-year chance to enjoy events and activities which bring to life local history and culture. All free to explore, buildings of every age, style and function across the borough will be opening, along with guided walks, tours and talks.

Running for four consecutive days, from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 September, the open days are co-ordinated nationally by the Heritage Open Days National Partnership and locally by Link4Life Arts and Heritage Service, the borough’s cultural trust. The event thrives on the enthusiasm and expertise of local people as thousands of volunteers from all walks of life share their knowledge and memories.

Darren Grice, Head of Community, Health and Participation at Link4Life, said: “For this very special weekend, local people can enjoy an even more jam-packed programme including over forty free and fun events.”

Many of Rochdale’s historic and religious buildings will open including the Grade I listed Town Hall, the Pioneers Museum and Touchstones, which will welcome a visit by the mobile Yelloway Motor Coach Museum reliving over fifty years of memories of day trips and holidays.

In partnership with Yelloway Motor Coach Museum, Touchstones, will be providing circular tours on the Saturday on the hour from 11am to 2pm, where you can take a free, nostalgic trip aboard a vintage bus taking in the heritage attractions in Rochdale town centre.

Christ Church in Healey will open this year for the first time. There will be an exhibition of historical documents, wedding and baptism dresses through the ages plus a range of photographs of Rose Queens and social events. There will be organ music recitals daily from 11am to 2pm. Morning coffee and afternoon teas will be available.

The church will also hold a Heritage Fair Day on Saturday 12 September with home bake and craft stalls and a variety of children’s activities, fun and games for all ages.

A highlight of the festival in Middleton will be the returning ‘Grand Day Out’ of the town’s Golden Cluster, with a specially organised land train to take visitors around a circular route of places to visit and access to the archaeological excavation at The Grapes Inn with guided tours of the site.

Many of Heywood’s historic churches will be open with a chance also to step back in time to the 1930s to visit the courtroom and cells of the town’s former police station.

St John’s Church, Hopwood will be hosting a craft fair alongside historical displays and old photographs.

Littleborough will be inviting visitors to explore Hare Hill House with animated displays of the various incarnations of the house and displays of the proposals for the future of the house.

In Milnrow, the Grade II listed Carnegie public library will be open for visitors with an opportunity to tour and to take in some architectural interests with the combined mix of arts and crafts and art nouveau features.

Councillor Janet Emsley, Rochdale Council cabinet member for Culture, Health and Wellbeing, said: “Heritage is one of Rochdale’s great selling points and something of which we are all incredibly proud. This celebration is a wonderful way of finding out about heritage first hand, rather than just from the pages of history books. I encourage people to try and get to one of the many events taking place, as there is something for everyone.”

There are over 40 properties and events for you to visit, see: Heritage Open Days >>>