The annual celebration of Warrington’s rich history and heritage gets under way this week – with a range of organisations getting ready to deliver the largest programme yet in the borough.
Warrington’s Heritage Open Days 2021 takes place from 10-19 September, giving people the chance to discover fascinating local stories of the past, and how they have helped make Warrington the place it is today.
Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture. Each year, places across the country throw open their doors and give people the chance to see hidden places and try new experiences for free.
Last year, many of Warrington’s heritage organisations were unable to open their doors to the public. This year, they have worked hard to offer safe ‘in-person’ opportunities for people to enjoy.
Highlights include:
• The Museum of Policing in Cheshire will be welcoming visitors into its Victorian cells on Saturday 18 September, where they will be treated to a brass band and a police dog display, among other activities.
• Warrington Town Hall will be open to the public between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 11 September. A tour of some of the rooms, including the Mayor’s Parlour, can be booked via Eventbrite. Visit warrington.gov.uk/events for the link.
• While Warrington Museum and Art Gallery remains closed, the pop-up facility in Golden Square Shopping Centre will host a range of activities for all ages throughout the festival, including an interactive drama-history session, “A Handy Guide to Survive the Stone Age”.
• Lymm Heritage Centre and Ecospheric are delivering ‘Lymm Hall Low Carbon Transformation’ on 17 September, which includes a unique tour of 400-year-old manor house, Lymm Hall. This event was fully booked within a couple of hours, but you can reserve a place on the waiting list on the Lymm Heritage Centre website. Lymm Heritage Centre, with its recently updated displays, is open every Thursday to Sunday from 1pm to 5pm.
• Walton Hall and Gardens will be hosting exhibitions and hands-on activities for all the family on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 September.
• Burtonwood Heritage Centre – on the site of RAF Burtonwood, which was once the largest airfield in Europe – will be hosting displays, films and exhibits from 10-12 September, and from 15-19 September, enabling people to learn more about the men and women who served at the base.
There are many other activities taking place across the borough, throughout the Heritage Open Days Festival. You can view the full programme at warrington.gov.uk/events
Warrington Borough Council’s Cabinet Member responsible for culture, Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, said: “Warrington is a place that is steeped in history, and there’s so much to discover here. It’s wonderful to see our Heritage Open Days going from strength to strength, with organisations across the borough helping us deliver our biggest ever programme of activities this year.
“It’s a great opportunity to gain a fascinating insight into some of Warrington’s historic gems – including places that some people may not know about, such as the RAF Burtonwood Heritage Centre.
“A range of partners have worked together to make sure this year’s programme can be delivered safely, with lots of events for the whole family to enjoy – from walks and talks, to exhibitions, art, drama and music. I’m looking forward to this year’s event being another huge success, giving everyone the chance to find out more about Warrington’s proud history.”
For more information about the national Heritage Open Days, visit heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting
