Heritage Open Days 2019

Heritage Open Days is England’s biggest festival of history and culture. Every year, in September, thousands of sites across the country invite you in to explore local treasures of every age, style and function, and many special events are held. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences — and it’s all FREE. In 2019 it will run from 13 to 22 September. All events nationwide are posted on the Heritage Open Days website.

Locally the programme is coordinated by the Kirklees Heritage Open Days Committee, a Borough-wide partnership, supported by Discover Huddersfield. In 2019 the Kirklees programme offers a record total of 68 events, including 30 new ones.

The local brochure can be viewed here and will be widely available in print from about 19th August.

Discover Huddersfield will be offering several free walks, which must be pre-booked. Bookings will open on 24th August.

One of those free walks is “Surprising Lockwood”, which will be given by Ian Stevenson (Huddersfield & District Family History Society) and myself:

“From a Beautiful Spa Village to an Industrial Hub”: Join Dave Pattern and Ian Stevenson on a new circular Discover Huddersfield walk covering about 1.5 miles. See some of the early 19th century buildings which were to be found in the spa village of Lockwood, attracting visitors from all over the country, and later ones which helped to establish Lockwood as a lively hub of textile and engineering excellence during the Industrial Revolution.