Events in Bromsgrove
Saturday 9 September 9.30am - 3pm
St. Mark’s Church Open Day & Musical Entertainment
86 Stourbridge Road, Fairfield, B61 9LZ
St. Mark’s Church was originally built as a chapel of ease for Belbroughton in 1854. The church, simplistic in design & with a beautiful Light of World stained glass window, is the site for several Commonwealth War Graves. At 10am, be entertained with a performance from The Roaming Villeins. No need to book, just turn up.
Saturday 9 September
The Roaming Villeins
• St Mark’s Church, Fairfield, 10am
• Christ Church, Catshill, 11am
• St Mary’s Church, Dodford, 12pm
• All Saints Church, Bromsgrove, 1pm
• St Godwald’s Church, Aston Fields, 3pm
Members of singing group ‘The Villeins’ will present a 30 minute a cappella selection of songs celebrating our Vocal Heritage from 16 century Fa-la-las to Beatles arrangements, in a peripatetic performance around Bromsgrove churches. No need to book, just turn up. Please check with individual venues for accessibility details.
Saturday 9 September 10am - 4pm
Unwrapping our Creativity
All Saints Church, 1 Burcot Lane, B60 1AE
All Saints Church is well known for its significant stained glass windows & work by the Bromsgrove Guild. Come along to see the creative works of locally based artists, including the work of Mary Long - well known for her illustrative works & embroidery. You can also get creative with flowers & enjoy some refreshments. No need to book, just turn up.
Saturday 9 September 9.30am - 3.30pm
St John’s Open for Ride + Stride
St John’s Church, 14 Kidderminster Road, B61 7JW
St John’s church will be open to receive any sponsored Ride + Stride participants. No need to book, just turn up. Only open to registered Ride + Stride Participants. Web: www.ridestride.org
Saturday 9 September 10am - 4pm
Norton Collection Museum
26 Birmingham Road, B61 0DD
The Norton Collection Museum is a collection of memorabilia of Bromsgrove with displays of the Bromsgrove Guild, nailmaking, glass making, bikes & motorbikes,The Court Leet, High Street of Edwardian Shops & a new display of railway heritage. No need to book, just turn up.
Web: www.nortoncollectionmuseumtrust.org.uk
Various public car parks available nearby.
Saturday 9 September 10am - 4pm
Have A Go History at Avoncroft Museum
Stoke Heath, B60 4JR
Colonel Nicholas Devereux’s Regiment presents ‘A Very Uncivil War’, with an invitation to all to come & have a go!
Examine & try on period clothing & armour; take part in musket & pike drills for adults & children; play the drums; find out about cooking, games, textiles & crafts. This is a hands-on day of exploration & fun for all the family!
No need to book, just turn up.
Web: https://avoncroft.org.uk/whats-on/heritage-open-days-2023
All parts of site are accessible to wheelchair users via level paths, although being semi-rural there are areas of uneven grass as well. Due to the historic nature of buildings, not all the upstairs are wheelchair accessible. The interactive nature of the event means that there will be people willing to describe what is going on, & enable hands-on multi-sensory experience.
Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 September
10am - 4pm
Heritage Open Day & Ride + Stride
St Michael’s & All Angels Church, Fish House Lane, Stoke Prior, B60 4JT
Celebrating local history & showcasing local organisations & groups that support the church & the events held throughout the year.
No need to book, just turn up.
Saturday 9 September 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10 September 11am - 4pm
Heritage Open Weekend together with Ride + Stride
Christ Church, 2 - 10 Church Road, Catshill, B61 0JY
An open weekend to come & explore the Church & Cemetery. Refreshments & craft stall available. Enjoy a small concert on the Saturday morning.
No need to book, just turn up.
Web: www.christchurchcatshill.org.uk/welcometochristchurch
Toilets (ramp access available), disabled access & disabled parking in churchyard.
Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 September
Tours at 10am, 11.30am, 1pm, 2.30pm
Tardebigge Wharf Guided Local History Walk
St. Bartholomew’s Church, Church Lane, Tardebigge, B60 3AH
Local guides from the WBDCS & CRT will describe how the Tardebigge section of the Worcester & Birmingham canal came to life including the age of steam & through to the establishment of the Inland Waterways Association. The story of the Wharf & the surrounding landscape is placed into context visiting the current wharf & sites of past quays, quarries, rail tracks, lime kilns & the site of the experimental lift which today is replaced with a double depth lock.
No need to book, just turn up.
Web: www.wbdcs.org.uk
The walk will be along footpaths & the towpath. Suitable footwear is advised.
Sunday 10 September from 3pm
History of Bromsgrove & St. Mark’s Church
Fairfield Village Hall & St. Mark’s Church, Stourbridge Road, Fairfield, B61 9LZ
St. Mark’s Church will be open for members of the public, a former Chapel of Ease to Holy Trinity, Belbroughton. No need to book, just turn up.
Web: http://fvca.org.uk
5pm & 6.30pm (Fairfield Village Hall)
Fairfield Flicks will screen the film “Looking Back at Bromsgrove”, a local history film charting the history of Bromsgrove from Roman times to the present day.
Booking preferred via http://bromsgrovearts.org.uk
Monday 11 September 11am - 3.30pm
Mindfulness Café followed by Heritage Quilting Workshop
Bromsgrove Independent Design Centre CIC, 17 Worcester Road, B61 7DL
Come along to our Mindfulness Café with the chance to have a go at a variety of different crafts for FREE. Grab a cuppa & have a chat to one of our experienced tutors all about the history of crafts. No need to book, just turn up.
Heritage Quilting Workshop 1pm - 3.30pm
There will also be the opportunity to take part in a Heritage Quilting Workshop in the afternoon from 1pm till 3.30pm, the cost for this is £20 including everything you will need to create a wonderful piece of quilting under the knowledgeable eye of tutor Mary Flower.
Booking essential via www.idccollege.org/all-workshops Studio is located on the first floor.
Wednesday 13 September 2pm - 4pm
Around New Road History Walk
New Road, Bromsgrove
A walk along the lower part of New Road & surrounding area with local historians Pat & Jenny. Find out about selected buildings & some of the people who lived or worked in them.
Booking essential. Please call 07896 943203. The Bromsgrove Society
Friday 15 September 1.30 - 3pm
Bromsgrove Galloper - Celebration Event
Bromsgrove Recreation Ground, next to Asda
A free event celebrating the new community heritage public artwork at the centre of the redeveloped Rec Ground, next to Asda. The artists, Elizabeth Turner & Keith Ashford, from Sculpturelogic & local historian, Pat Tansell will be available to talk about the fascinating history of the site & the development of the artwork. The project is a part of the North East Worcestershire Cultural Compact, focusing on developing new & exciting heritage assets. No need to book, just turn up
Web: www.bromsgrove.gov.uk
Saturday 16 September 11am - 12.30pm
Bromsgrove School Archive & Heritage Centre Open Morning
Worcester Road, B61 7DU
A general introduction & tour of Bromsgrove School
Archive & Heritage Centre with a chance to view some 1950s cine film footage of the school donated from an old Bromsgrovian as well as, of course, a chance to view a provision sledge from Scott’s Antarctic Discovery Expedition.
Booking essential, email nthorpe@bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Web: www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
Saturday 16 September 10am - 4pm
Heritage Open Day at St. John’s Church
14 Kidderminster Road, B61 7JW
Join the Friends of St John’s for a day of music, heritage & creativity.
A Coffee & Cake Concert starts the day at 10.30am with an Organ Recital by Oliver Neale. “Theme and Variations” is a musical journey through the sounds & sonorities of the organ.
From noon the tower will be open to learn about bellringing & admire the views (weather permitting). Inside the church there will be refreshments, history tours, the Bromsgrove Society bookstall & a creative corner for arts & crafting, plus a chance to play the organ & take a look inside. No need to book, just turn up.
Tower access is via a spiral staircase only.
Web: www.facebook.com/
FriendsStJohnsBromsgrove
Sunday 17 September 2 - 4pm Cemetery History Walk
Bromsgrove Old Cemetery, B61 8QH
(The main gates are halfway down Church Lane opposite St. John's Church)
Local historians from the Bromsgrove Society will give a brief history of the Cemetery before touring some of the graves of people commemorated there. The tour will include information about the restoration of the John Adams Memorial Cross ten years ago. Graves visited will include those of the artist Elijah Walton, bridge engineer John Sheldon & Anthony Pratt the inventor of Cluedo.
Booking essential, please call 07896 943203.
Web: www.bsoc.co.uk
The Bromsgrove Society
Events in Redditch
Friday 8 September 11am - 4pm
Up Close with the Paolozzi Mosaics
Milward Square Kingfisher Shopping Centre (outside Coffee#1)
Discover more about the historic mosaics in the Kingfisher Centre with information & activities for all. See details of this striking artwork up close, learn how it was made & get creative with quizzes, colouring, a wishing wall, & more! Plus live illustration with artist Laura Brodrick from Think Big Picture.
No need to book, just turn up. Web: https://mosaicstopixels.uk
Saturday 9 September 10am - 4pm
Heritage Open Day
St Stephen’s Church, Church Green, B97 4DY
St Stephen’s welcomes you to explore our beautiful church & take in the wonderful atmosphere of this iconic Redditch building.
Ask questions, find out about upcoming courses & our New Worshipping Communities, view the 13th Century Bordesley Abbey tiles, stained glass windows, & historic archive choir photos - you might spot yourself or a relative. Plus activities for children & view the children’s garden tended by the Young Bellringers. Enjoy a rare chance to take a tour of the tallest tower in Redditch. See the historic bells, clock mechanism & rewarding views. Our Tower Captain & bellringing team will give demos & have a go at chiming yourself.
Booking essential, email Elaine Whitfield at ststephensredditch@gmail.com
Tower tour not suitable for wheelchairs, those with mobility issues or under 13s. Max 6 people per 45 min tour/session - please wear old clothing & flat shoes. Narrow stairs with only one way up & down.
Tuesday 12 September 11am - end of Dec
Kingfishtory Exhibition
Walford Walk, Kingfisher Shopping Centre
Redditch’s Kingfisher Centre first opened its doors 50 years ago & much has changed since 1973. Take a trip down memory lane with old photos, TV & newspaper adverts, & recall some of the old shop brands such as Owen Owen, Rumbelows & Woolworths. Share your own memories & find out how the Centre got its name. We may even have some palm trees! No need to book, just turn up.
Web: www.kingfishershopping.co.uk
Saturday 16 September 10am - 1pm
The History of Redditch Carnival
Redditch Library, 15 Market Place, B98 8AR
Come along to Redditch Library to see a display of photos & archival materials relating to Redditch Carnival.
No need to book, just turn up.
Saturday 16 September 1.30pm - 4.30pm
Redditch Community Carnival Road Parade
Redditch Town Centre
The Carnival is integral & much loved part of Redditch’s Heritage. A day that is eagerly anticipated & enjoyed by people of all ages. In the month of September which was set in stone by a Covenant, the Carnival’s main aim is to bring the community together, provide long lasting memories of it’s Carnival days, raise money to prolong its future & give money to local charities. The road parade will go up its famous Unicorn Hill & will end at our Redditch Bandstand where there will be lots going on such as a Carnival Fete and Wilson’s fair, which has been a tradition in our town for many, many years. A fancy dress fun run will commence our parade, so lots going on for everyone. No need to book, just turn up.
Sunday 17 September 10am - 4pm
Forge Mill Needle Museum & Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre
Needle Mill Lane, B98 8HY
Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch illustrates the rich heritage of the needle & fishing tackle industries & close by are the ruins of Bordesley Abbey. It is now 40 years since Queen Elizabeth II opened the museum, we want to make this our best supported yet. We have a wide range of activities from local community groups with live music from Indigo Arts. Free entry to the museum, with tours by experienced volunteer guides of the Museum & the Bordesley Abbey Ruins. Gifts from the Museum Shop & refreshments are available from the Mill View Coffee Bar.
No need to book, just turn up. Web: www.forgemill.org.uk/web/events
Sunday 17 September 12pm - 4pm
Arts in Redditch Mini Pop-Up Gallery
Forge Mill Needle Museum & Bordesley Abbey
Visitor Centre, Needle Mill Lane, B98 8HY
A showcase for local artists, coupled with children’s art & craft activities.
No need to book, just turn up. Located on the ground floor.
Whether you are visiting the places you love or discovering something new, Heritage Open Days want to hear all about it. Share your experiences on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter using #HODs.
Creativity Unwrapped
In 2023 we’ll be unwrapping the colourful history of creativity. From the famous to the ‘familiar only to locals’, & covering all areas of creativity from art to zoetropes*. We can’t wait to see & share what our festival community uncovers for this spotlight on the people & places who give England’s heritage the X factor!
*Zoetrope = an early animation device.
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#HODs @heritageopendays
