Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it's all FREE. In 2023 Heritage Open Days returned with a 10-day festival from Friday 8th to Sunday 17th September. The national theme was 'Creativity Unwrapped'.
Thirty-five separate events covered all 10 days of the festival, which was a great success. In all, we calculated 3,968 visits, including over 2,186 to Creativity Unwrapped-themed events and at least 1,705 visits to bottle oven sites. Follow these links to the national and Stoke-on-Trent summaries.
Many thanks to members of the Heritage Network for Stoke-on-Trent for all their hard work organising events. (Photographs by Andy Perkin unless otherwise stated)
Heritage Newtork members and supporters at the HODs launch at St Bartholomew's in Norton-le-Moors (31 Aug 2023) [Photo: Laura Watson] |
Danny Callaghan and Craig Peebles open the Shared Stories exhibition at the Secret Museum at Winkhill Mill |
Craig's roundal designs exhibited at Shared Stories in the Secret Museum
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Setting off from Hanley Park for the Hanley Heritage Tour
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The Hanley Heritage Tour arrives at the Cauldon Grounds
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The Hanley Heritage Tour at the Pavilion in Hanley Park
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Stained glass above the entrance to St Bartholomew's Norton-le-Moors, now known to be the work of artist Harry Stammers [Photo: Danny Callaghan] |
Exploring Hugh Henshall's Longport opposite the Top Bridge Works on the Trent & Mersey Canal [Photo: Nicola Farrin] |
Andy Perkin leads Exploring Hugh Henshall's Longport on the Trent & Mersey Canal [Photo: Nicola Farrin] |
Monienne Stone and Andy Perkin lead Exploring William Baker's Fenton from Fenton Town Hall [Photo: Caroline Simpson] |
Exploring William Baker's Fenton at Christchurch Fenton
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The group pose outside Fenton Town Hall following the second tour of the day Exploring William Baker's Fenton |
Dave Proudlove leads Exploring A R Wood's Burslem from Burslem School of Art |
Dave and Andy leading Exploring A R Wood's Burslem in Queen Street [Photo: Pete Stonier] |
Exploring A R Wood's Burslem arrives at Wycliffe Methodist Hall, now the Kilnworx Climbing Centre
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Exploring A R Wood's Burslem happens upon Zoe Sutherland's excavation of bottle oven remains at Middleport Pottery |
Images from the underground flues which connect the ovens to the adjacent chimney are projected in the chamber at the Phoenix Works |
One of the only two surviving downdraught skeleton ovens in the world at the Phoenix Works in Longton
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A mirror in one of the inspection pits shows the underground flues which connect the firing chamber to the chimney at the Phoenix Works |
A choral concert at Our Lady of the Angels and St Peter in Chains Church in Hartshill closes the HODs festival |
Dave Proudlove's article in The Sentinel on 20 Sep 2023 praises the work of the Heritage Network and Potteries Heritage Society |
Return to this page for news of the Heritage Open Days Festival 2024 which runs from Friday 7th to Sunday 16th September |
Heritage Network members can find further local and national feedback and analysis on the HODs Support page