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Heritage Open Days 2025

Heritage Open Days celebrate our fantastic history and culture.

Event Date

12 September 2025

12:00 AM

This event occurs daily from
12 Sept 2025 to 21 Sept 2025

£

Description

Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

Alston

13th September - Visit the Alston Moor Historical Society archive.  Browse our book collection, snoop in the filing cabinets, admire the photos of ancestors peering down from the walls, learn more about the society and what it does behind the scenes.

13th September - Alston Town Walk, Fairhill Recreation Ground, A689 (Nenthead Road), Alston, Cumbria, CA9 3HS.  See the notable sites of Alston.

13th September - Guided Tours of Epicacum 11am and 2pm, PLUS Alston to Epiacum Free Bus (and return) - Visit Epiacum and enjoy a guided walk of the site. For one-day only a free community bus will run from South Tynedale Railway - CA9 3JB - up to Fairhill, and on to Epiacum, before returning.

14th September - Meet the 'Residents' Walk and Talk.  A tour of St Augustine's graveyard and its inhabitants.

16th September - The Three Corn Mills of Alston Walk.  A guided walk of the milling history of Alston.

16th September - Two day photogrammetry and drone flying workshop.  Get to know the industrial architecture of Nenthead Mines in this drone flying and photogrammetry workshop. Explore a mine, discover how the mining influenced architecture, and learn how record a building with images to create a 3D digital model.

17th September - Hall Hill Walk.  Walk a short way along the Pennine Way to visit a medieval moated site and wonder at its position in the landscape.

18th September - Industrial Alston Walk.  Learn about the important industrial sites that have existed in, and influenced, the landscape and architecture of Alston.

20th September - Mount Hooley Walk.  Visit and learn more about the hill with the masts.

21st September - Nenthead Village Walk.  A 1-1.5-hour walk around Nenthead learning about its buildings and history.

Appleby

Available anytime - Appleby Crafty Ladies Animal Trail
The Crafty Ladies have created a fantastic summer trail has been extended and adapted to be included in Appleby's Heritage Open Weekend!

12th to 21st September - Alchemy in Appleby at the Colour Makers House
Discover how Alchemy transforms waste from the lead industry into bright blues and greens that grace stately homes in the workshops of the Colour Makers House, rebuilt in 1677

19th to 21st September - St Lawrence's Church, Appleby
St Lawrence’s Church was built in the late 11th Century in sight of the Castle at the opposite end of Boroughgate, the main street of the new Norman town of Appleby. Lady Anne Clifford's tomb is in the north-east corner of the church.  It is a free event but donations for the Church organ fund would be very welcome.

19th, 20th and 21st September - Castle Fine Arts: The Colour Makers House
The Colour Makers House (rebuilt in 1677) is home to a traditional artist's colour shop, and alchemy workshops show how paint and pigments are traditionally made.

20th and 21st September - St Annes Almshouses
St. Anne’s Hospital was founded by Lady Anne Clifford in 1653 and for more than 350 years, ageing, widowed, or single ladies have lived there rent free. The building is Grade II* listed on the National Heritage List for England.

20th September - Battlebarrow House and Kingstone House, Appleby
This fine, unspoiled residence was built in 1860 for the Heelis family in the Victorian Gothic style. This year they are working with their neighbours at Kingstone House, which was an extension of the original Battlebarrow House.

20th September - Drybeck Hall 
Drybeck Hall dates from 1679. It is Grade II listed and a typical Cumbrian cross passage house with attached bank barn.

20th September - Castle Bank House
Usually a private home, this Grade II listed building, Castle Bank will be open for visitors. The garden, stables and art display make the house well worth a visit.

20th and 21st September - Exhibition of Historical Images of Appleby
A new exhibition will be on display at the Public Hall with 100s of historical images of Appleby throughout the years.

21st September - Buildings of Boroughgate
A member of Cumbria Vernacular Buildings Group is leading a tour on the Buildings of Boroughgate. There are some fantastic historical buildings which you can learn more about

Kirkby Stephen

Three walks for Heritage Open Days 2025 – Buildings and bridges, exploring how we have designed and built the world around us.

Penrith

15th, 17th and 20th - Brougham Hall Guided Tours
Walking tour around Brougham Hall Highlighting it history and future.

20th September - St Andrew's Church Tower Tours, Penrith
Guided tours up the tower by the Bellringers - seeing the bells up close - if dry, looking over the town of Penrith from the tower roof.  The Tower will be open for tours throughout the day. While booking is recommended to avoid disappointment, you can turn up on the day for any slots still available.

20th September - St Andrew's church Tours of the Organ, Penrith
Tours of the Organ with the Choirmaster/Organist.

20th September - Acorn Bank Watermill
Come and see the 19th Century mill in action and learn about the progress made in restoring the second waterwheel to working condition and the architecture of the various phases of the mill complex.

20th September - Open day and tower tours, St Andrew's Greystoke
Come and learn about the history and architecture of St Andrew's Church. Find out what a misericord is, what the bishop's doing to the devil and what our connection to WWII prisoners is. You'll also be able to explore the tower and the bells.

For up to date events visit the Heritage Open Days website.

Heritage Open Days 2025: 12th to 21st September.