Over 70 free events across Kirklees scheduled for September Heritage Festival
Local organisers of the national Heritage Open Days Festival, that this year runs
from 9 – 18 September, have exceeded previous records by bringing together
over 70 venues, talks and activities across the district. Half of them are new to
the annual programme.
The 77 locations are featured in what the organisers say will provide an
exciting choice of free activities for all ages, with a number focussing on this
year’s national theme, ‘Astounding Inventions’.
Highlights associated with the area’s unique industrial heritage include the
story of Shoddy and Mungo in Dewsbury, woollen textiles in Huddersfield and
a David Brown tour in Meltham. Cleckheaton’s industrial innovations in belts,
card clothing and moulded plastic are revealed while children can become mini
professors at Bagshaw Museum, Birstall, celebrating locally born scientist,
Joseph Priestley.
Both Huddersfield and Dewsbury offer a broad range of activities as part of the
towns’ Heritage Action Zones funded by Historic England and Kirklees Council.
Local historical characters will be revealed in Dewsbury’s Bee Line Trail and, if
you fancy drawing, bring your sketchbook and pencil for an urban sketching
walk aimed at all levels of experience. In Huddersfield the conservation and
renovation work on the historic George Hotel will be revealed in an evening
presentation, walks will explore the town’s Modernist architecture and
Heritage Mile, and 20 costumed dancers will celebrate the Windrush
Generation in St. George’s Square. The Grade 1 listed station will also be
offering tours for the first time.
As always, the festival will include a varied range of the district’s historic
churches, some coinciding with Yorkshire Churches Day on 10 September
organised by Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust. Dewsbury Minster founded in
627AD will reveal its Anglo-Saxon relics, tower tours and links with the Brontes.
As well as the key Anglican churches across the district, visitors can discover
quirkier gems such as Holy Spirit Church, Heckmondwike, Our Lady of Unfailing
Help and St. Paul Church, Cleckheaton, Quaker Meeting Houses at Wooldale
and High Flatts, Providence Methodist Church, Golcar and an Arts and Crafts
Baptist Church in Birkby, now the Vajrapani Kadampa Meditation Centre for
Buddhists.
Historic and unique buildings include Lindley Clock Tower, the Arts and Crafts
house, Briarcourt, Holmfirth’s Owd Towser, Kirkburton’s energy efficient
Passivhaus, while garden lovers can explore the seven acres at Paddock Farm,
Slaithwaite, discover ‘allotments, orchards, dikes and shrogs’ in Birkby and
both Greenhead and Beaumont Parks in Huddersfield.
Chair of Kirklees Heritage Open Days Committee, David Griffiths said, ‘This
year’s programme offers a most amazing choice for all age-groups and
interests. It offers a unique opportunity to discover some of Kirklees’ finest
locations, and, above all, it’s free for everyone.’
Although all venues and events are free, because of limited capacity, some
have to be booked in advance (see brochure/website for details).
Details of all 77 events and the booking process can be found in the Kirklees
Heritage Open Days brochure (website link: https://discoverhuddersfield.uk/hod2022)
which is being distributed to information points and libraries across Kirklees in
the last week of August or by going to the national website: www.heritageopendays.org.uk.
For more information please contact David Griffiths, Email: kirkleeshod@gmail.com, Tel: 01484 540309
