A CHANCE to explore the history of Alcester will take place in mid-September when some of its most iconic buildings will throw open their doors to the public.
Five town centre buildings including the Roman Alcester museum will be welcoming visitors to mark Heritage Open Days – the annual celebration across England that celebrates heritage and culture which runs from 6 to 15 of the month.
On the weekend of September 14 and 15, St Nicholas Church with its 14th Century tower, spectacular stained glass windows and elaborate 16th Century alabaster tomb of Sir Fulke Greville I and his wife Elizabeth, will be open from 12pm to 4pm.
It will be joined by Alcester Baptist Chapel and Meeting House in Church Street, Church House in Butter Street.
The Baptist community in Alcester first gathered in 1640, making the town host to some of the earliest Baptist meetings in the country. Visitors can take a walk around the original meeting house from 1735, and the later chapel dating from 1860. The old burial ground provides a haven for wildlife.
The Grade II-listed Church House is a timber-framed former dwelling, refurbished to provide modern facilities of meeting rooms, kitchen and toilets for the parish church. A local history exhibition curated by Alcester & District History Society will be on display.
The Town Hall will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, September 14, and Sunday, September, 15.
Constructed in 1618, the Grade I-listed Town Hall has a fine timber beam roof and ancient artefacts on show including the heraldic crest of the second Marquess of Hertford, old town stocks and an ancient prison cell door. There will also be two exhibitions put together by two local societies.
As a war memorial this building displays the names of the fallen in both world wars. In addition, there is a commemoration of the part Alcester played in the financing of HMS Monkshood, which was a Flower-class corvette used in the Second World War as a convoy escort.
At the Roman Alcester Museum, visitors will be able to view an impressive display of artefacts that have all been found in Alcester from more than the 100 archaeological digs that have taken place in the last 80 years.
It is open on Saturday, September 14 from 10.30am to 3.30pm and Sunday, September 15 from 12pm to 4pm.
See heritageopendays.org.uk for a full list of properties that are open.
