IT’S Heritage Open Day in Alcester this coming weekend, with a host of sites to see.
This year, five venues around the town will be open to visitors over the weekend of September 18-19.
These include, the Roman Alcester Museum, the War Memorial Town Hall, the Baptist Church, St Nicholas Church and Church House. Other historic buildings can be seen from the outside.
Check out:
Church House, 17 Butter Street
Once a medieval timber-framed house, the front was converted to a Mission Room in 1910 to form ‘Church House’ for use of St Nicholas Church. Grade 2 listed.
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th midday to 4pm.
Alcester War Memorial Town Hall Henley Street
An historic 17th-century Grade I listed building which celebrated its 400 year anniversary in 2018.
Visit an exhibition of the history and development of the Town Hall over more than 400 years.
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th 10am to 4pm
Baptist Church, Church Street
The Baptist community in Alcester first met in 1640, one of the earliest Baptist meetings in the country. Visit the original chapel from
1735, the later chapel dating from 1859 and the old burial ground. Grade II Listed. Sunday 19th midday to 4pm.
Roman Alcester Museum, Globe House, Priory Road
Roman Alcester Museum has an impressive display of Roman era artefacts. Craft events for children with a visit from a Roman centurion. Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th 10am to 4pm.
St. Nicholas Church, Church Street
Grade II* Listed St Nicholas Church has an iconic location in the town centre, dominated by its 14thcentury tower with an unusually located clock face mounted on the corner – visible to the High Street.
Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th midday to 4pm.
Places to see from the outside:
● Grade I and II Listed 16th- century timber-framed buildings in Malt Mill Lane and Church Street.
● Churchill House (by the Town Hall), Grade II* Listed with its balconied frontage dated 1688, which is a rebuilding on an earlier timberframed house.
● The Swan Hotel on the corner of Swan Street and Bleachfield Street, once Alcester’s top hotel and coaching inn, but now being
converted to residential and commercial use. Grade II Listed.
● Lloyd’s Bank, on the corner of Stratford Road and Bleachfield Street, Grade II Listed, originally a fine late 18th house. Note the roundtopped ‘Venetian windows’ on the ground and first floors.
