Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture – and Sheffield makes one of the biggest contributions.
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.
There are opportunities to visit and learn about most celebrated historic buildings, including the Town Hall, Cutlers’ Hall and Harmony Works (the former United Gas Company offices).
See how volunteers are rescuing previously neglected gems such as Birley Spa Bath House, Meersbrook Hall and Portland Works.
Explore Sheffield’s remarkable past on guided tours in Attercliffe, Castlegate or amongst the lost waterwheels of the Porter Valley.
Discover hidden gems, including the Basil Spence-designed St. Paul’s church on Wordsworth Avenue; Zion graveyard, burial place of anti-slavery campaigner Mary Ann Rawson; or Burton Street School, one of Sheffield’s nationally important collection of Board Schools.
This year’s theme for Heritage Open Days is Everyday Histories and we invite you to discover how people used to live and work in the Sheffield area in times gone by. As always, the Sheffield festival, organised by Sheffield Civic Trust, has done the city proud, with over a hundred events listed on the HODs website. Find events in Sheffield.
You can also download the brochure or pick up a printed copy from the ‘HODs Hub’ at the Town Hall in Pinstone Street.