Heritage Open Days: What's on in Winchester?

This year sees the return to the traditional open doors and behind-the-scenes tours, alongside a selection of online events.

The festival, in its sixth year, runs from September 10 to 19, and all events are free to attend

Organisers Nicky Gottlieb and Becky Brown said: "In person events have always been at the heart of Heritage Open Days and so we’re thrilled that they’re back.

"After the long, challenging year we’ve all had we think everyone is just looking forward to a bit of normality. These events are a great way to bring people together again, to see family and friends and are something to look forward to.

"A big thank you to Winchester College for being our lead sponsor again, to Winchester BID, Hampshire County Council and the University of Winchester for their support, and to all our amazing event organisers and volunteers – HODs just wouldn’t happen without them."

‘Edible England’ is this year’s chosen theme and celebrates the nation’s culinary heritage.

Hybrid events range from medieval feasts, forgotten recipes and wartime rations to foraging tips, cookery classes and more. There’s also a High Street trail for families and an online exhibition.

Some events need to be booked in advance via the festival online box office.

Whether outdoors or indoors, events will be run in line with national Covid-19 guidance and some venues may have additional measures in place regarding face coverings and hand sanitising.

For the Winchester Heritage Open Days box office, booking details and further information on events visit www.winchesterheritageopendays.org

Family Friendly events are marked with an asterisk.

Friday September 10

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• CWGC Tour of Magdalen Hill Cemetery (10.00 & 12.00) Pre-book

• 10am-12pm Eastleigh Museum: Exploring Mid-Century Recipes*

• 10am-2pm Royal Logistic Corps Museum: Children’s Medal Making*

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum & HorsePower Open Day*

• 10am-4pm Hampshire Virtual Gin Trail

• 10am-5pm Hyde900: Hyde Abbey Community Digs Finds Display, outside Winchester Cathedral Offices

• Former RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine man carrying centrifuge – Farnborough (Tours 11.00, 1.00 & 3.00) Pre-book

• Farleigh House Tours (11.00, 12.00 & 2.00) Pre-book

• 11.30am 2Time Theatre: ‘Pies and Prejudice’ Pre-book

• 11.30am-5pm Inn the Park: Winchester Deserves...Cake Exhibition (6-11pm diners & guests)

• 1-2pm Royal Logistic Corps Museum: Director’s Guided Tour Pre-book

• Online 1-2.30pm Alex Beeton: The State, the School & the Sugarloaf Pre-book

• Online 2-3pm Edible England – Sourdough Workshops (Part 1) Pre-book

Saturday September 11

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• Hyde900: Rick Stein’s Shellfish Masterclasses (10.00, 11.15, 12.30, 2.00 & 3.15) Pre-book

• Edible History Walking in Winchester* (10-11.30am & 2-3.30pm) Pre-book

• 10am-12pm Incredible Edible Community Allotment Open Day (Tours at 10.15, 10.45 & 11.15)

• 10am-12pm Eastleigh Museum: Exploring Mid-Century Recipes*

• 10am-3pm Classic & Sports Car Display, outside Great Hall*

• 10am-3pm Open Day at All Saints Church, Compton

• 10am-3.30pm Westgate Tower Open Day, Southampton*

• 10am-4pm Hidden Delights at St Bartholomew’s Church, Hyde*

• 10am-4pm Open Day at St John the Baptist Church, Winchester

• 10am-4pm Hampshire Virtual Gin Trail

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum, HorsePower & The RGJ (Rifles) Museum Open Day*

• 10am-4pm Royal Victoria Chapel Open Day, Netley Abbey* Book on the day

• 10am-5pm Winchester City Museum Open Day*

• 10am-5pm The Westgate Museum 123rd Birthday Party*

• 10am-5pm The Vyne Open Day*

• 10am-6pm Hyde900: Hyde Abbey Community Digs Finds Display, outside Winchester Cathedral Offices

• 10.30am-3pm Steamship Shieldhall, Southampton* Pre-book

• 11am-3pm Hampshire Record Office: Pop Up Cinema in the Garden

• 11am-4pm Aldershot Military Museum: Rushmoor’s Rations Exhibition

• 11.30am 2Time Theatre: ‘Pies and Prejudice’ Pre-book

• 11.30am-5pm Inn the Park: Winchester Deserves...Cake Exhibition (6-11pm diners & guests)

• Watercress Line: Workshop Tours at Ropley (11.30, 12.30, 1.30, 2.30 & 3.30)

• 12-5pm King Alfred Heritage Bus & Coach Display, Cattle Market Worthy Lane*

• 4.30-5.30pm Hyde900: Launch of Edward Fennell’s ‘Charter for Murder’ Pre-book

Sunday September 12

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• CWGC Tour of Magdalen Hill Cemetery (10.00, 12.00 & 3.30) Pre-book

• 10am-3.30pm Westgate Tower Open Day, Southampton*

• 10am-4pm Hampshire Virtual Gin Trail

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum, HorsePower & The RGJ (Rifles) Museum Open Day*

• 10am-4pm King Alfred Heritage Bus & Coach Service, from Winchester Broadway

• 10am-4pm Royal Victoria Chapel Open Day, Netley Abbey* Book on the day

• 10am-4.30pm The Great Hall Open Day*

• 10am-5pm Hyde900: Hyde Abbey Community Digs Finds Display, outside Winchester Cathedral Offices

• 11am-12pm Classic & Sports Car Parade around Winchester*

• 11am-4pm Aldershot Military Museum: Rushmoor’s Rations Exhibition

• 11am-5pm Alresford Eel House Open Day*

• 11am-5pm Winchester City Museum Open Day*

• 11am-5pm The Westgate Museum 123rd Birthday Party*

• 11.30am-5pm Inn the Park: Winchester Deserves...Cake Exhibition (6-11pm diners & guests)

• Watercress Line: Workshop Tours at Ropley Station (11.30, 12.30, 1.30, 2.30 & 3.30)

• Farleigh House Tours (12.00, 2.00 & 4.00) Pre-book

• 12-4pm Alresford’s ‘Norman Bridge’

• 12-4pm Alresford Museum Open Day*

• 12.45-2.45pm Storytelling at the Great Hall*

• Hyde900: Patricia Silver-Warner’s Medieval Cookery Classes (2.00, 3.00 & 4.00) Pre-book

• 2-4.30pm Bullington Fete, Sutton Scotney*

Monday September 13

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum & HorsePower Open Day*

• 10am-4pm Hampshire Virtual Gin Trail

• Online 2-3pm Place Names as Edible Encyclopaedia Pre-book

Tuesday September 14

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum & HorsePower Open Day*

• Online 10-11am Behind the Scenes at Jeremy France Pre-book

• Online 4-5pm Army Flying: Their Stories Past and Present Pre-book

Wednesday September 15

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• Hampshire Cultural Trust: Behind the Scenes Tour (10am & 2pm) Pre-book

• 10am-2pm Royal Logistic Corps Museum: Children’s Medal Making*

• 10am-4pm Hampshire Virtual Gin Trail

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum & HorsePower Open Day*

• 11am Edible England at Honesty Cookery School, Cheesemaking Talk & Demo Pre-book

• 11.30am-5pm Inn the Park: Winchester Deserves...Cake Exhibition (6-11pm diners & guests)

• 5.30-8.30pm Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust: Wild Winchester* Pre-book

• Online 5.30-8.30pm Proudfoot & Co: Discover England’s Lost Spices

• Online 7-8pm A Winchester Wedding Feast: Recreating a Royal Wedding Banquet from the Middle Ages Pre-book

• Online 7.30-8.30pm Godfrey De Lucy Commemoration Anglo-Norman Banquet

Thursday September 16

• Edible England High Street Trail, Winchester*

• Montezuma’s Winchester: Step Back in Time with Chocolate*

• 9am-6pm Winchester- A Hidden Heritage of Everyday Beauty: Pop-up story collecting*

• 9.30am-3.30pm Museum of Military Medicine, Aldershot*

• 9.30am-5pm The Hospital of St Cross Open Day

• Guided Tour of Winchester College (10.00, 11.15, 1.45 & 3.00) Pre-book

• Royal Logistic Corps Museum: Director’s Guided Tour (10am & 1pm) Pre-book

• Hampshire Cultural Trust: Behind the Scenes Tour (10am & 2pm) Pre-book

• 10am-4pm Gurkha Museum & HorsePower Open Day*

• 10am-4pm Hampshire Virtual Gin Trail

• 10.30am-7pm Gilbert White’s House: Open Day & Brewhouse, Selborne

• 11am-4pm Bursledon Brickworks Open Day* Pre-book

• 11.30am-5pm Inn the Park: Winchester Deserves...Cake Exhibition (6-11pm diners & guests)

• 12-5pm Open Day & Tours at The Grange, Northington (Tours 1pm & 4pm) Pre-book

• 2pm Edible England at Honesty Cookery School, Tea Talk & Tasting Pre-book

• 2-4pm Winchester College Treasury Museum – Children’s Trail*

• 5-7pm Valuation Evening by Andrew Smith & Son at Winchester City Mill

Online events not mentioned here include a wide selection of films, Hampshire HistBites podcasts and an Edible England Exhibition.

l See next week’s issue for listings from September 16 to 19.