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This coming September will be very exciting for heritage lovers in Nottinghamshire with the return of Heritage Open Days’ annual community festival!

The festival, which has been running for over 25 years in the UK, provides individuals with the chance to get involved in heritage through exclusive local events. This festival contributes to the European Heritage Days in which 50 signatory states celebrate diversity, culture, and heritage every September.

Heritage Open Days aims to celebrate heritage and community by organising talks, workshops, and tours of historical sites. All the events in this festival are free. This includes rare visits to selected sites that normally ask for an entry fee.

Heritage Open Days aims to celebrate heritage and community by organising talks, workshops, and tours of historical sites. All the events in this festival are free. This includes rare visits to selected sites that normally ask for an entry fee. Sites included in this festival are Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Newstead Abbey, the Adams Building, and the Workhouse and Infirmary. Visit the Heritage Open Days website for the full list. 

Running from Friday 11th until Sunday 20th September, there are over 80 exciting events happening in the Nottinghamshire area. 

Above: Newstead Abbey House

Here are just some of the events we’re excited about:

- Saturday 12th September: Heritage Building Skills Demonstration and Participation, Newark Market Place, Newark. 'A number of experts will demonstrate the skills and techniques required to maintain and repair historic buildings, including some who have recently worked on Newark Castle, including archaeologists. There will be the chance to get hands on with some of these skills and there will be stalls around the demonstration area related to the experts and the groups involved'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

- Saturday 12th September: Everyday Histories - The Miners Stories, Bassetlaw Museum, Retford. 'Discover the rich heritage of the local mining community at Bassetlaw Museum, where the everyday lives of miners are brought vividly to life. Explore a fascinating display of original mining artefacts from the museum’s collection, many closely linked to the powerful personal stories featured in the book. Get hands-on with history through our engaging handling collection and experience what life was really like down the pits. Don’t miss: A captivating talk by NCC's Janine Buckley at 11am, delving into the incredible role of pit ponies who worked side-by-side with miners underground'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

- Saturday 12th September: Hidden Treasures, The Saracen's Head, Southwell. 'There will be an exhibition of artefacts discovered by archaeologists in and around Southwell that are not on view anywhere else. This is a free exhibition run by Southwell Community Archaeology Group that will be held in The Saracens Head, in the centre of town. Archaeologists will be there to answer any questions; members of the public can also bring along any small finds they have for us to help identify them. There will be some Roman pottery for people to handle and work done by our Southwell Young Archaeologists' Club. There will be an opportunity to see the famous Elizabethan wall paintings that decorate two of the rooms in The Saracens Head'. Booking is not required, except to see the wall paintings which will can be booked at the event only. Visit the event page for more information here.

- Saturday 12th September: Mill Waters Festival, Sutton Lawn, Sutton-in-Ashfield. 'Celebrate nature and heritage at Mill Waters, with traditional crafts, vintage tennis, bowls and model boats, historic photos and films, book launch for 'Mills of the River Maun', traditional games, tours, live performances, music and more!'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

- Tuesday 15th September: Tuxford Traditional Building Tour and Skills Demonstration Day, Tuxford. 'Tours of the timber-framed cottage currently being repaired using traditional craft skills. Demonstrations of traditional building skills including hot lime, hemp lime plastering, daub/clay plasters and sash window restoration'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

- Wednesday 16th September: Behind the Scenes at the Museum, The Resource Centre, Newark. 'A rare opportunity to look behind the scenes at the museum’s reserve collection. Join our friendly curator to explore thousands of years of Newark’s history through the 90,000 objects held at the Resource Centre. Lift the curtains on our hidden art collection and look closely at objects from stone-age hand axes to a Victorian prison door'. Booking is required, visit the event page for booking information here.

- Thursday 17th - Sunday 20th September: Cricketer & Stockinger: A Display Exploring the Relationship between Cricket and Framework Knitting in Nottinghamshire, Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum, Ruddington. 'A free display at the Framework Knitters Museum exploring the fascinating relationship between cricket and framework knitting'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

- Saturday 19th September: CWGC Tours - Mansfield (Nottingham Road) Cemetery, Mansfield. 'The tour will be a circular route looking at war graves from the First World War and learning about the history of the cemetery Memorial cross. On this tour refreshments will be available after the tour as The Friends of Mansfield Cemetery will be hosting an event in support of Heritage Open Days'. Booking is required, visit the event page for booking information here.

- Sunday 20th September: Beeston Civic Society - Blue Plaques Tour, Beeston. 'Take a fresh look at Beeston’s blue plaques on a guided tour led by members of the original Blue Plaque group responsible for their installation. The tour will bring individual lives back into view and show how the places we pass every day relate to people who worked, lived, created, campaigned and contributed to the town'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

- Sunday 20th September: Explore Gedling House, Gedling, Nottingham. 'Come and visit Gedling House a Grade II listed Georgian mansion, now a Buddhist meditation Centre. Enjoy the lovely building and grounds - there will be history talks, displays, meditation taster sessions, refreshments and stalls'. Booking is not required, visit the event page for more information here.

To find out about all the events being offered in Nottinghamshire, including dates and booking information, please visit the Heritage Open Days website. Make sure to search your local area for events near you!

Please be aware that free entry to some heritage sites is only on specific set days and some events may require booking.

There are so many heritage events happening in Nottinghamshire this August that we can't keep up!!! Many heritage sites are running special summer programmes for children with excellent arts and crafts and games so it worth checking out the sites and museums near you. Here are just a few of the historical events happening this August:

Throughout August: Enjoy an Ice Age summer at Creswell Crags with a range of family activities such as Archaeology Adventure, Stone Age safari and Stone Age jewellery. Ticket prices vary and booking is required. For more information or to book your place, visit the event page here.

Throughout August: The University of Nottingham Archaeology Museum has opened a new exciting exhibition 'Prehistoric Lives in the Trent Valley'. 'This exhibition explores the prehistoric occupation of the Trent Valley and the material traces these ancient communities left behind. See the results from years of archaeological and palaeoenvironmental investigations into one of our most important river systems, highlighting how early settlements were both shaped by and altered this dynamic landscape'. This exhibition is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 1st - Sunday 2nd August: 'The Joust returns for another year of Medieval entertainment' at Sherwood Forest. It marks the first weekend of the 40th Robin Hood festival happening over August. This weekend is 'headlined once again by the Knights of Nottingham Medieval Jousting Display Team with their spectacular interpretation of the legend of Robin Hood' but there is also a range of other performers including Medieval comedy, knife throwing and storytelling. This event is free (car parking charges still apply) and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 1st and Saturday 15th August: There will be two special 'Pauper Picking' events at Southwell's Workhouse and Infirmary. 'Take time to explore the kitchen garden and sample its harvest. Chat to our volunteer gardeners, dressed in costume as paupers, to learn about what we grow, how we grow it and historically what would have been grown in the garden. Pick up some useful gardening tips and recipes and take home freshly picked produce for a donation'. This event is free (admission charge still applies) and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Wednesday 5th and Wednesday 19th August: 'Join Fifth Word for a family-friendly drop in creative workshop inspired by the Our Story exhibition, touring libraries across Nottinghamshire. Working with crafting materials to design your own mini exhibition panels, you’ll take inspiration from the stories and memories featured in the exhibition, exploring themes of community, belonging, memory and joy. This is a  relaxed drop in session designed for children, young people and families to join at any point and take part at their own pace'. Make your own exhibition at Beeston Library on 5th and Arnold Library on 19th. This event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the Inspire events page here.

Above: Jousting Re-Creation (By Pseudopanax at English Wikipedia, Public Domain)

Wednesday 12th - Thursday 13th August: Head to the Framework Knitters Museum, for a fun and interactive Victorian Bread Making experience. 'Step back in time and discover how one of Britain’s most important staple foods was made in Victorian times. Explore the sights, smells and stories of traditional baking. Children and adults alike will have the opportunity to knead and shape their own bread using dough that’s been prepared in advance, just as Victorian bakers would have done'. Tickets cost £2 per person and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Monday 17th August: Join Creswell Crags and Dr Chris Jass (Royal Alberta Museum) online for a their new talk 'Explorations of the Quaternary vertebrate record of western North America'. 'Western North America preserves a diverse Ice Age fossil record. Fossil localities occur in a multitude of settings, including ancient cave deposits, highly-biased natural traps, and dynamic fluvial systems, each providing unique insight into a complex history of faunal turnover, speciation, and biogeographic change. Ranging from cave deposits in western mountain ranges to the Mammoth Site of Hot Springs, South Dakota, this presentation provides an overview of the varied localities and research that are slowly helping to shape our understanding of Ice Age life and the transition to modern biotas'. This event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 22nd August: Head to Bassetlaw Museum for their special event 'Victorian Virtual Reality: Around the World in 60 Minutes'. Discover a collection of stereoscopic cards that, viewed through stereo viewers, bring historic scenes to life. From world-famous landmarks to light-hearted Victorian humour, these cards feature a vast array of subjects. This event will be of interest to anyone interested in the history of photography, or simply curious to experience the original ‘virtual reality’ of the Victorian era'. This event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Wednesday 25th and Friday 27th August: 'Get hands-on with history in a fascinating object handling session for families' at Mansfield Museum. 'Discover a selection of intriguing objects from the museum's collection that aren't normally on display. You'll have the rare opportunity to handle real museum artefacts, take a closer look at the details, and find out more about their history from their knowledgeable team. Whether you're curious about how an object was used, where it came from, or the stories it can tell, this is your chance to ask questions, explore the collection up close, and uncover some of Mansfield Museum's hidden treasures'. This event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here. 

Thursday 26th and Saturday 28th August: Mansfield Museum are also offering a special behind-the scenes look. 'Discover how we care for and preserve fascinating objects from our collection. This unique guided tour offers a rare opportunity to explore areas of the museum that are not usually open to the public and learn more about the stories hidden behind the exhibits'. This event is free but booking is highly recommended due to limited spaces. Book your place here.

Saturday 29th-Monday 31st August: 'Sherwood signs off their 40th Festival year with not one, not two, but three days of performances, displays and activities, headlined by none other than the The Sherwood Outlaws. A different tale will be told in two parts on each day, as Robin Hood and the outlaws come face to face with a new Sheriff of Nottingham'. Other performers/shows include falconry, storytelling and live music, and puppet shows. This event is free (car parking charges still apply) and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Have you ever wanted to learn about the upkeep and maintenance of historic buildings? Then we just might have the workshop for you!

Our wonderful Senior Practitioner for Historic Buildings, Jason Mordan, will be hosting a fascinating 'Lime Mortar and Plaster' workshop at the Walks of Life Museum, Tuxford, on 15th July. You will get the opportunity to learn how to mix lime mortars for heritage work, and have a go at plastering and pointing! 

For more details, check out the event poster below or email us at heritage@nottscc.gov.uk with any questions.

To book: contact Diane (Walks of Life Museum) on 01777872776, or email us at the address above.

Got some free time this June? Why not get involved with some heritage? Here's a list of just some of the heritage events across Nottinghamshire happening this June:

Wednesday 10th June: Lakeside Arts will be hosting the talk ‘“A revolution not a rebellion” Parliament’s response to the American Crisis in early 1775’ to coincide with the current exhibition ‘We The People’. In the talk, ‘Dr Robin Eagles, History of Parliament Trust, discusses key debates held in the Houses of Parliament during 1775, as Westminster grappled with the breakdown in relations with the American colonies’. Tickets are up to £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Monday 15th June: Creswell Crags will be hosting the online talk ‘Life in a Lower Palaeolithic World’. ‘Join Professor Rob Hosfield (University of Reading)…to discover the day-to-day lives and experiences of some of our earliest ancestors’. ‘Drawing on examples from across the ‘Old World’, this talk will explore how Lower Palaeolithic hominins dealt with some of the key challenges to their survival (e.g. threats from, and competition with, other carnivores; seasonal variations in food availability and weather conditions; abrupt environmental changes), and consider what this does, and doesn't (!), tell us about the behaviours and abilities of some of our earliest ancestors: in short, what sorts of humans were these?’. This event is free (donations suggested) but booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 16th June: Head down to West Bridgford Library ‘for a free small group session with one of Inspire’s local history librarians to look at the variety of local maps available in Inspire libraries, with hints and tips on how to find and interpret them’. This event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Wednesday 17th June: Head to Worksop Library ‘for a fascinating talk about the life and work of local artist Emma Wilmot (1820 - 1898). This talk, by Dr. Richard Gaunt from the University of Nottingham, gives a fascinating insight into the life and times of Emma Wilmot, who resided in Worksop in the 1840s as wife of the Duke of Newcastle's agent. Discover more about this little-known artist of well-known Dukeries scenes, including Worksop Manor and Clumber’. Tickets cost up to £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Sunday 21st June: For Father’s Day, join Robin Hood and Friar Tuck for a captivating walk at Sherwood Forest. ‘Embark on a journey through time as we explore the rich tapestry of famous fathers from medieval history. On this guided walk, Robin and the Friar will recite tales of heroic knights, mighty kings, and valiant warriors who shaped the medieval world. Discover the fascinating stories behind renowned father figures whose legacies have echoed through the ages.’ Tickets cost up to £11 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 30th June: At Beeston Library, ‘join author CJ DeBarra for a talk about the history of Nottingham’s Queer scene, focusing on the pubs, clubs and activism of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Learn about radical archiving and delve into the stories of the Nottinghamshire Queer History Archive. There will be a chance to see some of the LGBTQ+ artefacts from the  archive including badges,  publications and Gay News’. Tickets cost up to £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Robin Hood by Richard Croft (CC BY-SA 2.0) in Sherwood Forest

There are so many historical events happening in Nottinghamshire this May, it's hard to keep count! There's something for everyone from prehistoric talks to medieval festivals to finds days. Here's just a few of them below:

Saturday 2nd May: Head to the National Civil War Centre, Newark, for ‘Country Beats and Dancing Feet’. ‘Country Beats and Dancing Feet offers an engaging look at how people danced, socialised and celebrated in Stuart England. Focusing on the popular country dances enjoyed in market squares and village greens, this event explores the role of music and movement in everyday life during the 17th century. The session is inspired by John Playford’s 1651 publication The English Dancing Master, the first known country dance manual, which recorded dances complete with music and instructions and remained popular for more than 100 years’. ‘Led by Lynne and Mike Spicer, the event combines historical insight with live participation’. Tickets cost up to £5 per person and booking is required. This session is for adults, however there is a family event during the day with live music and dancing. Book the adult session here and for more information on the family day, click here.

Sunday 3rd May: ‘A team from the Framework Knitters Museum will be based in Lambley Village Hall celebrating the lost springtime tradition of Cowslip Sunday’. This event includes machine demonstrations, live music, historical displays, and much more. Booking is not required and this event is free. For more information, visit the event page here.

Monday 4th May: Head to ‘the Framework Knitters Museum on Bank Holiday Monday 4th May for a host of free events to celebrate May Day’. This event includes puppetry, craft demos, storytelling, musical performances, and much more. Booking is not required and this event is free. For more information, visit the event page here.

Thursday 7th May: ‘Local historian, educationalist and author Adrian Gray will be visiting the Bassetlaw Museum to talk about the Dangerous Women of Nottinghamshire. His lively presentation will look at some of the women of Nottinghamshire who have has a significant impact in challenging the man’s world that they were forced to live in. The selection includes a mix of social and spiritual revolutionaries who had an impact way beyond the county boundary’. Tickets cost up to £3 per person. Book your place here.

Saturday 9th May: ‘Have you discovered a mysterious object while metal detecting, gardening, dog walking, or exploring the outdoors? Curious about its story? Bring your find to Mansfield Museum and get it identified by an expert. Join Meghan, Finds Liaison Officer for Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire, who will be on hand to examine objects and help uncover their historical significance’. This event is free, but booking is required. Book your place here.

Monday 11th May: Creswell Crags have organised the online talk ‘The Arid Ape: how arid environments made us human’. In this talk, Professor Amelia Villaseñor (University of Arkansas) will examine how our ancestors, called hominins, carved a new piece of the African landscape for themselves. Unlike our close-ape relatives, early hominins learned to survive in regions that are drier, but not necessarily hotter than current chimpanzee habitats. These arid regions may be a key to understanding our origins’. This event is free but booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 12th May: Head to Mansfield Museum to explore the buildings designed by architect Watson Fothergill. ‘Flamboyant Victorian Architect Watson Fothergill was born in 1841 in Mansfield and some of his earliest buildings were in the town, including houses, shops and the Cattle Market. Join Lucy Brouwer (the creator of the popular Nottingham guided tour: Watson Fothergill Walk) in this illustrated talk. The talk will look at the surviving buildings in Mansfield, and those that have been demolished’. Tickets cost up to £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Above: Watson Fothergill's Woodborough Road Baptist Church (By Darren Turner - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Saturday 16th May: ‘Hands On Heritage Day returns to Mansfield Central Library this May, bringing a variety of fun and free activities for all the family! Come along and explore pop-up museums and local history displays, find out about family history, browse the books for sale, and get hands-on with fun crafts and activities’. This event is free and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Saturday 16th - Sunday 17th May: Head to Thoresby Park ‘for the weekend to celebrate, remember and reminisce the 1940s’ with their weekend event: ‘1940s Spirit of Wartime Sherwood’. There will be dance lessons and ration book cooking demonstrations and the battle for stone bridge. The weekend event will also include live music, ‘vintage traders village, food & drink, war-time vehicles, living history camps, military museum, courtyard shops’. This event is free and booking is not required. However there is a car park fee of £5 (cash only) and there is a camping option available at £50+booking fee. You can also come along for certain live music and dancing events which require booking (click here). For more information, visit the event page here.

Wednesday 20th May: Head to Beeston Library for the ‘Heritage Talk: Marriage Disasters of the Sherwood Nobility’. ‘Focusing mainly on the period after 1800, local historian Adrian Gray will look at some of the disastrous marriages made by lords, dukes and earls who formed the elite of Dukeries society’. Tickets cost up to £3.50 per person and booking is required. Book your place here.

Saturday 23rd – Monday 25th May: ‘The Gathering of the North’ returns to Sherwood Forest for 2026. ‘Step back into the medieval world by joining the Gathering of the North and experiencing medieval Britain in the home of Robin Hood’. There will be medieval traders, fighting displays, performers, interactive workshops, lots of activities like axe throwing and archery and much more! Booking is not required but there is a parking fee of up to £15 per car. For more information, visit the event page here.

Sunday 24th – Monday 25th May: The Artisan Fair & Steam event is now in its 4th year at Papplewick Pumping Station. The event includes live music, interactive crafts, traders, machine demonstrations and much more. Tickets cost up to £14.50 (on the door is more expensive than booking online) and booking is required. Book your place here.

Tuesday 26th May: At the Workhouse and Infirmary, Southwell, ‘come and meet some of the team from the Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington’ during their Framework Knitters Takeover. ‘Have a go on a Victorian circular knitting machine and find out about the history and story of framework knitting and its connections to the workhouse’. This event is free (admission to the site still applies) and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.

Friday 29th – Sunday 31st May:  Come along to Newstead Abbey to enjoy their ‘Medieval Merriment’ event. The event includes a medieval outdoor trail, dress-up rail, crafts and activities, and the Knights of Skirbeck Medieval Village. This event is free (site entry and parking charges still apply) and booking is not required. For more information, visit the event page here.