EXCITEMENT is building as a celebration of heritage and history in Winchester returns for its eighth year.
Hampshire History Trust (HHT) will deliver Heritage Open Days in Winchester and surrounding districts on September 8 to 17. This year the event has the theme of 'Creativity Unwrapped'.
The festival starts on Thursday, September 7, with 27-year-old historian and heritage campaigner Alice Loxton. Her talk, entitled Uproar! Satire, Scandal and Printmakers in Georgian London, will discuss the stories of the political cartoons and commentators of the age, whose ‘victims’ ranged from Napoleon to Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.
Alice said: “I always love visiting Winchester because there is so much incredible history, everywhere! Sometimes I hardly know where to look. It's really exciting to be coming again in September, this time supporting Hampshire History Trust. What an amazing charity - they do so much hard work bringing so many amazing free events together for this year's Heritage Open Days programme. If you're a history fan living in the area, make sure you check out the events - you don't want to miss out!”
There will be a range of other events throughout the week across Hampshire. A full list can be found on the Winchester Heritage Open Days website. Events include:
On Friday, September 8, attendees will be able to learn about the history of Talbot House. This building, located at 83 Winchester High Street, previously housed the Talbot Hotel, and was originally designed for the Chesil Brewery in 1885.
On Saturday, September 9, Winchester City Museum will discuss the history of the city, from its origins as an Iron Age trading centre to Anglo-Saxon glory, all the way to the modern day.
Meanwhile, the Hospital of St Cross will open its doors on Wednesday, September 13.
Other special events include a talk on Fabergé by the curator of last year’s sell-out V&A exhibition, and artist Sophie Hacker speaking on her 2018 stained-glass window in Romsey Abbey. And the doors will be thrown open at venues as diverse as Romsey’s railway signal box, the Selborne house of pioneering naturalist, ecologist and ornithologist Gilbert White and bookshop PG Wells on College Street. Old favourites are returning, including medieval tile-making workshops hosted by Hyde900 and rallies of MG cars and the vehicles of King Alfred Bus Company.
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Tickets are not required for most of its talks, tours and workshops - but the most popular events often ‘sell out’, so fans are advised to book early.
The Hampshire Chronicle will be holding an open day as part of the festival.
Festival Director Nicky Gottlieb said, “This year’s Heritage Open Days festival has a bumper lineup of more than 120 free events across Hampshire. The festival grows year on year and involves performers, museums, arts organisations, special interest groups, and increasingly businesses exploring and sharing their heritage.
"Last year there were over 10,000 visits to events and we expect there to be even more this year. We're hoping fans of our open days will also come along to support our fundraising event, a fantastic talk by historian Alice Loxton on Thursday, September 7 at Winchester College.”
Alongside the festival, HHT also produces the heritage podcast HistBites, which received more than 10,000 listens during its eighth season.
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