Historic sites to stage open days marking area’s heritage
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HISTORIC sites are opening their doors to the public across Halton as part of the national Heritage Open Days scheme.
Events are taking place across the borough and range from Runcorn’s canals to a history walk in a Widnes village. All entry is free. This year’s theme is ‘Halton’s extraordinary women’.
From 11am-4pm on Saturday, September 15, Runcorn Locks Restoration Society visitor centre on Algernon Street will be showing off its artefacts and pictures and discussing the history of the Bridgewater Canal, as well as hosting a guided walk and talking about the plans for team’s exciting plans for the future.
St Mary’s Church on Church Road in Hale Village will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, September 15, when it will host displays of photographs of the church and the area down the years, plus galleries from other organisations and tours up the tower from 2-4pm.
A talk entitled Extraordinary Women From The Parish Of Daresbury is taking place at 7.30pm on Thursday, September 13, at the Lewis Carroll Centre at All Saints’ Church in Daresbury, examining characters such as dogooder Bessie Dutton, Deborah Ellam who was sent to Australia as a convicted thief, the Earp sisters who nursed sick soldiers during the First World War, and Alice from Lewis Carroll’s famous children’s book.
There will be two chances to find out about Runcorn’s extraordinary women, with talks taking place at 7.30-9pm on Friday, September 14, and from 10am-3pm on Saturday, September 15, at St John’s Church Hall in Weston, featuring displays, archive items and Runcorn-related publications for sale.
On Saturday, September 15, from 10am-4pm, St Luke’s Church will be open for visitors with guided tours on demand, with tea and coffee all day plus walking tours of the church and Farnworth at 11am and 2pm with no booking needed.
Catalyst in Widnes will ● be opening up its archives from 10am-4pm on Sunday, September 16, to reveal some of the riches of the town’s role in the history of the chemical industry, with a particular focus on its Mond collection and the life of Frida Mond, as well as a display rare children’s books written by Margaret and Mary Baker.
A series of workshops will be run throughout the day: soap workshop – 11.30am-2pm; light fantastic workshop, 12.303pm; Mond family talk by Dr Diana Leitch, 1pm. Booking essential for all workshops. Interactive tablets will be available to pick out landmarks in Catalyst’s observatory.
Walkers can enjoy an afternoon stroll from 2-4pm starting at All Saints’ Church and exploring Keckwick and Daresbury on Saturday, September 15.
To mark Heritage Open Days, entry to Norton Priory and Halton Castle will be free all day, 10am-5pm, on Sunday, September 16, with a free shuttle bus between the two, and tours and family activities at the castle from 11am4pm.