Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it's all FREE. In 2024 Heritage Open Days returned with a 10-day festival from Friday 6th to Sunday 15th September. The national theme was 'Routes-Networks-Connections'.
Thirty-three separate events covered all 10 days of the festival, which was a great success. In all, we calculated 3,642 visits, including 521 to Routes-Networks-Connections-themed events and at least 1,554 visits to bottle oven sites.
Many thanks to members of the Heritage Network for Stoke-on-Trent for all their hard work organising events. (Photographs by Andy Perkin unless otherwise stated)
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Heritage Network members and supporters at the HODs launch at Etruria Industrial Museum (15 Aug 2024) [Photo: Pete Stonier] |
Getting ready for visitors at James Kent in Fenton |
Salt, Pepper and Vinegar Bottle Ovens open the festival. |
 At the former junction of the Trent & Mersey and Newcastle Canals while Exploring Stoke's Waterways
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Looking at the remodelled route of The River Trent at Exploring Stoke's Waterways |
 Early arrivals for Time Travelling Through Trentham
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St James School on the Historic London Walk
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Exploring Short Street on the Historic London Walk
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 Looking at St James Church with Phil Rowley during the Historic Longton Walk
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A choral concert at Our Lady and St Peters Church in Hartshill Road |
Baker's houses in Hitchman Street visited while Exploring William Baker's Fenton |
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This year those Exploring William Baker's Fenton had a privileged view of the memorial inside Christchurch |
Exploring William Baker's Fenton at Christchurch Fenton
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Exploring Stoke's Historic Potbank Sites at Dolby Flint Mill [Photo: Monienne Stone] |
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Exploring Stoke's Historic Potbank Sites at Spode Works [Photo: Monienne Stone] |
Walking through Fenton Park for Green Historic Fenton. |
A brief stop at the sunken garden in Fentonton Park during the Green Historic Fenton walk. |
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Making rope near the site of a former rope walk during the Green Historic Fenton walk. [Photo: Monienne Stone] |
Making rope near the site of a former rope walk during the Green Historic Fenton walk. [Photo: Monienne Stone] |
The Green Historic Fenton walk reaches the Six Crowns. [Photo: Dawn Horton]
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Return to this page for news of the Heritage Open Days Festival 2025 which runs from Friday 12th to Sunday 21st September |
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Heritage Network members can find further local and national feedback and analysis on the HODs Support page
