Heritage Open Days in Oswestry
Oswestry will turn the clock back this weekend as the town and villages embrace the Heritage Open Days initiative.
From the Iron Age, through to the Victorians and the second world war, a full programme of events and activities are being held by several organisations.
Mark Hignett of Oswestry Town Museum says that the area is one of the leading members of the national scheme.
The museum will once again be the hub for HOD events in and around Oswestry and will be open every day until September 22 with special display on the open day theme, People Power. It will also host talks during the 10 day event.
Oswestry Hillfort will be the centre of a day of activities on Sunday a collaboration between Oswestry Heritage Gateway, Jolt Designs in Mind and the Old Oswestry Hillfort Creativity Group.
Activities will be based at Oswestry’s Gatacre Pavilion with its views of the hillfort with a craft workshop and a series of walks on the hillfort.
The Cambrian Railways will turn the clock back to the outbreak of World War Two with a special display at Oswestry Railway Station on the arrival of evacuees from Birkenhead to the town on Saturday and Sunday.
Trains will be running and volunteers will also be opening the railway's signal box, not usually open to the public. A vintage bus will also take visitors to the railway's carriage and wagon restoration site at Llynclys and other areas involved in the open days.
At Oswestry castle behind the Guildhall visitors can view the current archaeological dig taking place which has revealed a building to the east of the main Castle Keep.
St Oswald's church will hold tours of the tower throughout tomorrow and there will be a guided town tour from the historic visitor centre in the grounds of the church at 11am.
The Freemasons' Hall in Roft Street will be open on Saturday and Sunday and Oswestry Library and Kinoculture cinema and the will also be taking part. A display from the town archives will be on display in the foyer of the Guildhall.
Further afield the Tanat Light Railway visitor Centre at Nant Mawr will be open throught the 10 days while on Saturday The Pentre, Bronygarth, an ancient borderland country house containing medieval counter-witchcraft protection marks and objects once believed to trap witches and demons will be open tomorrow.
Tomorrow and September 21 Derwen College will hold events and there will also be tours of the trenches at Park Hall countryside attraction. On September 21 the Astronomical Society will hold a stargazing event on Racecourse Common.
