The annual Heritage Open Days event will be held across the borough between Thursday 8th and Sunday 11th September.

This year, for the first time, Bank Hall dry dock is opening its doors as part of the event to mark the 200th anniversary of the completion of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. A canal boat will be painted in the traditional graving dock between noon and 2pm on Friday 9th.

As well as historic buildings shedding light on their past, the weekend will also include the annual heritage and woodland festival in Towneley Park (Sunday 11th, noon to 5pm). The festival will include woodcarving and chainsaw sculpture displays, guided walks, a chance to make your own bird box, Civil War re-enactments and much, much more.

Other events over the weekend include:

  • Oak Mount Mill engine house (Sat/Sun, 2pm-4pm) – find out more about the 19th Century cotton mill engine house in the heart of the historic Weavers’ Triangle
  • Padiham Heritage Walk (Friday, meet 10.30am at leisure centre) – a 1.5 mile walk taking in Padiham Greenway and Memorial Park
  • Queen Street textile museum (Sat/Sun, noon to 5pm) – steam powered weaving display, traditional ballads and a First World War recruiting sergeant!
  • Cemetery walks (various locations and times) – three guided walks with local authors and historians bringing to life the stories behind historic headstones and the lives of some of those laid to rest

Councillor Bea Foster, the council’s executive member for leisure and culture, said: “Burnley is rich in heritage and historical buildings, many of which we see but perhaps don’t often look inside. The weekend allows people to peek ‘behind the curtain’, for free, and get a proper look at Burnley’s proud heritage, and to find out more about some of our best architectural and cultural gems.”

Full details about all the free events over the weekend are available at burnley.gov.uk/residents/about-your-area/community-noticeboard – under Heritage Days 2016.

Leaflets have also been distributed to libraries, partner organisations, council buildings and leisure centres.

Come and join in as Burnley and Padiham play their part in Britain’s big, free celebration of architecture, history and culture.