A programme of free events exploring Richmond and the surrounding area’s history has been unveiled for this year’s Heritage Open Days festival.
The annual event will run from September 11 to 20, with talks, tours, guided walks and family activities taking place at historic sites across the area.
This year’s national theme is Everyday Histories, focusing on the lives of ordinary people and the contribution they made to their communities.
Among the events will be a rare opportunity to visit the former prison cells at Richmond Castle, where conscientious objectors were held during the First World War.
The event will tell the stories of men imprisoned at the castle after refusing military service on grounds of conscience.
Elsewhere, a talk at Kiplin Hall will examine the lives of domestic servants who worked behind the scenes at the country house, while Helen Guy will present Memoirs of a Swaledale Woman, based on a 1984 interview with Maggie-Jo Chapman about life on a remote hill farm in the early 20th century.
Journalist and local historian Chris Lloyd will lead a walk around Croft examining some of the people associated with the village.
They include Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll and Alf Common, who became football’s first £1,000 player. The walk will also look at Croft’s history as a spa village.
Events in Richmond include family tours of The Georgian Theatre Royal, visits to St Mary’s bells and the rarely opened Holy Trinity Chapel.
Richmondshire Museum will tell the story of a Polish man who made Richmond his home, while the Green Howards Museum will focus on local figures John Weller and Robert Henry Murray.
Other events include visits to Easby Abbey and Aske Hall, walks exploring Richmond’s historic schools and the Aske estate, and a talk examining Richmond’s Victorian railway station and the people who worked there.
There will also be a costumed walk with Richmond’s Victorian Policeman, pond dipping at Foxglove Covert Nature Reserve and a ghost walk through the town.
The festival will conclude with a guided walk around Richmond Racecourse, including its historic buildings and surviving stone-built grandstand.
Colin Grant, chairman of Richmond and District Civic Society and event organiser, said: “This year’s theme reminds us that history isn’t just about famous names or landmark events – it’s about ordinary people, their daily lives and the lasting impact they had on our community.”
All the events are free to attend.
The full programme is available from Richmond and District Civic Society, with printed programmes also available around the town.
