Thursday 10 - Sunday 20 September Your once a year opportunity to discover 's hidden heritage

heritageopendays.org.uk Despite a challenging year, our Heritage Open Days provides the opportunity for Leicester to showcase its remarkable 2000-year history.

Leicester’s heritage buildings, parks, businesses, creative venues and faith buildings will once again stage events to reveal their stories and unseen heritage to visitors. Leicester has so many hidden historical gems and stories to discover.

The programme is again made possible by the dedication and enthusiasm of volunteers that the city is very fortunate to have. They generously share their passion for our local history by providing access and staging events encouraging people to discover and appreciate the rich, diverse culture and heritage of our city.

This brochure provides all the information you need about the open days. Whether you are visiting Leicester, or you are a tourist in your own city, I hope you enjoy the city and what it has to offer.

Sir Peter Soulsby City Mayor NEW BOOK DROP ON EVENT TIME TOUR IN LINE

THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk 2pm - 5pm P War Memorials Project

FRIDAY 11 SEPTEMBER De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily P P Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk 3pm - 6pm P War Memorials Project Winstanley House 11am - 4pm P P

SATURDAY 12 SEPTEMBER Bishop Street Methodist Church 10am - 3pm P P De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily Cultural Quarter Earlies:12noon - 4pm P P Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk 10am - 6pm P War Memorials Project

SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily P P Leicester City, County & Rutland At Risk 2.30pm - 5pm P War Memorials Project The Story of Leicester's Trams 2pm P P NEW BOOK DROP ON EVENT TIME TOUR IN LINE

MONDAY 14 SEPTEMBER De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP History of the YMCA Movement and the Tours: 11am, 2pm, 5pm P P Y Theatre in Leicester The City Rooms 11am - 3pm P Winstanley House 11am - 4pm PP

TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER Abbey Transport Shed 11am - 3pm Tours: 11am, 12noon, P Tour 2pm, 3pm De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP History of the YMCA Movement and the Tours: 11am, 2pm, 5pm P P Y Theatre in Leicester Leicester Abbey Ruins Tour: 1pm P P The City Rooms 11am - 3pm P Western Park Tour: 10am P P Winstanley House 11am - 4pm PP

WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER Abbey Pumping Station Transport Shed 11am - 3pm Tours: 11am, 12noon, P Tour 2pm, 3pm Guided Tour Tours: 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm, 3pm P De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP History of the YMCA Movement and the Tours: 11am, 2pm, 5pm P P Y Theatre in Leicester The City Rooms 11am - 3pm P Winstanley House 11am - 4pm PP

THURSDAY 17 SEPTEMBER De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP The City Rooms 11am - 3pm P Winstanley House 11am - 4pm PP NEW BOOK DROP ON EVENT TIME TOUR IN LINE

FRIDAY 18 SEPTEMBER De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP Leicester Abbey Ruins Tour: 10am P P Winstanley House 11am - 4pm PP

SATURDAY 19 SEPTEMBER Belgrave Hall Guided Tour Tours: 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm, 3pm P De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP

SUNDAY 20 SEPTEMBER Belgrave Hall Guided Tour Tours: 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm, 3pm P De Montfort Hall Daily P Explore the LCB Depot and Makers’ Yard Daily PP Abbey Pumping Belgrave Hall Bishop Street Station Museum Guided Tour Methodist Church Transport Shed Tour Church Road, Leicester 10a Bishop Street, Town Corporation Road, LE4 5PE Hall Square, Leicester Leicester LE4 5PX LE1 6AF Wednesday 16, Saturday Tuesday 15 - 19 and Sunday 20 Saturday 12 September Wednesday 16 September September 10am - 3pm 11am - 3pm Tours: 11.15am, 12.30pm, Built in 1815, Bishop Street Tours: 11am, 12noon, 2pm, 1.45pm, 3pm Methodist Church is one of 3pm the oldest buildings around An 18th century period Town Hall Square. The Delve into the Abbey house surrounded by exterior of the building has Pumping Station’s Transport historic walled gardens; changed very little. The Shed to discover an array of Belgrave Hall provides an interior of the church is fascinating vehicles. Abbey oasis of tranquility. Located stunning and spread across Pumping Station is in the Belgrave two levels. Take this Leicester’s Museum of Conservation Area, the hall opportunity to visit one of Science and Technology is surrounded by fascinating Town Hall Square’s most displaying Leicester’s historic buildings including unique historic buildings. industrial, technological the National School, Cross and scientific heritage. Join Corners and St Peter’s Café will be open a tour of the transport shed, Church. Join a guided tour 10am - 3pm home to several historic of the hall and see areas vehicles including double which aren’t normally open decker buses, a steam roller, to members of the public. fire engines and much more! Tours are limited to small groups and family bubbles. Tours last one hour. Family Pre-booking is required. groups are welcome. To book contact Museum. Pre-booking is required. T: 0116 253 2569 To book please visit Leicester Museums website Tour will include cellars and leicestermuseums.arttickets. all floors, some uneven org.uk/leicester-museum- steps and enclosed spaces. art-gallery/2020-09-15- No age restriction although abbey-pumping-station- young children may quickly heritage-open-day-tours lose interest. Wheelchair access only to the ground Max 8 people. floor and gardens. De Montfort Hall Explore the LCB Depot History of the YMCA and Makers’ Yard Movement and the Friday 11 - Sunday Y Theatre in Leicester 20 September Friday 11 - Sunday 20 September Go behind the scenes of one East Street, Leicester LE1 6EY of ’s busiest and most Cultural Quarter Earlies popular live entertainment Online Monday 14 - Wednesday touring venues with an online Saturday 12 September 16 September backstage tour. 12noon - 4pm Tours: 11am, 2pm, 5pm De Montfort Hall, nestled The LCB Depot was built in next to Victoria Park, has been 1969 and was the local bus Find out about 175 years of entertaining the people of company’s Administration the YMCA movement, how Leicester, and Office. In 2004 it was the Y Theatre started, the beyond for nearly 110 years re-modelled to create a work the YMCA does today and is a Grade II listed business centre for and future plans for the building. Leicester’s creative Y Theatre. Young people industries. The Makers’ Yard who engage with the A purpose-built concert hall is a former Victorian hosiery charity will be your tour- that presents a diverse and factory and warehouse, guides. exciting programme of which opened in 2013 as touring west-end musicals, studios for artists and Pre-booking is required. opera, dance, rock and pop designer-makers. Throughout To book contact Y Theatre gigs, comedy, family shows, the festival there will be the Box Office classical concerts and more. opportunity to digitally E: [email protected]. explore both sites. You can T: 0116 255 7066 Join the online tour and share your stories and take learn little known facts part in online creative The Y Theatre has a free about the hall and its activities which link to the arts and crafts area for history, and explore, from former and current uses for younger children; however, the comfort of your own the buildings. home, the areas you don’t children must not be left unaccompanied. usually get to see or To join visit the LCB Depot experience. website Tours will last 45 minutes. lcbdepot.co.uk/event/ Max 6 people per tour. To join visit the De Montfort heritage-open-days-2020 Hall website for details demontforthall.co.uk Leicester Abbey Ruins Leicester City, County The City Rooms & Rutland At Risk War Leicester Abbey Ruins, Memorials Project 10 Hotel Street, Leicester Abbey Grounds, LE1 5AW Abbey Park Road, The Chancel, behind All Leicester LE4 5AQ Monday 14 - Thursday 17 Saints Church, Highcross September Street, Leicester LE1 4PH 11am - 3pm Tuesday 15 September Tour: 1pm Thursday 10 September The City Rooms are opening Friday 18 September 2pm - 5pm their grand doors to reveal Tour: 10am Friday 11 September the beauty of the inside of 3pm - 6pm the building. The City Rooms This guided tour will bring Saturday 12 September is a Georgian Grade 1 listed the Abbey Ruins to life. 10am - 6pm venue in the heart of Discover how the site used Leicester City Centre. Built in Sunday 13 September to be, what it was like to 1792 it has undergone major live in the Abbey and see 2.30pm - 5pm restoration in recent years pictures of artefacts that which has transformed it into have been found on the site See over 40 different types a stunning wedding and during previous of war memorials which conference venue. Steeped in archaeological excavations. have been rescued from history, the centerpiece is a closed churches, chapels, magnificent ballroom which Pre-booking is required. To social clubs and factories, runs the entire length of the book a place email: and saved for the building which also retains [email protected] community. Each one of the many period decorative Bookings must be made no memorials has a story board features. later than 2 days before the explaining its history and event to secure a place. The how it was rescued, often in booking will be confirmed dramatic circumstances. by email with details of the Past visitors have discovered walk and meeting place. ancestors and had Tours will last for opportunity to see their approximately 90 minutes. family members honoured. The tour includes six steep steps although a handrail is Max 6 people at any one provided. The ground is time. mainly flat, there is limited access to shade and seating. Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Bring water, sunscreen and a hat. The tour is intended for adults, there will be no activities for children. The Story of Western Park Winstanley House Leicester’s Trams Western Park, Leicester Hinckley Road, Leicester Sunday 13 September LE3 6HX LE3 1HX 2pm Entrance via Hinckley Road entrance Friday 11 September & Mike Greenwood, Director of Monday 14 - Friday 18 Archives and Research at the Tuesday 15 September September Leicester Transport Heritage Tour: 10am 11am - 4pm Trust, will be presenting a talk on the fascinating story Take a leisurely walk around Winstanley House is located of Leicester’s trams. There this attractive late Victorian in Braunstone Park. Formally will also be chance to ask park. Led by a Parks Officer, known as Braunstone Hall, Mike any questions you may the walk will provide an the building now houses a have about Leicester’s trams. insight into the park’s luxury hotel and restaurant. history and development. In recent years the building Join the presentation Focusing on the park’s has been expertly restored, on Zoom: archaeology, landscape and and this is an opportunity to Meeting ID: 982 4485 3033 woodland management over see inside this magnificent Passcode: 2SHk9f the years. There will also be landmark property. an insight into how the park For more information, or is managed today, including Max 5 people per tour. to send in questions information about recent relating to Leicester’s conservation initiatives and trams, email Mike at on-going environmental [email protected] improvement works. Pre-booking is required. To book contact Visit Leicester E: [email protected] or T: 0116 299 4444 Please leave a message and a member of staff will return your call as soon as possible.

Toilets available on site. Walk includes grass, woodland paths, with the occasional slope. Ground may become waterlogged after prolonged rainfall. Sturdy and appropriate footwear recommended.

Max 15 people.

For further details of events and access information, please visit: heritageopendays.org.uk visitleicester.info

heritageopenday #leicester

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this guide is correct and accurate at the time of going to print. We apologise for any changes which may be necessary. For drop in events we advise to check with the venue prior to visiting.