Heritage Open Days 2026: Your Full Guide to What's On Across Staffordshire

Every September, places across the country open up for free, whether that means doors that are normally closed or usually charge admission, or simply a talk, walk or activity laid on somewhere that's open every day of the year anyway. It's called Heritage Open Days, and it's England's biggest festival of history and culture, run nationally by the National Trust with support from players of People's Postcode Lottery, and delivered locally by an army of volunteers, museums, churches, historical societies and community groups.

This year's festival runs from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 September 2026, and the national theme is Everyday Histories, a chance to celebrate the ordinary working lives and people who built the places we live in. Here in Stoke-on-Trent, that theme is teamed up with a special focus on our iconic bottle ovens, coordinated locally by the Heritage Network for Stoke-on-Trent.

It isn't just an England thing either. Similar festivals are running the length and breadth of the UK this September: Glasgow's Doors Open Days, the original of its kind, dating back to the city's 1990 European City of Culture celebrations, advertises more than 150 buildings, tours, talks and performances from 17 to 20 September, while Wales marks the festival through Cadw's Open Doors programme. A batch of this year's events are also being run by Heritage Development Trusts, an Architectural Heritage Fund initiative backing community groups that rescue and repurpose at-risk historic buildings; there are 19 of these trusts operating across the UK. One of them is right here on our doorstep: Re-Form Heritage, which is behind the guided walks through the monuments and stories of Fenton and Hanley (part of its Centenary Restoration Fund programme), the Middleport Pottery employment-records session, and Bethesda Chapel's open days with the Friends of Bethesda. You'll find all of those marked below.

Entry and Heritage Open Days activities are themselves free, though parking, refreshments and other optional extras may carry a charge at some venues, so we've flagged the ones we know about. Some events also need pre-booking, some are turn-up-and-go, so we've included that detail for every single one, along with the time wherever it's published.

We've pulled together every event we could find registered across Staffordshire, listed in date order so you can plan your ten days out, with the district, time, address, whether you need to book, what it's about, and a link so you can find out more or reserve your place. A handful of listings gave conflicting information between the national Heritage Open Days site and the local Stoke-on-Trent programme, and we've flagged those rather than guessing. As ever with a festival this size, the organisers themselves say to check individual listings for last-minute changes before you set off, so we'd say the same.

Right, get your walking boots on. Here's everywhere you can go, day by day.

Friday 11 September

Exploring William Baker's Fenton

10am · Stoke-on-Trent · Meet outside Fenton Town Hall, Albert Square, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 3AF · In person · Pre-booking required A guided walk around Fenton focusing on the community buildings created by industrialists William Baker and William Meath Baker, everything from factories to houses, the library, church and town hall. More info and booking

Inside the Church of Fenton

11am to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Christ Church, Christchurch Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 3AQ · In person · Pre-booking not required Christ Church is a Grade II listed Anglican church in the parish of Stoke-upon-Trent and Fenton, in the Diocese of Lichfield. More info

Exploring Fenton's Monuments and Stories

1pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Fenton War Memorial, Albert Square, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 3AF · Online & in person · Pre-booking required Led by Re-Form Heritage as part of its Centenary Restoration Fund programme. A guided walk between Fenton War Memorial and Glebedale Park Memorial, exploring local history, community memories and the stories behind both monuments. More info and booking

Salt, Pepper and Vinegar Bottle Ovens

1pm to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · James Kent (Ceramic Materials) Ltd, Fountain Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2HB · In person · Pre-booking not required See the three calcining bottle ovens known locally as "Salt, Pepper and Vinegar" up close, and learn how the products made there were used in the local pottery industry. More info

Discover Moorcroft Pottery

10.30am to 4.30pm, tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · W Moorcroft Limited, Sandbach Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2DQ · In person · Pre-booking preferred See how a heritage art pottery operates, from design and shape creation to surface decoration, and meet the skilled workers who have spent decades mastering their craft. Also running Monday 14 through to Friday 18 September, same hours. More info and booking

Birthplace Guided Tours

2pm to 3pm · Lichfield District · Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum, Breadmarket Street, Lichfield, WS13 6LG · In person · Pre-booking required Enjoy a free tour of the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum. More info and booking

Biddulph Grange Garden Open Gates

10am to 5pm (Bateman Walk and country park 11am to 4pm) · Staffordshire Moorlands · Biddulph Grange Garden, Grange Road, Biddulph, ST8 7SD · In person · Pre-booking not required Walk in the footsteps of an 1850s visitor to Biddulph Grange Garden, explore the Bateman Walk into the adjacent churchyard, and for a longer walk continue through the gates onto Biddulph Grange Country Park. Also running Saturday 12 September. More info

Everyday Histories: Showpeople of North Staffordshire

11am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 25 Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required Discover the stories of North Staffordshire's travelling showpeople, the families who bring the fun of the fair to local communities, through tales, photographs and memories, at the Philip Astley Centre. Also running Saturday 12, Thursday 17, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September, same hours. More info

St Giles Parish Church, Newcastle-under-Lyme

10am to 1pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Church Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1QS · In person · Pre-booking not required Designed by George Gilbert Scott and built against the existing 14th century tower. See the soaring arches and beautiful stained glass, and hear the organ. Also open Saturday 12 September, 10am to 3pm, with a Family Fun Day of games, quizzes and maypole dancing. More info

St Chad's Church, Stafford: "Too Many to Mention..."

10am to 11.45am · Stafford Borough · St Chad's Church, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP · In person · Pre-booking not required The stories of the people behind a church that has stood for nearly 900 years, including the author Izaak Walton and Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott. As it's a working church, opening times sit around service times, so tours and exhibits aren't available during services. Also running Saturday 12, Wednesday 16, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September. More info

Wall Roman Site (Letocetum): Free Guided Tours

11am to 12pm · Lichfield District · Wall Roman Museum, Watling Street, Wall, Lichfield, WS14 0AW · In person · Pre-booking required A guided tour of Roman Wall, Letocetum, led by English Heritage volunteers, taking in the remains of a Roman inn and public baths on Watling Street. Also running Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, same time. Separate from Dr Mike Hodder's Sunday 20 September tour, listed later. More info and booking

Saturday 12 September

Back to the Barracks: Hat Making Workshop and Demonstrations

11am to 3pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · The Art Studio, 5 to 7 Barracks Square, Newcastle, ST5 1LG · In person · Pre-booking not required Hat making and demonstrations with HoJo Hattery. More info

Holy Trinity Catholic Church

11am to 4.30pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1LQ · In person · Pre-booking not required This historic Catholic church is 192 this year. Come and admire the stained glass, see archive extracts, and find out more about local martyr Blessed Thomas Maxfield. Guide books, a friendly welcome and a children's I-spy activity. More info

St Thomas' Church, Butterton

10am to 3pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · St Thomas' Church, Butterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 4DU · In person · Pre-booking not required Visit the Church in the Woods, in the heart of Butterton, Staffordshire. More info

Tom Carnes Demonstration

11am to 1pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Belong Village, Lower Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2RS · In person · Pre-booking not required Watch Tom Carnes create his famous ceramic bottle kilns live on the potter's wheel in the Bistro. See his techniques up close, with the chance to get involved and add your own decorating. More info

Chatterley Whitfield and Colliery Tours

10am to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Unit 29B, Chatterley Whitfield Enterprise Centre, Chell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 8UW · In person · Pre-booking required A Victorian time capsule, as seen on Hidden Britain by Drone and Abandoned Engineering. Chatterley Whitfield Colliery closed in 1977 and became a museum. New heritage centre; no underground tours. Also running Sunday 13, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September. More info · Book via TicketSource

Bethesda Chapel

12pm to 2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Bethesda Methodist Chapel, Albion Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 1QF · In person · Pre-booking not required Once known as the Cathedral of the Potteries, this Grade II* listed chapel seated up to 2,500 people in its heyday, making it the largest place of worship in North Staffordshire. Organised with Re-Form Heritage and the Friends of Bethesda. Also running Saturday 19 September. More info

Brilliant Bamboo Parklet: From Pottery to Bamboo

1pm to 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Behind Sainsbury's Stoke, Boothen Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4AH · In person · Pre-booking not required The organisers want to hear memories of the Trent and Crescent Potteries and George Jones and Sons. Bring your stories, photos or ceramics and help uncover the site's history. Also running Sunday 13 September, noon to 3pm (a different time to today, so see that date too). More info

Stoke Minster

Open 10am to 2pm, guided tours from 10am every half hour, last tour 1pm. Guided walk from the former Spode Factory site to the Minster, 10.30am (booking via Eventbrite) · Stoke-on-Trent · Stoke Minster, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1LP · In person · Pre-booking required for guided tours only Explore the belfry, see the tombs of Spode and Wedgwood, two of the world's most famous pottery families, get up close to exquisite stained glass in the Peace Chapel, and take in the Minton tiles and memorial plaques. A drone photographer will also be capturing the Minster from new angles. Also open Thursday 17 September for a self-guided visit (see that date for details). More info · Book the Spode walk via Eventbrite

All Saints Church, Leek

10am to 5pm · Staffordshire Moorlands · All Saints Church, Compton, Leek, ST13 5PT · In person · Pre-booking not required Also open Sunday 13 September, but with different hours: 10.30am to 5pm, following a 9.15am celebration service. More info

Leek Quaker Meeting House

Staffordshire Moorlands · Overton Bank, Leek, ST13 5ES · In person · Pre-booking not required Visit and learn about Quakers in Leek, and the Meeting House built in 1697. Also open Saturday 19 September. More info

Big Battlefield Walk Weekends: Civil War Battle of Hopton Heath 1643

2pm · Stafford Borough · Village Hall, Salt Road, Salt, Stafford, ST18 0BW · In person · Pre-booking required A guided walk exploring the registered battlefield at Hopton Heath. More info and booking

Eccleshall Road Cemetery, Stafford: Open Day and Guided Tours

Tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stafford Borough · Eccleshall Road Cemetery, Eccleshall Road, Stafford, ST16 1PD · In person · Pre-booking not required Join the Friends of Stafford Cemeteries for a guided tour, find out about the cemetery's history, and see inside the two Victorian chapels, unused since the 1960s and very rarely open to the public. More info

Gnosall: Old Lock-Up

10am to 12.30pm · Stafford Borough · Sellman Street, Gnosall, ST20 0EP · In person · Pre-booking not required Built in the 1830s, this is one of three surviving lock-ups in the county, the other two being in Stafford and Alton. Come and see what it would have been like to be locked up in the 1800s. More info

Gnosall Parish Family and Local History Search

10.30am to 4pm · Stafford Borough · Grosvenor Centre, High Street, Gnosall, ST20 0EX · In person · Pre-booking not required Access historical records of Gnosall Parish, including the 1880 Parish Map, and speak with local historians about family connections and property ownership. More info

Tamworth Civic Society Festival

Tamworth · St Editha's Church, St Editha's Close, Tamworth, B79 7DA · In person · Pre-booking not required The 8th annual Civic Society festival celebrating Tamworth's architecture, history and heritage at St Editha's Parish Church, plus Spital Chapel, Drayton Bassett and Wigginton. The programme also extends to Kingsbury, which sits just over the border in Warwickshire rather than Staffordshire. More info

Please note: a separate listing for a "St Editha's Double Helix Staircase Open Day", also scheduled for 12 September at the same address, is showing on the Heritage Open Days site as cancelled.

Biddulph Grange Garden Open Gates

10am to 5pm (Bateman Walk and country park 11am to 4pm) · Staffordshire Moorlands · Biddulph Grange Garden, Grange Road, Biddulph, ST8 7SD · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

Brindley's Mill, Leek

2pm to 5pm, last admission 4.30pm · Staffordshire Moorlands · Mill Street, Leek, ST13 8FA · In person · Pre-booking not required A restored, water-powered corn mill dating back to 1752, attributed to canal pioneer James Brindley. Also open Sunday 13 September, same hours. More info

Everyday Histories: Mow Cop Notable Natives

10.50am for an 11am start · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 53 High Street, Mow Cop, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 3PA · In person · Pre-booking not required Discover the fascinating people who shaped Mow Cop on this guided walk with an expert local historian, from the legendary Giantess of Mow Cop to the founder of Primitive Methodism. Also running Tuesday 15 September, same time. Meet at the National Trust car park below Mow Cop Castle; the walk lasts around two hours and isn't suitable for wheelchairs, limited mobility or pushchairs. More info

Everyday Histories: Showpeople of North Staffordshire

11am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 25 Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

St Giles Parish Church, Newcastle-under-Lyme

10am to 3pm, with a Family Fun Day from 10am · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Church Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1QS · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. Games, quizzes, competitions and maypole dancing today. More info

Unitarian Meeting House

10.45am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Lower Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2UA · In person · Pre-booking not required A chance to view a non-conformist meeting house, one of many that developed out of the religious upheavals of the 17th century, and one of the oldest in North Staffordshire, dating to 1717. Penkhull Village Brass Band will be playing outside at intervals. Also open Sunday 13 September for a Harvest Celebration from 10.45am. More info

St Chad's Church, Stafford: "Too Many to Mention..."

10am to 4pm · Stafford Borough · St Chad's Church, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

National Memorial Arboretum: Archiving Remembrance

11am to 3pm · East Staffordshire · The National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road, Alrewas, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 7AR · In person · Pre-booking not required Celebrating 25 years of the National Memorial Arboretum. Explore archive treasures, meet the Archiving Remembrance project team, help identify historic items, and discover how the project is preserving the site's stories for future generations. Also running Sunday 13 September, same time. Note there's a daily parking charge on site, £5 booked in advance or £8 on the day. More info

Wall Roman Site (Letocetum): Free Guided Tours

11am to 12pm · Lichfield District · Wall Roman Museum, Watling Street, Wall, Lichfield, WS14 0AW · In person · Pre-booking required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info and booking

Kinver Edge & the Rock Houses

10.30am to 3.30pm, last admission 3.30pm · South Staffordshire · Holy Austin Rock House, Compton Road, Kinver, Stourbridge, DY7 6DL · In person · Pre-booking not required Visit these cosily restored rock dwellings, where families lived until the 1960s, carved into the red sandstone with dramatic views across several counties. Enjoy a cream tea in the tearoom, or take in the heathland and Iron Age hill fort of Kinver Edge outside. Also running Friday 18 and Sunday 20 September, same hours. More info

Sunday 13 September

Open Day at Ford Green Hall

1pm to 3.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Ford Green Hall Museum Ltd, Ford Green Road, Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 1NG · In person · Pre-booking not required Find out what life was like for an ordinary person working and living at the Hall, a 1624 timber-framed farmhouse. More info

Brilliant Bamboo Parklet: From Pottery to Bamboo

Noon to 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Behind Sainsbury's Stoke, Boothen Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4AH · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. Note this is a different time slot to Saturday. More info

All Saints Church, Leek

10.30am to 5pm, following a 9.15am celebration service · Staffordshire Moorlands · All Saints Church, Compton, Leek, ST13 5PT · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. Today's opening hours are different from Saturday's. More info

Lost and Found: Josiah Clowes and the Norton Colliery Canal

2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Meet at the Lychgate, St Bartholomew's Church, Norton Lane, Norton-le-Moors, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 8BY · In person · Pre-booking required Join Potteries Heritage Society on the trail of a pioneering canal engineer and a forgotten branch canal. More info and booking

Ceramic Workshop

10am and 2pm sessions · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Belong Village, Lower Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2RS · In person · Pre-booking preferred Join Dawn from DM Ceramics to decorate your own ceramic tile using glazes, textures and mark-making techniques, and create a hangable ceramic bottle kiln to take home. More info and booking

Film Show: Buffalo Bill's Visit to the Potteries

2pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · The Brampton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 0QP · In person · Pre-booking preferred A special archive film show from Ray Johnson about Buffalo Bill's visit to the Potteries in 1904. More info and booking

Holy Trinity, Eccleshall

Windows tour at 2pm, "Building the Church" tour at 3pm · Stafford Borough · Church Street, Eccleshall, Stafford, ST21 6BY · In person · Pre-booking preferred Two special guided tours, one on the windows of Holy Trinity, and one on how the church was built. More info

Gardeners of Middleton Hall Through the Ages

11am to 4pm · Middleton, near Tamworth, B78 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required Explore Middleton Hall and Gardens and discover the stories of its gardeners through the ages. Note: Middleton Hall is in Warwickshire, not Staffordshire, despite its Tamworth postal address, so we're including it here for anyone planning a day out from Tamworth rather than as a Staffordshire venue. More info

Brindley's Mill, Leek

2pm to 5pm, last admission 4.30pm · Staffordshire Moorlands · Mill Street, Leek, ST13 8FA · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

Unitarian Meeting House: Harvest Celebration

10.45am · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Lower Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2UA · In person · Pre-booking not required All welcome to the Meeting House's Harvest Celebration. See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

National Memorial Arboretum: Archiving Remembrance

11am to 3pm · East Staffordshire · The National Memorial Arboretum, Croxall Road, Alrewas, Burton-on-Trent, DE13 7AR · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

Wall Roman Site (Letocetum): Free Guided Tours

11am to 12pm · Lichfield District · Wall Roman Museum, Watling Street, Wall, Lichfield, WS14 0AW · In person · Pre-booking required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info and booking

Monday 14 September

Discover Moorcroft Pottery

10.30am to 4.30pm, tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · W Moorcroft Limited, Sandbach Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2DQ · In person · Pre-booking preferred See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info and booking

In the Footsteps of Palaeontologist John Ward

2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Meet at Longton Station, King Street, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 1EZ · In person · Pre-booking required Follow in the footsteps of John Ward (1837 to 1906), an amateur geologist, palaeontologist and ichthyologist known for collecting fossils from the coal mines of Staffordshire. More info and booking

Dancing Through Time: English Folk Dance

Arrive 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start · Lichfield District · Bader Hall, King Edward VI School, Upper St John Street, Lichfield, WS14 9DE · In person · Pre-booking preferred Join Lichfield Folk Dance Club for an evening of folk and friendship, dancing through centuries of English folk dance and exploring how dance has uplifted the lives of ordinary people through history. More info

Tuesday 15 September

Discover Moorcroft Pottery

10.30am to 4.30pm, tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · W Moorcroft Limited, Sandbach Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2DQ · In person · Pre-booking preferred See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info and booking

Oliver's Mill: Past Lives, Future Stories

4pm to 6pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Olivers Mill, Newport Lane, Middleport, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3NJ · In person · Pre-booking not required Step inside one of Stoke-on-Trent's remarkable surviving industrial buildings and discover its story, from the everyday working lives that supported the world-famous Potteries to ambitious plans for its future. More info

A History of the Trent Valley Railway Talk

2pm · Stafford Borough · Stafford Railway Station, Station Road, Stafford, ST16 2AA · In person · Pre-booking required A fully illustrated history talk about the establishment of the Trent Valley Railway Company. More info and booking

The Quest for Speed on the UK's Railways Talk

6pm · Stafford Borough · Stafford Railway Station, Station Road, Stafford, ST16 2AA · In person · Pre-booking required A fully illustrated history talk about how UK railway engineers designed locomotives and trains to run at ever-faster speeds. More info and booking

Where Is Platform 2? A History of Stafford Railway Station

11.30am · Stafford Borough · Stafford Railway Station, Station Road, Stafford, ST16 2AA · In person · Pre-booking required A special visit to Stafford train station to find out about its history. More info and booking

Interested in Discovering Your Family History? Free Genealogy Workshop, Shenstone Library

3.30pm to 4.30pm · Lichfield District · Staffordshire County Council, Shenstone Library, Main Street, Shenstone, Lichfield, WS14 0NF · In person · Pre-booking required Find out about your family tree at this free workshop. More info and booking

Everyday Histories: Mow Cop Notable Natives

10.50am for an 11am start · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 53 High Street, Mow Cop, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 3PA · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

w2R Staffordshire Energy Recovery Facility

Guided tours at 9.45am and 12.45pm · South Staffordshire · w2R, Veolia Staffordshire Energy Recovery Facility, Enterprise Drive, Four Ashes, WV10 7DF · In person · Pre-booking required See full listing under Wednesday 16 September, below. More info and booking

Wednesday 16 September

Discover Moorcroft Pottery

10.30am to 4.30pm, tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · W Moorcroft Limited, Sandbach Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2DQ · In person · Pre-booking preferred See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info and booking

Everyday Lives of Potteries People

2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · The Dipping House, Spode Works, Church Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1BU · In person · Pre-booking not required Join Phil Rowley to explore the lives of Potteries folk in the 1930s. More info

The Potters' Cathedral: St Mark's Church, Shelton

Stoke-on-Trent · St Mark's Parish Church, Snow Hill, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4LT · In person · Pre-booking not required Find out about St Mark's rich history and step inside the "Potters' Cathedral" to learn about the craftspeople who helped make it so special. More info

Our Time, Our Place, Our Heritage: Pottery People (Shelton)

Stoke-on-Trent · St Mark's Parish Church, Snow Hill, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4LT · In person · Pre-booking not required Do you have experience working in the Potteries, or a story to share about your connection with the ceramic history of Stoke-on-Trent? Come and share it. More info

Middleport Pottery: Search Our 1940s Employment Record Cards

Sessions listed at 10.30am, 11.15am, noon and 12.45pm on the national Heritage Open Days site, but the local Stoke-on-Trent programme still shows a 10am start · Stoke-on-Trent · Middleport Pottery, Port Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3PE · In person · Pre-booking required Run in partnership with Re-Form Heritage. Search employment cards from Burgess and Leigh, recorded between 1941 and 1942. See if you can find a relative, a family name, or even a complete stranger, and learn about their job. Also running Thursday 17 September. The two official sources disagree on the exact session times, so please confirm directly with Middleport Pottery before you go. More info and booking

Penkridge: Historic Village Walk and Penkridge Heritage Centre Visit

10am to 12.15pm · South Staffordshire · Penkridge Train Station (front car park), Station Road, Penkridge, ST19 5AN · In person · Pre-booking required Explore the historic village of Penkridge and visit Penkridge Heritage Centre. More info and booking

St Chad's Church, Stafford: "Too Many to Mention..."

10am to 11.45am, and 12.30pm to 2pm · Stafford Borough · St Chad's Church, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

w2R Staffordshire Energy Recovery Facility

Guided tours at 9.45am and 12.45pm · South Staffordshire · w2R, Veolia Staffordshire Energy Recovery Facility, Enterprise Drive, Four Ashes, WV10 7DF · In person · Pre-booking required A state-of-the-art waste-to-resource facility. See what happens to Staffordshire's household non-recyclable waste and how it's turned into electricity, on a guided walking tour with the option of a 360-degree VR tour too. Also running Tuesday 15 September, same times. More info and booking

Thursday 17 September

Discover Moorcroft Pottery

10.30am to 4.30pm, tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · W Moorcroft Limited, Sandbach Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2DQ · In person · Pre-booking preferred See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info and booking

Our Time, Our Place, Our Heritage: Pottery People (Middleport)

Stoke-on-Trent · Middleport Pottery, Port Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3PE · In person · Pre-booking not required As above, at Middleport Pottery. Do you have experience working in the Potteries, or a story to share about your connection with the ceramic history of Stoke-on-Trent? More info

Middleport Pottery: Search Our 1940s Employment Record Cards

Session times not confirmed between official sources; see Wednesday 16 September, above · Stoke-on-Trent · Middleport Pottery, Port Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3PE · In person · Pre-booking required Run in partnership with Re-Form Heritage. See full listing under Wednesday 16 September, above. More info and booking

From Clay to Community: Discovering Everyday Histories

12pm to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Vast, The Dudson Centre, Hope Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5DD · In person · Pre-booking not required Step into the everyday histories of the people who made Dudson, from the opening of the factory on Hope Street in 1810 to the thriving community hub it is today. Also running Friday 18 and Saturday 19 September, 10am to 3pm. More info

Archives Access: Tamworth Castle Archives

10am to 2pm · Tamworth · Tamworth's Pop-Up Museum & Art Gallery, Ankerside Shopping Centre, George Street, Tamworth, B79 7LG · In person · Pre-booking not required Access also available from Tamworth Castle Grounds. More info

Stoke Minster

Self-guided visit; guided walk from the former Spode Factory site, 10.30am (booking via Eventbrite) · Stoke-on-Trent · Stoke Minster, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1LP · In person · No booking needed for the self-guided visit The Minster is open today for a self-guided tour only, so there's no access to the belfry or bell tower on this date. See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above, for what's on the guided-tour day. More info · Book the Spode walk via Eventbrite

Former Spode Works Guided Tours (details to follow)

11am and 1pm, per the local Stoke programme · Stoke-on-Trent · Spode Works, Church Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1BU · In person · Booking details not yet published The local Stoke-on-Trent Heritage Open Days programme lists guided tours of the former Spode Works site today, but notes that full details are still to follow. We'd treat this one as provisional rather than confirmed, and suggest checking the Potteries Heritage Society's listings nearer the time. Check the Stoke-on-Trent programme

Everyday Histories: Showpeople of North Staffordshire

11am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 25 Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

Friday 18 September

Discover Moorcroft Pottery

10.30am to 4.30pm, tours at 10.30am and 12.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · W Moorcroft Limited, Sandbach Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 2DQ · In person · Pre-booking preferred See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. This is the final day the Moorcroft factory is open for the festival. More info and booking

From Clay to Community: Discovering Everyday Histories

10am to 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Vast, The Dudson Centre, Hope Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5DD · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Thursday 17 September, above. More info

Gladstone Pottery Museum

10am to 5pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Gladstone Pottery Museum, 26 Uttoxeter Road, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 1PQ · In person · Pre-booking not required Visit the only complete Victorian pottery factory left from the days when coal-burning ovens made the world's finest bone china. More info

Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station Guided Tour

11am, 1pm and 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station, Station Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2AA · In person · Pre-booking required A guided tour covering key features of the public areas of the station, including Winton Square, the memorial arch and the platforms. Also running Saturday 19 September, same times. More info · Book via Eventbrite

Everyday Histories: Showpeople of North Staffordshire

11am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 25 Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

Shugborough Estate Open Day

9am to 5pm · Stafford Borough · Shugborough Estate, Milford, Stafford, ST17 0UP · In person · Pre-booking not required Free entry to the Walled Garden, Park Farm and Mansion House, plus talks in the Chinese House and the Painted Paradise watercolour exhibition. The Mansion House, servants' quarters and Lichfield Apartment open a little later, at 11am. Access to the Lichfield apartments is via a staircase; a step climber is available for lower floors of the Mansion House only. Also open Saturday 19 September, same hours. More info

St Chad's Church, Stafford: "Too Many to Mention..."

10am to 11.45am · Stafford Borough · St Chad's Church, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

Kinver Edge & the Rock Houses

10.30am to 3.30pm · South Staffordshire · Holy Austin Rock House, Compton Road, Kinver, Stourbridge, DY7 6DL · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

Saturday 19 September

Arnold Bennett: Dudson Museum "Just Across the Road"

The national Heritage Open Days site lists 10am to 2pm with presentations at 11am and 1pm; the local Stoke-on-Trent programme says 10am to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Hope Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5DD · In person · Pre-booking not required The Arnold Bennett Society at the former Dudson Pottery, just across the road from Bennett's birthplace. A day of displays, discussion, presentations and screenings featuring his writings on Stoke, its folk and its industry. The two official listings disagree on the closing time, so we'd suggest confirming with the organiser before planning a late visit. More info

From Clay to Community: Discovering Everyday Histories

10am to 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Vast, The Dudson Centre, Hope Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5DD · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Thursday 17 September, above. More info

Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station Guided Tour

11am, 1pm and 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Stoke-on-Trent Railway Station, Station Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2AA · In person · Pre-booking required See full listing under Friday 18 September, above. More info · Book via Eventbrite

Bethesda Chapel

12pm to 2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Bethesda Methodist Chapel, Albion Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 1QF · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

Hanley Park Heritage Event

11am to 2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · The Bandstand, Hanley Park, Cleveland Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4DX · In person · Pre-booking not required Join the Friends of Hanley Park to celebrate Everyday Histories and the working lives of the Potteries. Fun for all the family as we celebrate our city's heritage and look at how the park was maintained. More info

Exploring Hanley's Monuments and Stories

The national Heritage Open Days site now lists a guided walk at 1.45pm with a self-guided trail from 11am to 3pm; the local Stoke-on-Trent programme still shows a 2pm start · Stoke-on-Trent · Hanley Park Bandstand, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DU · Online & in person · Pre-booking required Led by Re-Form Heritage as part of its Centenary Restoration Fund programme. Explore the stories of the people who shaped Hanley on a walk through Hanley Park and Hanley Cemetery, ending at Hanley Cemetery War Memorial. The two official listings disagree on the guided-walk time, so please confirm before you go. More info and booking

Bronze Age Gold: The Ellastone "Fastener"

2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Bethesda Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 3DW · In person · Pre-booking not required A free expert talk on the "Ellastone Fastener" and other Bronze Age treasures by Dr Neil Wilkin of the British Museum. More info

St Bartholomew's Church, Norton-le-Moors

11am to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · St Bartholomew's Church, 144 to 150 Norton Lane, Norton-le-Moors, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 8BY · In person · Pre-booking not required This Grade II listed church has outstanding views towards the Staffordshire Moorlands. Visitors can explore the church and its belfry, where ringers will be demonstrating and happy for you to have a go. More info

Trentham Parish Church Open Doors

Stoke-on-Trent · Trentham Parish Church, Park Drive, Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 8AB · In person · Pre-booking not required Trentham Parish Church opens all its doors to welcome visitors. More info

Our Time, Our Place, Our Heritage: Clay Workshop with British Ceramics Biennial

Stoke-on-Trent · BCB Studio, 124 Church Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1BU · In person · Pre-booking not required A drop-in clay workshop in the heart of the Potteries, celebrating the people, skills and stories that have shaped life in Stoke-on-Trent. More info

Our Lady and St Peter's Catholic Church

10am to 5pm, talk and guided tour at 11am · Stoke-on-Trent · Our Lady and St Peter's Church, 106 Hartshill Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7LT · In person · Pre-booking not required Visit this historic Catholic church with a beautiful interior, parts of the building dating back to 1857. See historic artefacts and areas not usually open, such as the choir loft, with light refreshments available. Also open Sunday 20 September, 1pm to 5pm, talk and tour at 2pm. More info

Inside Etruria: Past, Present & Future

11am to 3pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Etruria Industrial Museum, Lower Bedford Street, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7AF · In person · Pre-booking not required Come inside a part of Etruria you don't normally get to see, and discover the past, present and possible future of this extraordinary industrial landscape. This event runs on Saturday 19 September only; it does not repeat on the Sunday. More info

Victorian Potters' Mill in Steam, Vintage Stationary Engine and Classic Vehicle Rallies

11am to 4.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Etruria Industrial Museum, Etruria Vale Road, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4RB · In person · Pre-booking not required Vintage stationary engines on display today, classic vehicles tomorrow. Visit the canal-side Potters' Mill (bone and flint) both days, plus blacksmith demonstrations at the canal junction. Also running Sunday 20 September. More info

Chatterley Whitfield and Colliery Tours

10am to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Unit 29B, Chatterley Whitfield Enterprise Centre, Chell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 8UW · In person · Pre-booking required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. Also running Sunday 20 September. More info · Book via TicketSource

Brampton Museum: Costumed Tours

Tours every 30 minutes from 11.30am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Brampton Museum, The Brampton, Newcastle, ST5 0QP · In person · Pre-booking preferred Journey back to Victorian England with a fifteen-minute costumed tour of Brampton Museum and its recreated Victorian street scene. More info and booking

Discovering St Margaret's Church, Wolstanton

10am to 2pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · St Margaret's Church, Church Lane, Wolstanton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 0EQ · In person · Pre-booking not required Bell ringing demonstrations, tower tours, graveyard tours, displays, exhibits, a raffle and refreshments. More info

Linocut Printing Workshop

10am to 2pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · Belong Newcastle-under-Lyme, Belong Village, Lower Street, Newcastle, ST5 2RS · In person · Pre-booking preferred Join industrial artist Gary Eite for a Linocut Printmaking Workshop, introducing the creative process of designing, carving and producing prints using traditional lino-printing techniques. More info and booking

Leek Quaker Meeting House

Staffordshire Moorlands · Overton Bank, Leek, ST13 5ES · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

From Weave to Wardrobe: Celebrating Textile Heritage in the Staffordshire Moorlands

10am to 3pm · Staffordshire Moorlands · Butter Market, Market Place, Leek, ST13 5HH · In person · Pre-booking not required Get hands-on with traditional weaving and explore Leek's textile-making past through vintage fashion displays. More info

Behind the Scenes at the Museum Stores: Tours

Stafford Borough · Unit G, Beacon Business Park, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0WL · In person · Pre-booking required Go behind the scenes and discover the treasures held in the county's museum stores. More info and booking

Stafford Quaker Meeting House and the People Who Met There

11am to 4pm · Stafford Borough · Stafford Quaker Meeting House, Foregate Street, Stafford, ST16 2PX · In person · Pre-booking not required Visit the Meeting House, built 1730 and Grade II listed, with its Women's Gallery and Elder's Bench, Victorian schoolroom, C20 extension and garden, plus a small exhibition on Stafford Quakers past and present. Refreshments available. More info

Shugborough Estate Open Day

9am to 5pm · Stafford Borough · Shugborough Estate, Milford, Stafford, ST17 0UP · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 18 September, above. More info

St Chad's Church, Stafford: "Too Many to Mention..."

10am to 2.30pm · Stafford Borough · St Chad's Church, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

St Modwen's Parish Church

10am to 3pm · East Staffordshire · St Modwen's Parish Church, Market Place, Burton-on-Trent, DE14 1HA · In person · Pre-booking not required A rare, well-preserved example of an early 18th century church. More info

Dragon Designs: Clay Workshop

10am to 2pm · Tamworth · Tamworth's Pop-Up Art Gallery, Ankerside Shopping Centre, George Street, Tamworth, B79 7LG · In person · Pre-booking not required Create a dragon-inspired clay keepsake, in a free workshop inspired by a Victorian dragon vase made by Tamworth's historic ceramics manufacturer, Gibbs & Canning. More info

Everyday Histories: Showpeople of North Staffordshire

11am to 4pm · Newcastle-under-Lyme · 25 Merrial Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Friday 11 September, above. More info

Sunday 20 September

The People Who Moved the Earth

Stoke-on-Trent · Meet outside the Visitor Centre, Etruria Industrial Museum, Etruria Vale Road, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4RB · In person · Pre-booking required Find out about the engineers, navvies and canal carriers of the Potteries' waterways with a tour around Etruria Junction and the Etruria Industrial Museum site. More info and booking

Victorian Potters' Mill in Steam, Vintage Stationary Engine and Classic Vehicle Rallies

11am to 4.30pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Etruria Industrial Museum, Etruria Vale Road, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 4RB · In person · Pre-booking not required Classic vehicles on display today; see full listing under Saturday 19 September, above. Note that Inside Etruria (the site openings, separate from this rally) does not run today, only on the Saturday. More info

Chatterley Whitfield and Colliery Tours

10am to 4pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Unit 29B, Chatterley Whitfield Enterprise Centre, Chell Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 8UW · In person · Pre-booking required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info · Book via TicketSource

Our Lady and St Peter's Catholic Church

1pm to 5pm, talk and guided tour at 2pm · Stoke-on-Trent · Our Lady and St Peter's Church, 106 Hartshill Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 7LT · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 19 September, above. More info

Kinver Edge & the Rock Houses

10.30am to 3.30pm · South Staffordshire · Holy Austin Rock House, Compton Road, Kinver, Stourbridge, DY7 6DL · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Saturday 12 September, above. More info

All Saints' Church, Sandon

10am to 4pm · Stafford Borough · All Saints Church, Church Lane, Sandon, Stafford, ST18 0DB · In person · Pre-booking not required A unique behind-the-scenes tour of this Grade I listed church and ancient graveyard, from Norman origins to the present day. Family fun activities outside, and plenty of cake. More info

Wall Roman Site (Letocetum): Free Guided Tours with Dr Mike Hodder

11am to 12.30pm · Lichfield District · Wall Roman Museum, Watling Street, Wall, Lichfield, WS14 0AN · In person · Pre-booking required Follow Dr Mike Hodder's guided tour around Wall Roman Site to learn how historians and archaeologists have proven the importance of Letocetum. More info and booking

Four Online Talks on the Duleep Singh Family

Hosted via Microsoft Teams, not Zoom · Lichfield District · Online · Pre-booking preferred Heritage detective Sundeep Braich presents four separate online talks at 10am, 11.30am, 2pm and 4pm, though we haven't been able to confirm which time slot matches which talk, so do check the individual booking pages below for the exact schedule:

• A Forgotten Princess: The Centenary of Irene Duleep Singh (1926 to 2026). Sundeep Braich remembers Princess Irene Duleep Singh, described by the event organiser as the last-born Princess of Punjab, exploring heritage, belonging and identity. More info and booking
• An Everyday Life? Two English Women Who Married Indian Royalty. In 1889, chambermaid Ada Douglas Wetherill married Maharajah Duleep Singh, linked to the Koh-i-Noor diamond. In 1898, Lady Anne Coventry married his son, Prince Victor. What do these two stories tell us about class, love and life? More info and booking
• Everyday Histories of a Prince: Frederick Duleep Singh Remembered, Death Centenary 1926 to 2026. Described by the event organiser as the last Crown Prince of Punjab, who never set foot in Punjab and instead lived an everyday life in Norfolk. A century after his death, this talk remembers the Prince of everyday people. More info and booking
• Not Your Everyday Princesses: Bamba, Catherine and Sophia Duleep Singh. Sundeep Braich attended the press preview of Kensington Palace's exhibition "The Last Princesses of Punjab". This talk explores Princesses Bamba, Catherine and Sophia Duleep Singh, centre stage in the exhibition. More info and booking

Ecton Copper Mine (Deep Ecton Underground Visit)

10am to 4pm. The underground tours themselves are currently showing as fully booked, though the surface features and engine house remain free to visit · Staffordshire Moorlands · GA Cox Study Centre, The Hillocks, Ecton, Ashbourne, DE6 2AH · In person · Pre-booking required for the underground tour An underground visit to the 18th century workings of what was once the biggest, richest and deepest copper mine in the UK. Wellies required. More info and booking

Cannock Chase

The Cannock Chase district page on the Heritage Open Days site currently shows no events registered. However, the national listings site separately carries the following event, which appears to have been miscategorised under a different county:

CWGC Tours: Cannock Chase War Cemetery and German Military Cemetery

10am and noon, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September · CWGC Cemetery, Camp Road, Cannock, WS12 4PT · In person · Pre-booking required Join the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for a tour of Cannock Chase War Cemetery and the German Military Cemetery. The listing on the national site gives the address as "Waddington, Cannock, Derbyshire", which appears to be an error: Cannock Chase and its war cemeteries are in Staffordshire, not Derbyshire, and there is no Waddington here. We'd suggest confirming the correct details directly with the CWGC before publicising this further, but wanted to flag that Cannock Chase isn't quite as empty as the district page suggests. More info

Events just outside Staffordshire

A few venues that come up in Staffordshire-adjacent listings, particularly around Tamworth, are actually over the county boundary. We've included them above where they're part of a wider Staffordshire event (Tamworth Civic Society's Kingsbury leg, for instance), but the following stand as events in their own right, just outside the county, so are worth knowing about if you fancy a slightly longer day out:

Gardeners of Middleton Hall Through the Ages

Sunday 13 September, 11am to 4pm · Middleton, near Tamworth, B78 2AE · In person · Pre-booking not required See full listing under Sunday 13 September, above. Middleton Hall carries a Tamworth postal address but sits in Warwickshire. More info

Moseley Old Hall (National Trust)

Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, 10am to 5pm, last entry to the Hall 4pm · Moseley Old Hall, Moseley Old Hall Lane, Featherstone, Wolverhampton, WV10 7HY · In person · Pre-booking not required Step inside this 17th century farmhouse where King Charles II hid from Cromwell's troops after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. See the bed he slept in and the priest hole he hid in, meet the Lace Guild in its golden anniversary year, and discover the history of wool in the Cowshed. Moseley Old Hall sits in the West Midlands, near the Staffordshire border, rather than in South Staffordshire itself. More info

A note before you head out

As the organisers themselves say, with a festival this size involving hundreds of volunteers, details can change at short notice, so it's always worth checking an event's individual listing on heritageopendays.org.uk shortly before you go, particularly for anything marked as needing pre-booking.

Find out more

• Full national listings and search tool: heritageopendays.org.uk
• Stoke-on-Trent programme, coordinated by the Heritage Network for Stoke-on-Trent: potteries.org.uk/HeritageOpenDays
• Heritage Development Trusts, an Architectural Heritage Fund initiative: ahfund.org.uk

However you spend the ten days, whether it's at Chatterley Whitfield, behind the scenes at a museum store, or simply wandering the gardens at Shugborough, Heritage Open Days is a brilliant, free reminder of just how much history is on our doorstep here in Staffordshire. Get out there and make the most of it.

Photos: Jenna Goodwin / The Red Haired Stokie