Open days to reveal heritage secrets
An illegal cock-fighting pit beneath a shop in Dorking High Street and a Sikh temple built inside two 19th century houses in Northampton are among 2,200 architectural secrets opening their doors to the public next weekend.
The Civic Trust yesterday announced its latest round of heritage open days, on September 14 and 15, in which the public are allowed to snoop around historic ice cream factories, football clubs, Elizabethan manor houses, tunnels, prisons and tax offices in the biggest voluntary cultural event in England.
More than 800,000 visitors are expected to traipse through often bizarre venues considered by the Civic Trust to be "best and most unusual properties" in England, but which are normally closed to the public.
A secretive masonic hall in Somerset with a lodge room dating to 1912 is one of the most surprising additions to this year's initiative, funded by English Heritage. Elsewhere, the exclusive Leeds Club, a private members society founded in 1849, reveals the interior of its grade II listed sandstone home. A sheer glass, kidney shaped office-building in Ipswich designed by Norman Foster's partnership in 1975 and now grade I listed opens its doors.
Among the eeriest choices are a 15th century dungeon lurking below Newcastle's Holy Jesus hospital in Newcastle, and Hexham old gaol, in Northumberland, the oldest purpose-built prison in England.
At least 15 National Trust properties are opening areas normally closed, including sections of 400 acres of parkland at Basildon Park in Berkshire.
Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, announced the programme at a 19th century brewery in Northampton.
The open days are part of a Europe-wide airing of "hidden heritage" in 47 countries. Buildings in the London area will open during the weekend of September 21 and 22.
Treasures ancient and modern
St Anselm's Chapel, Chester Cathedral
The abbot's private 11th century chapel, remodelled in the 17th century, with ornate plaster ceiling
Blackpool Grand Theatre
Backstage tour of the grade II listed Victorian playhouse
Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Northampton
An ornate Sikh temple inside a pair of early 19th century east Midlands town houses
Friends Provident offices, Pixham End, Surrey
The first purpose built insurance company head office to be built on London green belt in the late 1950s
Bookends shop, Dorking, Surrey
Underneath is an illegal cock-fighting pit and sand caves
Banwell Caves, Weston- super-Mare, Somerset
A19th century folly garden hides caves containing ice age mammal bones
Inland Revenue office, Gateshead
A modern high-rise office in the Tyne Bridge Tower
Exeter City football club
A tour of the workings of the 9,000-capacity ground
The Civic Trust yesterday announced its latest round of heritage open days, on September 14 and 15, in which the public are allowed to snoop around historic ice cream factories, football clubs, Elizabethan manor houses, tunnels, prisons and tax offices in the biggest voluntary cultural event in England.
More than 800,000 visitors are expected to traipse through often bizarre venues considered by the Civic Trust to be "best and most unusual properties" in England, but which are normally closed to the public.
A secretive masonic hall in Somerset with a lodge room dating to 1912 is one of the most surprising additions to this year's initiative, funded by English Heritage. Elsewhere, the exclusive Leeds Club, a private members society founded in 1849, reveals the interior of its grade II listed sandstone home. A sheer glass, kidney shaped office-building in Ipswich designed by Norman Foster's partnership in 1975 and now grade I listed opens its doors.
Among the eeriest choices are a 15th century dungeon lurking below Newcastle's Holy Jesus hospital in Newcastle, and Hexham old gaol, in Northumberland, the oldest purpose-built prison in England.
At least 15 National Trust properties are opening areas normally closed, including sections of 400 acres of parkland at Basildon Park in Berkshire.
Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, announced the programme at a 19th century brewery in Northampton.
The open days are part of a Europe-wide airing of "hidden heritage" in 47 countries. Buildings in the London area will open during the weekend of September 21 and 22.
Treasures ancient and modern
St Anselm's Chapel, Chester Cathedral
The abbot's private 11th century chapel, remodelled in the 17th century, with ornate plaster ceiling
Blackpool Grand Theatre
Backstage tour of the grade II listed Victorian playhouse
Siri Guru Singh Sabha, Northampton
An ornate Sikh temple inside a pair of early 19th century east Midlands town houses
Friends Provident offices, Pixham End, Surrey
The first purpose built insurance company head office to be built on London green belt in the late 1950s
Bookends shop, Dorking, Surrey
Underneath is an illegal cock-fighting pit and sand caves
Banwell Caves, Weston- super-Mare, Somerset
A19th century folly garden hides caves containing ice age mammal bones
Inland Revenue office, Gateshead
A modern high-rise office in the Tyne Bridge Tower
Exeter City football club
A tour of the workings of the 9,000-capacity ground
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