Surrey


<p>Celebrate England’s&nbsp;local history, architecture and culture and have a nose around some of the fascinating places normally closed to the public or open for the first time – <em>for free</em>.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heritage Open Days</a>&nbsp;is a nationwide event, with more than 230 locations to visit in Surrey alone, running from Thurs 5 to Sun 15 Sept. Just type in your postcode on the Heritage Open Days site to see what’s open near you. Here’s a taster.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-claremont-fan-court-school-claremont-mansion-esher"><strong><a href="https://www.claremontfancourt.co.uk/whats-on/events/heritage-open-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Claremont Fan Court School &#8211; Claremont Mansion</a>, Esher</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School-1000x667.jpg" alt="Claremont Fan Court School in Esher" class="wp-image-49309" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School-768x513.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School-787x525.jpg 787w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Claremont-Fan-Court-Credit-CFC-School.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Claremont Mansion in Esher, built by Capability Brown. <em>Photo courtesy of Claremont Fan Court School.</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>A chance to explore the 18th Century Palladian Mansion and 100 acre grounds, built by Capability Brown in 1774 for Robert Clive on the site of the former Vanbrugh House. A former royal residence, Claremont was home to the exiled last King and Queen of France, as well as Prince Leopold of Belgium and Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales.<br><em>■ Sat 7 Sept, 11.30am-4pm; tours at 12 noon and 2pm.</em> <em><a href="https://www.claremontfancourt.co.uk/whats-on/events/heritage-open-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tours must be pre-booked.</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bagshot-chape-l-bagshot"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/bagshot-chapel8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bagshot Chape</a><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/bagshot-chapel.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a>, Bagshot</strong></h2>



<p>An attractive early 20th century chapel of rest, set in a closed cemetery which contains the grave of tragic servant girl, Emily Jane Popejoy, whose death was a Victorian cause celebre.<br><em>■&nbsp;Sat 14 Sept, 10am-4pm, no booking required</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-moor-park-house-farnham"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/moor-park-house.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Moor Park House</a>, Farnham</strong></h2>



<p>Take a guided walk around the grounds of Moor Park House, the former home of philosophical writer and satirist&nbsp;Jonathan Swift, and learn of the property&#8217;s history dating back to the 12th century. The walk will describe the 17th century period, as well as further back to the 1600s when it home to Sir William Temple and his wife Dorothy Osborne, and continue up to the present day.<br><em>■ Sat 7 Sept, 11am &amp; 2.30pm. No booking required</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-horsley-heritage-walk-west-horsley"><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/horsley-heritage-walk.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Horsley Heritage Walk</a>, West Horsley</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1.jpg" alt="West Horsley Place" class="wp-image-46106" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Untitled-design-87-1-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>A guided group walk of one of the oldest villages in Surrey: with many old houses, some dating back to medieval times, the walk will explore both the heritage and beautiful countryside of West Horsley. Highlights will include an introduction to West Horsley Place and St Mary&#8217;s Church, both of which you&#8217;ll visit on the walk.&nbsp; It starts and finishes at West Horsley Place and will take about 2.5 hours. Suitable for adults and children over 11 years old. Limited to 20 per walk. No dogs allowed. Refreshments provided.<br><em>■ Mon 9 Sept, 2.30-5pm; Tues 10 Sept, 11am-1.30pm; Thurs 12 Sept, 2-4.30pm; Fri 13 Sept, 2-4.30pm. Booking required.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lowfield-heath-windmil-l-charlwood"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/lowfield-heath-windmill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lowfield Heath Windmil</a><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/charlwood-lowfield-heath-windmill.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a>, Charlwood</strong></h2>



<p>Visit a complete 18th century windmill and enjoy a self guided tour and small exhibition about the restoration.&nbsp;Originally built in 1737 at Lowfield Heath, the Grade II-listed mill, worked until the 1880s. This mill is the 12 oldest post mill out of 50 remaining in the UK.&nbsp;The upper part of the mill is not suitable for under 5s. <br><em>■&nbsp;Sat 7 Sept &amp; Sun 8 Sept, Sat 13 &amp; Sun 14 Sept, 2pm-5pm</em>. <em>No booking necessary. </em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-prior-s-field-schoo-l-godalming"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/priors-field1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prior&#8217;s Field Schoo</a><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/prior-s-field-school-1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a>, Godalming</strong></h2>



<p>Designed as a private house by the renowned Arts and Crafts architect Charles Francis Annesley Voysey, Prior&#8217;s Field was built in 1900 for a Charterhouse schoolmaster who never occupied it. It was purchased by Julia Huxley who opened it as a &#8216;high class school for girls&#8217; in 1902. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of key areas of the house and it&#8217;s beautiful gardens.<br><em>■&nbsp;Sat 15 Sept, 10am-3pm. No booking required.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clandon-park-house-and-gardens-guildford"><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/clandon-park-house-and-garden.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clandon Park House and Gardens</a>, Guildford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Clandon-south-exterior-post-fire.jpg" alt="A rebuilt Clandon Park House, after a fire gutted it in 2015." class="wp-image-55615" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Clandon-south-exterior-post-fire.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Clandon-south-exterior-post-fire-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Clandon-south-exterior-post-fire-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Clandon-south-exterior-post-fire-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/09/Clandon-south-exterior-post-fire-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>A chance to visit this historic National Trust property, which has been closed since 2015 when it was gutted by fire. Access to the house itself is still not possible. There will be hands-on workshops, demonstrations from heritage craftspeople showing how the house was made, talks by conservation specialists and the chance to learn more about the National Trusts future plans for Clandon. All activities will be in a marquee in the garden &#8211; <a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/clandon-park-house-and-garden.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here for information on what&#8217;s on and when</a>.<br><em>■&nbsp;</em>Sat 7 &amp; Sun 8 Sept; 12-15 Sept</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-guildford-guildhal-l-guildford"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/guildfordguildhall" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guildford Guildhal</a><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/guildford-guildhall.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">l</a>, Guildford</strong></h2>



<p>This Grade I-listed civic building dates back to the 1550s, with architecture from Renaissance and Tudor periods. It is home to rare artefacts and exquisite artwork, including the civic plate. A darker chapter in its past saw it used as a courtroom, and trials were held behind its walls until as late as the 1970s. Volunteers will be on hand to tell stories and help bring the history to life. <br><em>■&nbsp;Thurs 12 Sept, 10.30am-12noon, booking required. Fri 13 Sept, 12noon-4.30pm; and Sat 14 10am-4.30pm, no booking needed.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watts-gallery-artist-s-village-compton"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/watts-gallery-artists-village.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Watts Gallery &#8211; Artist&#8217;s Village</a>, Compton</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom.jpg" alt="Watts Gallery in Compton, Surrey" class="wp-image-46407" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/surrey/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2023/03/Watts-Gallery-Artists-Village-Exterior-with-Blossom-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>A chance to visit the art gallery, former home and art studios of Victorian artist George Frederic Watts and his wife Mary Watts. See the work of GF Watts in the Historic Galleries. Discover the Grade I-listed Watts Cemetery Chapel with decorative features designed by Mary Watts. Visit Limnerslease, the Arts &amp; Crafts historic home and studios of the artists. There are also 18 acres of woodland and gardens.&nbsp;Tours will be held throughout the day, and you can also visit the latest exhibition, Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825-1895.<br><em>■ Sat 14 &amp; Sun 15 Sept, 10.30am-5pm. No booking required.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/college-of-st-barnabas.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The College of St Barnabas</a>, Lingfield</strong></h2>



<p>The College will open its doors and grounds to visitors with guided tours, woodland walks, live music, talks and presentations plus steam-hauled rides, stalls and refreshments. <br><em>■ Sat 14 Sept, 10.30-4pm. No booking required.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/st-john-the-evangelist-victorian-gothic-landmark-redhill-surrey-1.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St John the Evangelist</a>, Redhill</strong></h2>



<p>First built in 1843, St John the Evangelist is an outstanding example of work by Victorian Gothic Revival architect John Loughborough Pearson, with the original stained glass, a gilded triptych and an outstanding Father Willis organ. The 185ft spire houses eight bells, which were installed in 1895. They are hung for full circle ringing and the peal is said to be one of the easiest going in Surrey.<br><em>■ Sat 14 Sept, 12noon-5pm, choir concert at 4pm. Sun 15 Sept, from 2pm, organ recital at 4pm, evening service at 5pm. No booking necessary.</em></p>



<p><strong><a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/whats-on/search-2024-events.html?view=list&amp;searchQuery=&amp;locationQuery=Surrey&amp;distance=&amp;startDate=&amp;endDate=" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">For the full list of Heritage Open Day events in Surrey click here.</a></strong></p>


Heritage Open Days: visit Surrey’s hidden gems… for free

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