Chard High Street is open for Heritage Open Days 2022
Released On 5th Sep 2022
Heritage Open Days 2022 is taking place this September, so join your community to celebrate the heritage on your doorstep!
This year, and every year, thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are free to explore. This year’s theme is Astounding Inventions.
As part of this year’s festival, and the Chard High Street Heritage Action Zone, special activities will be taking place in the town centre of Chard, celebrating the heritage on our doorstep.
There are nine Chard organisations putting on events for Heritage Open Days 2022, which runs between Friday 9th September and Sunday 18th September.
Events include:
- Friday 9th September / Saturday 10th September,
The Guildhall Open Days, 10am – 3pm - The Guildhall is sharing its secrets. Come along and enjoy a day accessing the hidden parts of this fabulous Grade II Listed building, including the town hall, the clock tower, front stairs and dressing rooms. Take part in craft activities, see films of Chard being screened in the auditorium and learn about the Chard Mace whilst talking to the Mayor, Mace Bearer and Town Crier.
- Saturday 10th September
Chard Carnival Street Fayre, 9am – 4pm – Chard Carnival will be holding a Street Fayre in Holyrood Street in the centre of Chard. There will be over 40 stalls along the street with entertainment taking place throughout the day.
Two Nations: A Folk-Drama in Songs and Words of the Time, Holyrood Academy, 7pm for 7:30pm start - Two Nations is a folk drama. It tells the story through the voices of ordinary men, woman and children in every hamlet, village or town as they experience the Industrial Revolution. This 2 hour long event is organised by Holyrood Academy and Chard Museum.
Wednesday 14th September
Heritage walks, talks and exhibitions – Chard Museum have organised various fantastic events for you to attend across the week. Learn more about Dr. Fawcus: a local Robin Hood and his commitment to Chardians, share in discussions about the history of water in Chard, view Chard’s Lace Industry: a touring exhibition and join the Lace Riot Walk or the Blue Plaque Heritage Walk exploring more of this historic market town.
Thursday 15th September, various times
Numatic Site Tours – Have a tour around the Numatic Factory and see the home of an Astounding Invention 'Henry', you will have to opportunity to see the showroom, the museum and the factory. There are three tours throughout the day, 10am - 11am, 12pm – 1pm and 2pm - 3pm.
Various churches are also opening their doors for you to explore their historic buildings, learn about their histories, view displays and demonstrations, along with much more!
Councillor Jason Baker, portfolio holder for Chard Regeneration, said: “I am delighted to see Chard as part of the Heritage Open Days for another year. From the Lace Mills and water rills to aviation and inventions, the event is the perfect platform to celebrate the rich history and culture of the town. Thank you to all the local communities, groups and volunteers that have made this possible.”
Liam Montgomery, Heritage Open Days Marketing & Projects Manager said: “We’re thrilled to see a lively programme of events in the South West already taking shape for this year’s festival – an area that never disappoints during HODs! Our 2022 theme Astounding Inventions offers great scope for events, and Chard Regeneration team at South Somerset District Council are planning to take a closer look at some of the inventors and inventions connected to the local area. We can’t wait to see how the programme in the South West continues to populate with exciting events over the summer.”
For more information about the Heritage Open Days in Chard and a full list of events, visit the Heritage Open Days website.
The High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) team at South Somerset District Council has encouraged partners to put on activities for Heritage Open Days 2022, contributing to achieving Chard’s potential as a unique place to live, work and visit. We hope that this year’s special events will encourage even more organisations and property owners to get involved in future years.
The HSHAZ programme has three parts:
- Public realm improvements
- Grants for the repair and renovation of historic buildings and shopfronts
- Community engagement
A local consortium of cultural and community partners is also running a HSHAZ cultural programme – Culturally Chard. The HSHAZ is part of the Chard Regeneration Project which aims to improve the urban environment so that it has a quality that is comparable to the town’s stunning natural setting and rich cultural heritage. You can find out more about the aims of Chard Regeneration and the HSHAZ at www.chardregeneration.co.uk.
High Streets Heritage Action Zones
The High Streets Heritage Action Zones is a £95 million government-funded programme led by Historic England, designed to secure lasting improvements and help breathe new life into our historic high streets for the communities and businesses that use them. Historic England is working with local people and partners to unlock the rich heritage on these high streets, through repair and improvement works as well as arts and cultural programmes, making them more attractive to residents, businesses, tourists and investors. https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/regenerating-historic-high-streets/
Historic England
We are Historic England the public body that helps people care for, enjoy and celebrate England’s spectacular historic environment, from beaches and battlefields to parks and pie shops. We protect, champion and save the places that define who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. We care passionately about the stories they tell, the ideas they represent and the people who live, work and play among them. Working with communities and specialists we share our passion, knowledge and skills to inspire interest, care and conservation, so everyone can keep enjoying and looking after the history that surrounds us all.
