Kirklees Heritage Open Days Committee

Step into September and discover Kirklees highlights you’ve never seen before! There will be well around 90 buildings to visit, and special events to enjoy, during the annual Heritage Open Days festival, which runs from Friday 11 to Sunday 20 September. Heritage Open Days is England’s biggest festival of history and culture, and all events are entirely free. Whether you’re a history lover, a family looking for something different to do, or simply curious about local stories, there’ll be something for you. Every part of the district is represented, from Batley to Marsden, Skelmanthorpe to L

This year’s national theme is ‘Everyday Histories’, and is presented by leading family history website, Findmypast https://www.findmypast.co.uk/   With billions of historical records and detail-packed newspaper archives from every corner of England, Findmypast is the perfect resource to help research local and family history.

You can visit buildings old and new which feature in the lives of local people, go on walks in Batley, Dewsbury and Huddersfield, see exhibitions in Libraries and participate in online and family friendly building trails in Museums.  These events all illustrate our local heritage.   

The upper Holme Valley has a whole programme of events around the theme “Hearth & Holme”, exploring the idea of home in its widest sense, the houses, mills, farms, churches, workshops, streets, stories and gathering places that have shaped life in the valley. They include displays, walks, talks and open days at sites including Longley Farm dairy and The Tech in Holmfirth. As Steve Davie of Holme Valley Heritage says ‘Heritage is about our identity. It is more than history, it’s about why we are here and why it matters today’..  Holme Valley events can be found at https://holmevalleyheritage.com/whats-on/

Heritage Open Days 2026 is sponsored by the newly created Kirkburton Village Archive which is working in partnership with The Universal Archive and Microform Digital. The theme for this year perfectly reflects the collections in private hands that the Archive is focused on saving for the future. Saving our heritage is at the heart of the vision of The Universal Archive. Visits to the workshops are part of the programme in Heritage Open Days Week. 

The Kirklees HODs Committee is delighted that so many volunteers across the Borough have once again risen to the challenge and put their hard work into this great festival, bringing many imaginative new ideas.  It’s a splendid advert for the rich and diverse heritage of our towns, villages and countryside.  With lots of  events to choose from, there really is something for everyone, whatever your interests and wherever you live.....

Most events are open access but some do require advance booking. Many venues offer refreshments and children’s activities.  A leaflet listing the Kirklees events is widely available across the district, and can also be found online at https://tinyurl.com/KirkleesHOD2026  

Full details of all events in Kirklees and elsewhere, including booking arrangements, can be found on the Heritage Open Days website, www.heritageopendays.org.uk  The festival is volunteer-led, but practical support from Kirklees Council and the printing company CFH Docmail Ltd is greatly appreciated.

This booklet has been printed by Kirklees’ trusted print partners at CFH – who have been supporting the council elections team since 2024 with print projects and by supporting local businesses. As a sustainable organisation, CFH have also been assisting with the council’s social value priorities and environmental commitments, including funding tree planting projects in the local region and providing paper stock to businesses throughout the area. Upload and order your very own handout just like this one through their vibrant new pop art inspired online print store, Print Lover.