CHURCHES across Worcestershire are opening their doors for this year’s Heritage Open Days with a range of activities for all ages and a chance to discover the story behind historic churches and the communities they serve. 

This year’s Heritage Open Days runs from September 9 to September 18 and are an opportunity to celebrate our heritage, community and history; exploring hidden places and trying new experiences.

A number of churches are hosting events which will be completely free to attend.

You can visit St Mary’s Church and Guarlford Village Hall where there will be an exhibition “Through All The Changing Scenes Of Life”, showing rural life through a historical context.

It will be open September 14 and September 15.

St Mary’s Church in Hanley Castle will be open 2pm to 5pm from September 9 to September 18 with an exhibition of the many and various tools which may have been used by the tradespeople of Hanley Castle over 100 years ago.

The 1911 Census shows that the residents of Hanley Castle were engaged in a wide variety of trades and professions. This exhibition seeks to showcase some of the tools they may have used and highlight the inventions that made a difference to their everyday working lives.

In the parish of Malvern Link with Cowleigh, there will be a display in St Matthias featuring local inventions with churchyard trails available for both the very young and anyone older and the Church of the Ascension will be open all week and stewarded on the Saturdays.

The church is an outstanding example of late Arts and Crafts architecture; dedicated in 1903, it was designed by Sir Walter Tapper.

At St Andrew, Ombersley, there is a chance to visit the Sandys Mausoleum created from a medieval chancel and admire the recently repaired windows on September 16, 17 and 18.

You can also discover St Peter’s Church in Powick between 11am – 4.30pm on Monday, September 12, 13 and September 15, with guided tours (including information about the civil war), children's activities and refreshments. 

Ripple Church will be open from 10am to 4pm until September 18. The church has an intriguing and amusing set of carved misericords featuring country pursuits at different times of the year, which are reputed to be the best set of misericords in the country.