EVENTS
Please click on a date to go to the events for the specific day.
Marconi Walk Railway Station to New Street
Friday 6th September
Times:
10:00
Booking:
Location:
Chelmsford Railway Station, Duke Street, Chelmsford CM1 1HT
Info:
This guided circular walk to and from the front of Chelmsford railway station will take us on a tour of the home of the electronic age and the site that was once the world’s first purpose-built wireless factory. It was here that the technical team of the Marconi Company made the transition from Morse Code to Wireless Telephony, a communication we now know as radio, but that was just the start.
In a few short years, the factory was adapted to develop the technology that became radar and soon after the leap into the electronic transmission of moving pictures, the innovation of what we now call television. On our visit, we will see evidence of the Marconi heydays, which will include three historical structures; the Power House, the Water Tower and the magnificent 1912 Administration Building.This walking tour is not only a celebration of Mr Guglielmo Marconi and his great achievements but also a tribute to the thousands of local people, who over the years, have worked for the global organisation that networked the world and was the Marconi Company.
Chelmsford City’s Secret Waterways Walk
Friday 6th September
Times:
14:00
Booking:
Location:
Meet outside: Metro Bank, 38 High Street, CM1 1BE
Info:
Short walk of parts of the Chelmer & Backwater Canal/waterway which are largely unknown by most visitors and residents. A short distance from the hustle and bustle of the City and its feeder roads is a haven of peace and tranquillity, described as Chelmsford hidden gem.
Gently walk from the busy city centre along the now peaceful waterway which was once the major transport route supplying the then town with heavy goods and which ultimately led to the town becoming a major centre of engineering excellence. See the canoe rollers, the magnificent Essex Records Office, the site of the proposed new lock, the water-meadows, Barnes Mill Lock, and the Basin, which was once the hub of significant industrial activity and much more!
The Untold Story of the First Female Agents of the First World War Talk
Friday 6th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Location:
Patch, 5-6 Grays Yard, CM2 6QR
Info:
This talk explores the lives and actions of several extraordinary women who faced death by firing squad for four long years.
Forming networks and connections which crossed countries and borders, they spent their wartime lives in the shadows; one false step or move would cost them their lives. Come along and hear about two Belgian, one French and one Italian woman whose actions were designed to help change the course of the war. Discover some of the spy-craft tricks used between 1914 and 1918 and meet the most important spymaster of the war, who just happened to be a spymistress!
Heritage Memory Board
Friday 6th September (Day 1)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Location:
The Meadows Shopping Centre
Info:
After the great success of last year's board. we have decided to do this again. Share your memories of Chelmsford heritage on our memory board. Fill in a post-it note and post on the board; this will also help us with ideas for future Heritage Open Days festivals!
Photography Competition
Friday 6th September (Day 1)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Location:
High Chelmer Shopping Centre, Exchange Way, Chelmsford CM1 1XB
Info:
The best photos will be displayed in the High Chelmer Shopping Centre for the duration of the festival.
The theme this year is heritage and water so maybe: An old boat at Maldon, beach huts at Mersea, Southend Pier, a pillbox on the river Chelmer, lock gates at Heybridge or the sea wall at Canvey.
Anything with heritage by the water!
Please email your photos at a size of at least 1mb to hello@chelmsfordhod.co.uk. There are two categories, 18 and over and under 18 (if under 18 please let us know). There is a prize of a voucher for the winners of each age category. The closing date is August 24th 2024.
Tour of Galleywood Heritage Centre and Its Archives
Friday 6th September
Times:
10:30 & 11:30
Booking:
10:30: www.eventbrite.co.uk
11:30: www.eventbrite.co.uk
Location:
Galleywood Heritage Centre, The Common, off Margaretting Road, Galleywood, Chelmsford CM2 8TR
Info:
Located on Galleywood Common, the Heritage Centre’s main building is a conversion of the 1920s grandstand from the hey days of horse racing. A listening bench in the ground has stories from yesteryear from Galleywood residents past & present.
Just outside the grounds on Galleywood Common, the track of the old racecourse can be seen. A short walk across the free public car park close by brings visitors to the remains of the Napoleonic era star fort earthworks, which has an interpretation board.
The Horseshoe tea room will be open from 10am for hot and cold drinks, home made cake and light refreshments.
1940s Day in Tindal Square
Saturday 7th September
Times:
10:00 - 16:00
Booking:
Not required
Location:
Tindal Square, Chelmsford CM1 1EH
Info:
From feedback from last years Tindal Square day, this year we decided to have a 1940s day of entertainment and military vehicles from Essex Historic Military Vehicle Association with stalls from local organisations. There will be music from 12pm-4pm from local choirs and singing groups with songs from the era. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are to due to visit this event. Feel free to dress up in 1940s attire!
A Walk in JA Baker Country
Saturday 7th September
Times:
14:00
Booking:
Location:
Little Baddow History Centre, Chapel Lane, Little Baddow, CM3 4BE
Info:
JA Baker’s book The Peregrine (1967) is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding books on nature in the twentieth century. It is set to the east of Chelmsford, with Little Baddow an important location. This walk will visit places associated with Baker in this most attractive part of the Chelmer Valley.
John Alec Baker (1926-1987) was an author who lived his life in Chelmsford - he has a Heritage Blue Plaque placed outside his flat in Stansted Close in 2020. His book The Peregrine describes his observations of peregrines, especially in the Chelmer Valley and along the Essex coast. It is regarded as a masterpiece of English non-fiction by many and has been an important influence on many current nature writers. The walk will visit some of the sites identified in the book and those included in his diaries. It will be on minor roads and (possibly muddy!) public footpaths.
The walk is run by Chelmer Valley Landscape Group who seek to develop enhanced understanding, conservation and management of the Chelmer valley landscape.
Springfield Lyons Bronze Age
Saturday 7th September (Day 1)
CANCELLED
Apologies, we have had to cancel this event, we hope to host for next years Heritage Open Days.
Times:
11:00, 12:00, 14:00 & 15:00
Booking:
Location:
North-east of Chelmer Village Way, Chelmsford, CM2 5AR
Enclosure Tours (what3words: thus.exact.blues)
Info:
This is a fantastic opportunity to explore one of the forgotten gems of Chelmsford’s history, a Bronze Age enclosure used as the home of an important chief around 850BC.
With the help of local historians, visitors will learn what life was like in this special corner of prehistoric Chelmsford, when swords were forged, strange rituals were carried out and the land was used as a cemetery. Visitors can look at the Bronze Age enclosure itself, which is very well preserved, while enjoying the peaceful oasis of green space sandwiched between commercial and residential areas. Organisers will describe how the site was the home of an important Chelmsford chief towards the end of the Bronze Age, while being part of a Stonehenge-like ritual landscape which included a mortuary enclosure, Neolithic enclosure and nationally-important cursus monument, all now lost.
Local historians will take small groups of visitors on a tour inside the Bronze Age enclosure, teaching them why it was built and what life was like for the inhabitants, before showing them the archaeological pits left from the excavation of the adjacent Anglo-Saxon cemetery. The tour will end with a viewing of a Second World War pillbox, located in peaceful woodland to the east of the enclosure.
Visitors are free to take photos, and while the site is great for picnics, there is a well-stocked café at a nearby Longacre Garden Centre. The What3words location is: thus.exact.blues.
As you leave the roundabout from Cuton Hall Lane to Chelmer Village Way and descend downhill, there is an information board and public footpath sign visible on the left-hand side, you can take this foot path or the next footpath where there will be a temporary signboard.
Chelmsford Black History Walk
Saturday 7th September
Times:
14:00
Booking:
Location:
Meet at: Anne Knight Building, Duke Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1LW
Info:
Meet at the Anne Knight Building for this walk which will take in the cathedral and points of the High Street along to the non-conformist cemetery in New London Road where Joseph Freeman’s head stone is located. It has recently been given listed status. Learn about notable people from Chelmsford’s past from your guide, Winnie.
Heritage Memory Board
Saturday 7th September (Day 2)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Saturday 7th September (Day 2)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
History Rock Snake
Sunday 8th September (Day 1)
Times:
10:00 - 14:00
Booking:
Not required
Location:
Boleyn Gardens, Beaulieu Park, Chelmsford, CM1 6EB
Info:
Chelmsford’s first history themed rock snake is going to be created at Boleyn Gardens! Paint your rock with something from history and add it to the snake or join us for one of the two painting sessions.
You can place your rock between 6th and 15th September, the park is open from 7.30am to 8pm.
Springfield Lyons Bronze Age Enclosure Tours
what3words: thus.exact.blues
Sunday 8th September (Day 2)
CANCELLED
Apologies, we have had to cancel this event, we hope to host for next years Heritage Open Days.
Times:
11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00
Booking:
Info:
Heritage Memory Board
Sunday 8th September (Day 3)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Sunday 8th September (Day 3)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Stock Windmill Tours
Sunday 8th September
Times:
14:00 - 17:00
Booking:
Not required
Location:
Stock Tower Mill, Mill Lane, Stock, CM4 9NE
Info:
Stock Windmill is a Grade II listed tower mill built around 1804. Popular and complete with several floors of machinery, at open days mill guides explain how grain was converted into flour.
The mill has four patent sails, a boat-shaped cap, a six-bladed fantail and three pairs of overdrift (operated from above) millstones. It is in working order and is worked occasionally, turning 360 degrees to catch changing winds. You can visit all five floors and there is room for picnics on the mill’s grounds.
Built in the heyday of wheat farming and high corn prices, there were once three mills on this site, run by the village baker.
A steam engine was added to the mill in 1902. The mill used wind power up until and 1930, then ran for a further six years using an internal combustion engine. Essex County Council bought the mill in 1945. Repairs began in 1991, part-funded by English Heritage and involving Friends of Stock Tower Mill, restoring the mill to working order.
New Hall, Essex’s Unknown Royal Palace Talk
Monday 9th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Location:
Patch, 5-6 Grays Yard, CM2 6QR
Info:
Henry VIII was a prolific builder and acquirer of properties, bequeathing 60 more buildings to his successors than he had inherited. Notable among these was Beaulieu Palace, north of Chelmsford, known before that and most of the time since as New Hall. It was one of his first ventures and was ready for occupation in 1520. It was designed to accommodate the whole Royal Court as a centre of government.
But why was landlocked Beaulieu so remote from London? Other palaces were strung out accessibly along the Thames from Greenwich to Windsor. A Time Team project in 2009 excavated the former entrance courtyard in front of the remaining Tudor wing of the palace that now constitutes the splendid frontage of New Hall School. The archaeological evidence and observation of surviving Tudor artefacts above ground revealed the dynastic reasons for this remote location and for Beaulieu’s short duration as a centre of royal government.
Heritage Memory Board
Monday 9th September (Day 4)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Monday 9th September (Day 4)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Galleywood Common Guided Walk
Tuesday 10th September
Times:
10:30
Booking:
Location:
Galleywood Heritage Centre, The Common, off Margaretting Road, Galleywood, Chelmsford CM2 8TR
Info:
Located on Galleywood Common, the Heritage Centre’s main building is a conversion of the 1920s grandstand from the heyday of horse racing. A listening bench in the ground has stories from yesteryear from the Galleywood residents past and present.
Just outside the grounds on Galleywood Common, the track of the old racecourse can be seen. A short walk across the free public car park close by brings visitors to the remains of the Napoleonic era Star Fort earthworks which has an interpretation board.
The walk will follow part of the track of the old racecourse and will visit the remains of the earthworks the exterior of St Michael’s Church and more. Sensible shoes and clothing should be worn in case of inclement weather. In the Heritage Room there will be various displays, photographs and information about the racecourse and much more.
Galleywood Heritage Centre Archives Talk
Tuesday 10th September
Times:
14:00
Booking:
Location:
Galleywood Heritage Centre, The Common, off Margaretting Rd, Galleywood, Chelmsford CM2 8TR
Info:
The talk about Galleywood’s history will include photographs from our archives and cover the racecourse, the two windmills, Napoleonic remains and much more. As well as attending the talk, visitors can look around the Heritage Centre Located on Galleywood Common. the Heritage Centre’s main building is a conversion of the 1920s grandstand from the hey days of horse racing. A listening bench in the ground has stories from yesteryear from the Galleywood residents past and present.
Just outside the grounds on Galleywood Common, the track of the old racecourse can be seen. A short walk across the free public car park close by brings visitors to the remains of the Napoleonic era Star Fort earthworks which has an interpretation board. In the Heritage Room there will be various displays, photographs and information about the racecourse and much more.
The Horseshoe Tea Room will be open before and after the talk for hot and cold drinks and homemade cake.
Porridge Revisited Talk
Tuesday 10th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Location:
Patch, 5-6 Grays Yard, Chelmsford, CM2 6QR
Info:
This talk reviews the TV comedy starring Ronnie Barker. It reacquaints the audience with the programme and its main characters and revisits some of their adventures. It looks at some of the practices shown in Porridge that were later incorporated into the wider regime in UK prisons today. The talk will show clips from the programme which are templates for modern day diversity, equality and inclusivity (yes really!) by using the strongest tool of them all - humour. You will see why Porridge is just as relevant today as when it was first shown.
Heritage Memory Board
Tuesday 10th September (Day 5)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Tuesday 10th September (Day 5)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Curator's Tour of Restless Brilliance: The Story of JA Baker and The Peregrine
Wednesday 11th September
Times:
13:30
Booking:
Location:
Chelmsford Museum, Oaklands Park, Moulsham St, Chelmsford CM2 9AQ
Info:
Join curator Sarah Harvey to explore author JA Baker’s life, writing and love of nature on a tour of the exhibition, Restless Brilliance: The Story of JA Baker and The Peregrine at Chelmsford Museum. The exhibition brings the Baker Archive, held by the Albert Sloman Library, University of Essex, back to Baker’s hometown - the first time that this archive has been on public display.
Author John Alec Baker (1926 – 1987) was born and lived, almost his whole life, in Chelmsford. His best known work, The Peregrine, was first published in 1967 and was an immediate success. Reviews called it a masterpiece of nature writing and it won several awards. Since then, Baker’s unique poetic writing has continued to inspire a new generation of nature writers and naturalists but despite all this success, very little was known about Baker himself. His writing is based on walks and cycle rides around the Blackwater estuary, Danbury Hill and the Chelmsford area. Here he followed and studied peregrine falcons, condensing all his observations into the book The Peregrine.
Mr Marconi and the Birth of Wireless 1890-1922
Wednesday 11th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Location:
Patch, 5-6 Grays Yard, Chelmsford, CM2 6QR
Info:
We could not do Heritage Open Days with a theme of routes, connections and networks without mentioning Marconi! Alan Pamphilon takes us back to the early days of wireless. This true story centres completely around one man from Italy, Senior Guglielmo Marconi, and how his creative thinking influenced the working lives of so many people in the then market town of Chelmsford.
The technical and entrepreneurial abilities of this man went on to allow the world to communicate by wireless, later called radio. A wonder at the time, but a technical achievement that is very much today part of our everyday lives.
This narrative will take us from the early days of morse code to speech over the airwaves and then on to the early days of regular broadcasting from the Essex village of Writtle. All this groundbreaking work directly led to the early days of the BBC.
Heritage Memory Board
Wednesday 11th September (Day 6)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Wednesday 11th September (Day 6)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Staplegrove - The Chelmsford Club Tour
Thursday 12th September
Times:
10:00, 12:00 & 14:00
Booking:
10:00: www.eventbrite.co.uk
12:00: www.eventbrite.co.uk
14:00: www.eventbrite.co.uk
Venue:
108 New London Rd, Chelmsford, CM2 0RG
Info:
Staplegrove was built as a 9-bedroom mansion with servant’s quarters, a coach house and stables, in its own estate in the centre of Chelmsford… bought in secret! How? By whom? And more importantly why?
Role the clock back to Victorian England. Chelmsford had been controlled by the Mildmay family for 300 years after they had been granted ownership by Queen Elizabeth 1st.
In the 1830s a large piece of the Mildmay estate was released for sale and bought, in secret, by a company of 5 prominent Chelmsford business men. Why in secret? Your visit will include a tour of the building and grounds, and the secret revealed.
Visitors for the tour will be met at the front door. Parking is available in nearby George Street car park. There is a large sign saying The Chelmsford Club by the entrance, at the corner of New Writtle Street and New London Road.
Chelmsford’s Dark Witch History Walk
Thursday 12th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Venue:
Meet: Bell Meadow, near the retail market.
Info:
In 1566, the first witch trial was held in a secular court in Chelmsford. This walk tells the story of some of the people involved.
Two Millennia of Life, Death and Agriculture in Little Waltham Talk
Thursday 12th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Venue:
Beaulieu Community Centre, 17 Centenary Way, Beaulieu Square, Chelmsford CM1 6AU
Info:
Large-scale excavations in Little Waltham parish between the autumn of 2023 and the summer of 2024 have uncovered important new information about the farming communities that have occupied the area since the Iron Age. This illustrated talk will examine the preliminary findings of the investigations.
Heritage Memory Board
Thursday 12th September (Day 7)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Thursday 12th September (Day 7)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
The Witch Trials Talk
Friday 13th September
Times:
19:00
Booking:
Location:
Patch, 5-6 Grays Yard, Chelmsford, CM2 6QR
Info:
In 1566, the first witch trial was held in a secular court in Chelmsford. Join Storyteller Mike Dodsworth on an investigation into the prominence of witch trials and the ruthless execution of women found guilty for the crime of witchcraft in Chelmsford during the 16th and 17th centuries.
In order to broaden the historical context of these events, Mike will be delving into the world of literature and folklore to assist in our understanding of these trials that took place, so expect to find a balance of contemporary historical accounts with readings, tellings and excerpts from authors and traditional folktales.
Heritage Memory Board
Friday 13th September (Day 8)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Friday 13th September (Day 8)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Essex Record Office Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Saturday 14th September
Times:
09:00 - 16:00. Bookable tours: 10:00, 11:30, 13:00 & 14:30
Booking:
10:00 www.eventbrite.co.uk
11:30 www.eventbrite.co.uk
13:00 www.eventbrite.co.uk
14:30 www.eventbrite.co.uk
Location:
Essex Record Office, Wharf Rd, Chelmsford CM2 6YT
Info:
As part of Chelmsford’s Heritage Open Day, the Essex Record Office will be offering free, bookable tours of the Search Room which include a look inside one of the repositories. Throughout the day there will be the opportunity to see artworks from the Essex County Council collection, a show reel of historic films from the Essex Sound and Video Archive, and the Essex Society for Family History will be onsite to give advice on family history research and launch their new website.
The Search Room will be open 09:00 to 16:00 should you wish to stay and do some research. You need a free Archives Card to use the Search Room and you can find information about applying for one here: essexrecordoffice.co.uk. You will need to bring ID for the card; the ID we can accept is outlined on the Archives Card website. An Archives Card is not required for the Heritage Open Day activities.
The ERO is the county archive service for Essex and holds primary sources for Essex history, including written archives, maps, pictorial material and recorded sound and video. It also has a library of books and pamphlets related to local history and archival research. The Essex Record Office was founded in 1938 and moved into a state-of-the-art archive building in Chelmsford town centre in 2000. The documents held by the Essex Record Office cover almost 1,000 years of Essex history and take up over eight miles of shelving all housed in the unique building, designed especially for the purpose.
St Johns Moulsham Street Open Day
Saturday 14th September
Times:
10:00 - 16:00
Booking:
Not required
Location:
Moulsham St, Chelmsford CM2 0JD
Info:
TBC
Springfield Lyons Bronze Age Enclosure Tours
what3words: thus.exact.blues
Saturday 14th September (Day 3)
CANCELLED
Apologies, we have had to cancel this event, we hope to host for next years Heritage Open Days.
Times:
11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00
Booking:
Info:
Heritage Memory Board
Saturday 14th September (Day 9)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Saturday 14th September (Day 9)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Chelmsford High Street History Walk
Sunday 15th September
Times:
14:00
Booking:
Location:
Meet at the Stone Bridge, near Toni and Guy, Chelmsford, CM2 0LR
Info:
This walk features locations along the High Street between the stone bridge and the Saracen’s Head, covering the stories and times of the people and buildings between 1860 and 1960.
Hylands Estate Open Day
Sunday 15th September
Times:
10:00 - 16:00
Booking:
Not required
Location:
Hylands House, Writtle, CM2 8WQ
Info:
TBC
St Mary with St Leonard’s Church, Broomfield Open Day
Sunday 15th September
Times:
11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00
Booking:
Not required
Location:
Church Green, Broomfield, CM1 7BD
Info:
Talk and tour of the 11th Century church building will include the Victorian restoration and the recent spire and tower works.
Talk on local artist Rosemary Rutherford, who created the unique fresco in the tower and four stained glass windows in this church, as well as over 40 other windows at home and abroad. She was a prolific 20th century artist of the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing at Benton End, with works in oil and watercolour. There is guided viewing of the life & works of Rosemary Rutherford exhibition in the church.
Tours of the church walls outside: This church has significant representative examples of the local materials used by medieval church builders. Identifying the stones and their prevenance enhances the understanding of church building in this period.
Tour of the monuments inside: The church contains significant monuments to important local people, made of a variety of stone – some rare and expensive. There are also paintings and other fascinating ornaments and stained glass.
Refreshments - tea and cake - will also be served.
Springfield Lyons Bronze Age Enclosure Tours
what3words: thus.exact.blues
Sunday 15th September (Day 4)
CANCELLED
Apologies, we have had to cancel this event, we hope to host for next years Heritage Open Days.
Times:
11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00
Booking:
Info:
History Rock Snake
Sunday 15th September (Day 2)
Times:
12:00 - 16:00
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Heritage Memory Board
Sunday 15th September (Day 10)
Times:
N/A
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Photography Competition
Sunday 15th September (Day 10)
Times:
09:00 - 17:30
Booking:
Not required
Info:
Virtual Events
See events on YouTube (see below)
The History of Chelmsford Star Co-op
What is a Co-op? Find out this and all about Chelmsford Star Co-op
King Edward Grammar School Virtual Tour
After filming in Chelmsford County High school in 2023 we thought we would film in KEGS for 2024.
Dr John Dee Podcast
John Dee attended Chelmsford Chantry School (now King Edward VI Grammar School). He was a mathematician, astronomer, teacher, astrologer, occultist and alchemist. He was also the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I.
Chelmsford’s Blue Plaques
How do blue plaques suddenly appear? What is the process to have one made and installed? Find out in this film.
A Tail of Fire, Water and Waste
Find out about the way fire, water and waste was dealt with in the past in Chelmsford.
Great Baddow Virtual Tour - Part 2
Join us for a second part of a virtual tour of Great Baddow, penned by local historian Allen Buckroyd. We find out more about some of the village’s notable buildings.
An Introduction to Backnang, Chelmsford’s Twin
Most people are aware that Chelmsford’s German twin is Backnang, but what is it like? Find out in this film.
Haunted Chelmsford Podcast
Do you believe in ghosts? If you do not, then maybe this podcast will change your mind!
The Quaker Burial Ground Virtual Tour
Take a virtual tour of this burial ground with many notable former Chelmsford residents lay, including some of the Christy family and many of the Marriage family.
Info:
Please visit our YouTube channel: Chelmsford Civic Society