Mole Valley Heritage Open Days

18/09/2025

Plenty more coming up this weekend right across Mole Valley! Here is just a taster 😀

Leatherhead Art Club & Surrey Figurative Artists are both holding exhibitions at Leatherhead Community Association. Artists will be on hand to discuss their work and many pieces will be for sale. 👩‍🎨

Lowfield Heath Windmill, Providence Chapel Charlwood Surrey UK & St Nicholas Church Charlwood will all be open across the weekend. Meet at the church for a gentle stroll around the village to view the many period buildings. 2.30pm on Sunday.

Leatherhead Library will screen a film shot in Leatherhead during the last months of WW2. 'Civilians In Uniform' plays between 10am - 1pm on Saturday.

Buckland Windmill, the only surviving wind powered saw mill in the UK will open for visitors on Saturday only.

Dorking Halls & The Green Room Theatre - Dorking Dramatic and Operatic Society both open on Saturday for behind the scenes tours. 🎟🎭

Full listings at https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/whats-on/printable-area-lists/mole-valley.html

Images: Buckland Windmill, Leatherhead Art Club, The Green Room Theatre, Dorking Halls

17/09/2025

16/09/2025

After a wet and windy start, we're looking forward to the more settled weather for Heritage Open Days this week!
There is plenty to see and do in Mole Valley 👇

Wednesday: Pippbrook House, the Victorian Gothic mansion designed by George Gilbert Scott. 11am - 3pm.

Wednesday - Saturday: Rowhurst and Fire and Iron Gallery. A rare chance to see inside this always intriguing house and visit the fascinating Fire & Iron Gallery with live blacksmithing taking place. 11am - 4pm.

Saturday: Fetcham Park & St. Mary's Church. Marvel at the Louis Laguerre murals and take a walk in the serene garden. Take a short stroll to St. Mary's to admire the newly conserved Charles II Royal Coat of Arms.

Saturday: Tea-Time Talk at Leith Hill Place NT. Join international planning and development consultant, Timothy Crawshaw for a fascinating Tea-Time Talk on the theme ‘Healthy Places, Healthy People’.

Images: Fetcham Park, Leith Hill Place, Rowhurst

08/09/2025

Heritage Open Days starts this Friday! Join us for England’s largest festival of history and culture - all for FREE!

Some of our events are already fully booked but there are more to explore without needing to book. 👇👇👇

Welcome to Heritage Open Days 2025 - a totally free festival celebrating everything that is unique about our local and national heritage.

02/08/2025

Every year at Heritage Open Days we hear about people who have lived locally for years yet never set foot in their local church. If that sounds like you, then why not explore one of the thirteen churches opening this September in Mole Valley?

Entry is FREE to all with a range of activates on offer for all ages.

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/whats-on/printable-area-lists/mole-valley.html

Visit Mole Valley

29/07/2025

All of our events are totally FREE to attend but some require pre-booking in advance. Make sure you secure your ticket now for some of our hottest properties! 🎟🏦

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/whats-on/printable-area-lists/mole-valley.html

15/07/2025

Our 2025 brochure is here, featuring over fifty fantastic events taking place across Mole Valley this September. Best of all, they are all FREE to attend! Tell us what catches your eye below...!

Welcome to Heritage Open Days 2025 - a totally free festival celebrating everything that is unique about our local and national heritage.

17/09/2024

We've had a fantastic time this year at Heritage Open Days. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and energy to make it a success, without you it wouldn't be possible!

Thank you if you took the time to visit a property, listen to a talk or take a guided walk - our volunteers love the enthusiasm of our visitors!

We'd love to hear your feedback about what you enjoyed this year. You can fill in this short national survey https://ow.ly/QIy850TijWh and be in with a chance to win a £250 Fortnum & Mason Hamper!

You can also comment below or email us at [email protected]

13/09/2024

Our last post of the week, here's a rundown of what's happening in the villages this weekend. You can visit all of these amazing places for FREE as part of Heritage Open Days. With the weather looking great for the weekend, there is no better time to get out!

Buckland Windmill - The only surviving example of a wind-powered sawmill left in the UK, in the garden of Yewdells, a listed timber framed cottage.

St Michael's Church, Betchworth - Film enthusiasts might recognise St Michael's as the first church in 90s blockbuster, '4 Weddings & A Funeral'. The cameras are long gone but you can visit the bell tower and discover the history of this beautiful church.

St Michael & All Angels, Mickleham - Churchyard Connections with Nature - Join the team of volunteers who have been working hard connecting the church grounds with the surrounding nature. Inside, explore the history of a building dating from Norman times and was once painted by Turner!

The A24: Mickleham's Old London Road - This illustrated display will take in the history of the ancient route through the Mole Gap, before and after the modern bypass was built. Taking place at St Michael & All Angels.

The Origin of Roads & Tracks in Newdigate - Newdigate Local History Society will be showing how local roads and tracks developed over time in and around the village. You'll also learn the origins of many familiar road names you know well today.

Surrey Archaeological Society - The library and research centre are open, with their collection of journals, books and reports on local history. A working party will be studying flint artefacts along with other displays.

Dorking Brewery - What better way to start, or end your day than a visit to this award winning brewery, tucked away in Capel. Take a tour and be sure to sample the produce while you're there!

12/09/2024

This morning we're focussing on events taking place in Dorking. Remember, all events are totally FREE to attend and this might be your only chance to visit until next year!

Downs Solicitors LLP - Hidden in plain sight on Dorking high street stands this listed building and enchanting secret garden. The word is that they've taken time out of their busy schedule to bake some delicious treats too!

St Barnabas Church, Ranmore - This Victorian church stands on the North Downs Way, so it's perfect to stop at and enjoy the views after a stroll up from the town centre.

Dorking United Reformed Church - They've been following the 'Walking The Way' theme over the last few months and you can explore their imaginative displays, with contributions from across the church community.

Dorking Museum - Tying in with the autumn exhibition 'Sweeping Through History', the museum are running a special transport themed model-making session for all to enjoy!

Mullins Coffee Shop - The perfect historical pitstop on your visit, enjoy sumptuous cakes in the only example of a Pilgrim Father's house still in existence.

Dorking Dramatic and Operatic Society - DDOS - Tucked away behind Dorking Halls is the Green Room Theatre, home to DDOS since the sixties. Built during WWII for the Canadian Army, this 86 seat theatre will have displays on the history of the society as well as volunteers in period dress giving tours and serving tea and cakes!

HelloDorking

11/09/2024

Today we're highlighting the properties in the Effingham & Little Bookham Heritage Open Days Group. Our thanks to Effingham Residents Association for arranging this.

This Saturday, 14th September you can visit all these properties by walking the Effingham Heritage Trail & Bishop's Walk. Free parking is available at Manor House School, the Tithe Barn & Our Lady of Sorrows. Maps are available from all properties. Opening times may vary.

Manor Farm Tithe Barn - 'The Village Between Two Ancient Routeways: Exploring the History of Little Bookham'
A special exhibition will explore the history of this tiny village. The setting is the beautiful Grade II listed 15th Century Tithe Barn, one of the largest in Surrey.

Effingham Methodist Church - Exhibitions about the chapel & village as well as dinosaurs, fossils and local heroes! Refreshments are available!

Manor House School, Bookham - Take a self guided tour of this elegant 18th Century manor house and explore the beautifully landscaped grounds.

The Churches of St Lawrence, Effingham and All Saints, Little Bookham - At All Saints', discover the history of the memorials to local lords of the manor & see probably the finest set of hatchments in Surrey.
St Lawrence houses the grave of Sir Barnes Wallis, find out more about him and other parishioners via displays in the church.

Effingham Golf Club - Formerly Effingham House dating from the early 18th Century, illustrated displays will explain the history of the club house and course of one of the top 100 golf courses in England.

Our Lady of Sorrows - Although designed in the early English Saxon style, this church dates from the early 20th Century. A Carrera marble Pieta stands in memory to the founder.

https://effinghamresidents.org.uk/heritage-open-day

10/09/2024

We had a fantastic opening weekend for Heritage Open Days in Mole Valley, thanks to everyone who dodged the rain!

Here's a preview of just some of what's coming up for the rest of the week, starting in the north of the district!

A Stitch in Time - Visit one of Surrey's oldest house 'Rowhurst' alongside Fire and Iron Gallery to discover several millennia of local history.

Romans at Leatherhead Museum - Meet the time travelling Romans and learn about the original archaeological dig on Ashtead Common. Try your hand at some traditional Roman crafts like tile decoration, pinch pots or spinning wool yarn.

St John's School, Leatherhead - Join a tour of this magnificent school with its splendid mix of old and new architecture. (Pre-booking required)

Friends of Ashtead Rye Meadows Wetlands - Open daily from 10am - 4pm to explore at your leisure.

Leatherhead Library - Housed in the Grade II listed 'The Mansion', Leatherhead Library has set up a display about its interesting and varied history.

A Call to Arms: The History of the Surrey Yeomanry at Fetcham Park - Grade II* Listed Fetcham Park will host this Dorking Museum curated display about the Surrey Yeomanry and their connections with Dorking and its surrounding estates. St Mary's Church Fetcham is situated next door and well worth a visit at the same time.

Leatherhead Art Club & Surrey Figurative Artists are also hosting exhibitions at the Leatherhead Community Association on Friday & Saturday.