Yorkshire


<p>It’s Britain’s biggest free festival of history and culture – and Yorkshire, naturally, is showing off.<strong> <a href="https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heritage Open Days</a> </strong>takes place across 10 glorious days in September (12-21 Sept), doors that are often firmly shut will swing open across the county, from cliff-top cottages and Edwardian waterworks to monastic abbeys, futuristic stadiums and even a working Victorian bath house. Expect guided tours, quirky tales, behind-the-scenes snooping and plenty of wow moments – and did we mention it’s all free? Here’s our pick of the most fascinating spots to explore.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-whitby">WHITBY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-231.png" alt="Abbeville, The Little Yellow Cottage Heritage Open Days" class="wp-image-5108" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-231.png 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-231-300x200.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-231-1024x683.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-231-768x512.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-abbeville-the-little-yellow-cottage-nbsp-sat-20-sept-10am-4pm">Abbeville, The Little Yellow Cottage&nbsp;(Sat 20 Sept, 10am–4pm)</h4>



<p>Whitby’s not short of eye-candy cottages, but this one is pure heritage catnip. Built around 1770, Abbeville had fallen into complete disrepair until her current owner rolled up his sleeves for a three-year restoration epic. Expect lime plaster mixed with animal hair, handmade brickwork and wood beams replaced as faithfully as possible. Peer out the sash windows across the harbour and you’ll see why this dinky Grade II listed bolthole has stood guard for 250 years. Top insider tip: ask about the secrets unearthed during the renovation – this house has stories to spill.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-helmsley-amp-ampleforth">HELMSLEY &amp; AMPLEFORTH</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1344" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/492009643_1242082391254559_233128873271937972_n.jpg" alt="All Saints Church, Helmsley" class="wp-image-5106" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/492009643_1242082391254559_233128873271937972_n.jpg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/492009643_1242082391254559_233128873271937972_n-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/492009643_1242082391254559_233128873271937972_n-1024x672.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/492009643_1242082391254559_233128873271937972_n-768x504.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/492009643_1242082391254559_233128873271937972_n-1536x1008.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-all-saints-church-helmsley-nbsp-12-21-sept-daily-9am-5pm">All Saints Church, Helmsley&nbsp;(12–21 Sept, daily 9am–5pm)</h4>



<p>Helmsley’s market square is dominated by this beauty, and with good reason. It’s not every day you stumble across a church mentioned in the Domesday Book, with a Viking hogback stone lurking inside. Add in one of Yorkshire’s largest chancels and some grand Victorian restorations by Temple Moore (including murals and stained glass), and you’ve got a heritage hotspot worth lingering in. Over Heritage Open Days, the programme’s packed: drop-in tours, brass band performances, an exhibition by artist Anna Matyus, and a talk from Spectator writer Martin Vander Weyer on Moore’s legacy. The sort of cultural feast that makes you feel terribly erudite afterwards.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ampleforth-abbey-amp-college-nbsp-sat-20-sept-10am-4pm">Ampleforth Abbey &amp; College&nbsp;(Sat 20 Sept, 10am–4pm)</h4>



<p>Mouse-spotting is practically a sport here. Robert Thompson – the legendary “Mouseman” – carved his trademark rodents into hundreds of pieces of furniture, and Ampleforth holds one of the biggest collections anywhere. Layer on the majestic abbey church designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (he of Liverpool Cathedral and the humble red phone box), plus the backdrop of rolling Howardian Hills, and you’ve got architectural grandeur and monastic calm rolled into one. Don’t miss the chance to chat with the Benedictine monks who’ve called this place home since 1802.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leeds">LEEDS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1360" height="1020" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/2025-04-02.jpg" alt="Bramley Baths LEEDS HERITAGE OPEN DAYS" class="wp-image-5103" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/2025-04-02.jpg 1360w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/2025-04-02-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/2025-04-02-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/2025-04-02-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1360px) 100vw, 1360px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bramley-baths-nbsp-sat-13-sept-tours-at-10am-amp-11am">Bramley Baths&nbsp;(Sat 13 Sept, tours at 10am &amp; 11am)</h4>



<p>Bramley Baths is the last surviving public bath house in Leeds, and stepping inside is like plunging straight into Edwardian times (without the corsets). Think soaring arched roof, stained glass and a chimney that doubles as a local landmark. Tours cover how the baths once kept the community clean and how they’re still making waves today, from aqua yoga to family swims. Insider intel: the building was rescued by locals when the council tried to close it – a proper Yorkshire underdog story.</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-burmantofts-pottery-leeds-discovery-centre-nbsp-fri-12-sept-2pm-fully-booked">Burmantofts Pottery, Leeds Discovery Centre&nbsp;(Fri 12 Sept, 2pm – fully booked)</h4>



<p>Leeds once exported ceramics as far as Rio de Janeiro, thanks to Burmantofts Pottery. Famed for its lustrous glazes and flamboyant faience, the company was at the cutting edge of design in the late 19th century. Today its decorative tiles can still be spotted on buildings across the city – the Midland Hotel in Manchester and London Underground stations also got the Burmantofts treatment. This one-off session goes deep into the collection at Leeds Discovery Centre. Fully booked (of course), but one to put on your radar if you’re a fan of collectable ceramics or Victorian industrial swagger.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-230-1024x683.png" alt="Leeds university Brotherton Library Heritage Open Day
" class="wp-image-5104" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-230-1024x683.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-230-300x200.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-230-768x512.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-230.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-libraries-through-time-university-of-leeds-nbsp-tue-16-sept-10-30am-12pm-amp-2-30-4pm">Libraries Through Time, University of Leeds&nbsp;(Tue 16 Sept, 10.30am–12pm &amp; 2.30–4pm)</h4>



<p>Bookworms, rejoice: this is a tour through 100 years of campus architecture. Begin with the marble-pillared grandeur of the 1936 Brotherton Library – proper old-school academia with a dome to rival Rome. Next stop: the Seventies Edward Boyle Library, a Brutalist beast beloved by architecture buffs (and less so by anyone who studied there during power cuts). Finally, step into the 2015 Laidlaw Library, all glass, light and plug sockets galore – proof that students now need Wi-Fi more than oxygen. Pack comfy shoes: it’s part walking tour, part time travel.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-huddersfield">HUDDERSFIELD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-228.png" alt="Huddersfield Kirklees Stadium Heritage Open Days" class="wp-image-5099" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-228.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-228-300x300.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-228-150x150.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-228-768x768.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Untitled-design-228-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kirklees-stadium-john-smith-s-stadium-nbsp-wed-17-sept-9am-12pm-drop-in">Kirklees Stadium, John Smith’s Stadium&nbsp;(Wed 17 Sept, 9am–12pm, drop-in)</h4>



<p>Forget ye olde castles – in the Nineties this was Yorkshire’s most radical build. When Kirklees Stadium opened, it won RIBA’s Building of the Year (the only sports ground ever to do so), thanks to its space-age steel trusses and uninterrupted sightlines. Poet Simon Armitage dubbed it a “blue and white lunar module” – and he wasn’t far off. Thirty years later, the Legends Bar open day celebrates with original architectural drawings and memorabilia. Insider tip: even if you’re not a footie fan, go for the architecture geek-out.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-halifax">HALIFAX</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Bankfield-museum-oak-gallery.jpg" alt="Oak Gallery at Bankfield Museum Halifax" class="wp-image-5097" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Bankfield-museum-oak-gallery.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Bankfield-museum-oak-gallery-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/Bankfield-museum-oak-gallery-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bankfield-museum-nbsp-sun-14-sept-10am-4pm">Bankfield Museum&nbsp;(Sun 14 Sept, 10am–4pm)</h4>



<p>Once a wealthy mill owner’s Italianate mansion, Bankfield is now a treasure trove of exhibitions. Over Heritage Open Days you’ll find TV and film costume drama outfits (hello, <em>Bridgerton</em>), nostalgic shop displays, local artworks featuring everything from high street nostalgia to climate-change challenges. With its ornate interiors and ever-eclectic displays, this is heritage with a modern, playful twist.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scarborough">SCARBOROUGH</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="2048" height="1536" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/514488742_1159809412847294_1640038478983350453_n.jpg" alt="Scarborough Central Tramway Company" class="wp-image-5095" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/514488742_1159809412847294_1640038478983350453_n.jpg 2048w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/514488742_1159809412847294_1640038478983350453_n-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/514488742_1159809412847294_1640038478983350453_n-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/514488742_1159809412847294_1640038478983350453_n-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/514488742_1159809412847294_1640038478983350453_n-1536x1152.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-central-tramway-company-nbsp-fri-12-amp-mon-15-sept-tours-10am-amp-11-15am">Central Tramway Company&nbsp;(Fri 12 &amp; Mon 15 Sept, tours 10am &amp; 11.15am)</h4>



<p>Victorian Scarborough was nothing if not inventive, and the cliff tramways were the original Uber. Of the five funiculars that once trundled tourists up and down the steep cliffs, just two survive today. Central Tramway is opening up its engine room so you can marvel at the Victorian machinery (recently given a 21st-century tech upgrade). Tours are capped at 12 people and end with a free return ride – worth it for the sea views alone.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flamborough">FLAMBOROUGH</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1800" height="1350" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/waterworks_05.jpg" alt="Pump House Flamborough Old Waterworks Yorkshire Heritage Open Days" class="wp-image-5093" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/waterworks_05.jpg 1800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/waterworks_05-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/waterworks_05-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/waterworks_05-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/09/waterworks_05-1536x1152.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px" /></figure>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-old-waterworks-nbsp-sat-20-amp-sun-21-sept-tours-10am-amp-2pm">The Old Waterworks&nbsp;(Sat 20 &amp; Sun 21 Sept, tours 10am &amp; 2pm)</h4>



<p>Before 1906, the villagers of Flamborough got their water from wells and horse-drawn carts (not ideal in a Yorkshire winter). Then came a 232ft-deep well, a wind-powered pumping station and a vaulted reservoir straight out of Edwardian engineering heaven. This tour takes you underground into the reservoir, complete with original pumping gear, while guides regale you with tales of the colourful characters who kept it running. Currently being converted into living accommodation, so this might be your only chance to see inside.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<div style="height:70px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://yorkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/insider-guide-skipton-castle-yorkshire/">Out you go! The Muddy insider guide to Skipton</a></li>



<li><a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/travel/uk/october-half-term-breaks-with-something-for-everyone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">October half-term breaks with something for everyone</a></li>



<li><a href="https://yorkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/whats-on-in-september/">Your September social hit list: Festivals, foodie fun and immersive culture await</a></li>
</ul>


Heritage Open Days: Discover Yorkshire’s hidden gems for free

You may also like