Heritage Open Days: Which historic Shropshire venues are opening their doors for free this weekend
The architecture of Shropshire is under the spotlight as part of a 10-day celebration of England's history, culture and heritage.
Heritage Open Days, England's largest festival of history and culture, is taking place over ten days, starting today (Friday, September 12).
With an Architecture theme for the 2025 festival, many historic venues are opening their doors, offering guided tours, special exhibitions and free entry to locations usually hidden away behind locked doors.
Here's everything you need to know about Heritage Open Days 2025 in Shropshire, including what's on this weekend.
What is Heritage Open Days?
Every September, historic venues around Shropshire throw open their doors for Heritage Open Days, the nation’s biggest celebration of history and culture.
This year, the theme is 'architecture' and it's running from Friday, September 12 to Sunday, September 21.
What's on this weekend?
Broseley Pipeworks is open and free to enter from 10am to 4pm this Saturday and Sunday. An original 19th-century clay tobacco pipe factory, abandoned in the 1950s, and restored by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust in the early 1990s. Guided tours will focus on how historic buildings are rescued, with demonstrations of pipe-making taking place during the day.
Nearby, and as part of the Wellington Walking Festival, a walk through Broseley's 'jitties' - a maze of ancient pathways - will be starting at 10.30am on Saturday.
In Oswestry, the Grade II-listed Oswestry South Signal Box will be open from 11am to 4pm thanks to Cambrian Heritage Railways volunteers who have spent countless hours refurbishing the signal box and sourcing and installing appropriate equipment.
Shropshire's iconic Iron Bridge will be on show as part of the festival too, with tours at 11am and 1pm on Saturday.
And if you're heading into the Ironbridge Gorge anyway, why not pop along to the grand ruins of Buildwas Abbey? Volunteers will be on hand for guided tours about the secrets of the abbey on Sunday.
There's dozens of other venues across the county taking part, and hundreds further afield across the West Midlands - including a Peaky Blinders Day at Brierley Hill Market.
A full list of Shrosphire venues taking part is available to view online here or on the Heritage Open Days website.
