Knutsford Town Council has delivered its biggest Heritage Open Days programme to date, with 17 events held across ten days — almost double from last year. The programme also saw strong demand for tours, talks, exhibitions and workshops across the town.
The annual programme gave residents and visitors the opportunity to step behind the doors of Knutsford’s fascinating past and discover the stories, people and places that have shaped the town.
As part of England’s largest festival of history and culture, this year’s ‘Working Histories’ theme explored Knutsford’s past through a programme of events highlighting some of the town’s iconic and hidden heritage sites, including places not normally open to the public.
Events included talks and activities exploring life in Knutsford’s historic workhouse at Jubilee Hall and Knutsford Heritage Centre, giving visitors an insight into what daily life was like for people who lived there.
Jenny Collis said: “It was a privilege to share workhouse history with an audience of over 100 people. While facts provide the essential framework, it was the story of Martha, John, and their young children that truly resonated. Hearing that the audience was spellbound, with ‘you could hear a pin drop’, shows how powerful storytelling is for bringing local history to life.”
Visitors also had the opportunity to explore the historic Marble Arch on King Street, formerly the Mermaid coaching inn, and The Yellow House, formerly The Old Laundry. Both tours proved so popular that a second tour was added at each property.
New for 2026 was Knutsford Through Film and Photographs, which offered a nostalgic look at the town’s past through historic postcards and film from the Northwest Film Archive. Around 50 people visited the Knutsford Town Council offices to view the collection.
Visitor feedback included comments that the exhibition was “really fascinating and nostalgic” and that it was “refreshing to see how the town has changed”.
The programme also included exhibitions at Brook Street Chapel, including an Elizabeth Gaskell birthday commemoration, with talks, films and displays exploring the history of the Grade I listed chapel and Knutsford’s heritage.
Guided tours of St John’s Church and self-guided tours of St Cross Church offered further opportunities to explore the history, architecture and heritage of Knutsford, while a special opportunity to climb the bell tower at St Cross Church provided a new perspective of the town from above.
Tabley House also opened its collection to visitors, with a focus on the lives of the servants who worked at the house and estate. The tearoom and chapel were open throughout the event.
Hands-on activities formed another part of the programme, including a traditional willow weaving workshop at Knutsford Market Hall, where participants learnt basic weaving techniques and created their own handmade pieces.
The Town Council also thanked the local organisations and businesses that supported the programme, including Heritage Ghost Walk, Knutsford Market Hall and Arthur Lee Interiors. Their contributions helped bring different aspects of Knutsford’s history and heritage to life, from local ghost stories and family-friendly creative activities to the story of a long-established Knutsford family business founded in 1919 and now run by the fourth generation of the Lee family.
All events were free, with advance booking required for some activities due to limited capacity. All bookable activities sold out, highlighting the strong interest in Knutsford’s heritage and history.
