FANCY a free tour of Hampshire’s historic medieval vaults or to take part in a historic weapons handling session?

Or how about a visit to Jane Austen’s House in Alton, Bishop’s Waltham Palace, the Brickworks Museum in Swanwick, Buckler’s Hard Museum, Netley Abbey or Winchester City Museum?

Entry to all these top Hampshire venues and many more are being offered as part of the annual Heritage Open Days event, from September 8-17, which aims to celebrate England’s rich architecture and culture by allowing visitors free access to properties that are either not usually open, or would normally charge an entrance fee.

Organised by volunteers – usually property owners or managers – for local people, Heritage Open Days is England’s biggest and most popular voluntary cultural event.

Basingstoke Gazette: Hinton Admiral.

The Open Days event, first established in 1994, provides visitors with a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy these sometimes hidden, often curious and always interesting places.

Follies, churches, factories, tunnels, temples, offices, private homes, industrial sites, castles, windmills, town halls, guided walks, concerts and children’s activities – the variety of places and ways to discover them are endless.

Below are just a few of the many Hampshire attractions that can be enjoyed during this year’s Heritage Open Days.

  • Arle Together Heritage Walk, Alresford.
  • Alton Quaker Meeting House, Alton.
  • Jane Austen’s House, Alton.
  • Farleigh House, Basingstoke.
  • Bishop’s Waltham Palace and Parish Church. Bishop’s Waltham.
  • Hampshire Scout Heritage Centre, Brockenhurst.
  • Hinton Admiral, Christchurch.
  • Royal Armouries Fort Nelson, Fareham.
  • A Walk Through Gosport’s History, Gosport.
  • Alverstoke’s regency Garden, Alverstoke.
  • The World’s Only Hovercraft Museum!, Lee-on-the-Solent.
  • St Barbe Inspire Weekend, Lymington.
  • Buckler’s Hard Museum, Beaulieu.
  • Ballard School Open Day, New Milton.
  • Behind the Scenes at the Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth.
  • Bisterne Manor fun, fact-filled tour by owners, Ringwood.
  • Romsey Signal Box, Romsey.
  • Bitterne Local History Society, Southampton.
  • Guided Walks at St Denys Church, Southampton.
  • Lepe Country Park, Exbury.
  • Old Southampton Cemetery: A Titanic tour!, Southampton.
  • Southampton Quaker Burial Ground from 1662, Southampton.
  • Southampton Vaults, Southampton.
  • St John the Apostle Church, Marchwood.
  • Steamship Shieldhall, Southampton.
  • The Bargate, Southampton.
  • The Brickworks Museum, Swanwick.
  • The Gregg School, West End.
  • WW1 Up Close at the Royal Victoria Chapel, Netley Abbey.
  • A walking tour of Medieval Winchester, Winchester.
  • Chesil Theatre, Winchester.
  • Classic and Sports Car display, Winchester.
  • Historic Weapons Talk and Handling Session, Worthy Down.

Be sure to visit heritageopenday.org.uk for a full list, to check the dates and times, and to make bookings.