FEATURES

... and eco-homes and caves and stuff. Yep, it that time of year again. The Day on which Doors Open. Eugene Byrne, our man who is himself a Grade II-listed monument, gets all excited, and does something silly with a map on the internet.

September 10 sees Bristol’s annual Doors Open Day taking place once more. That’s the day on which all manner of places in and around Bristol which aren’t normally open to the public throw open their portals to history buffs, architecture enthusiasts and those of us who are just plain curious.

If you’ve done DoD before, you’ll already know that you need to set the day aside to visit some of the places you’ve not seen yet. If you’ve not done DoD before, take it from us that this is a great way of getting to know the old town and some of its secret corners. And it won’t cost you a bean.

Over 60 places are taking part this year, ranging from big posh old houses like Kingsweston House through to a rather smaller eco-home. There are also churches, offices and the ever-popular remains of the Roman villa at Kings Weston. The place everyone wants to go, of course, is Redcliffe Caves. The other place everyone wants to see, the complex of tunnels in the bowels of Temple Meads Station, is by bookable guided tour only, and it’s all been booked up this year. Better luck in 2012, eh?

There’s quite a good collection of new places open this year. There are tours behind the scenes at M Shed, likewise the Colston Hall and the new Brunel Institute at the ss Great Britain, where they have lots of Brunel’s papers. The new Bristol Heart Institute is also offering tours of its operating theatres (emergencies permitting!).

It’s the 40th birthday of Don Cameron’s balloon factory this year, so they’re offering guided tours around their vast Bedminster site. Another birthday for 2011 is the 25th anniversary of the Julian House night shelter in St Pauls. DoD organiser Penny Mellor says: “They’re doing tours, so that this year it means Doors Open Day ranges from a night shelter for homeless people all the way up to the Lord Mayor’s House.”

The good DoD guide

Venue’s Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Bristol Doors Open Day. Click here.

Just for funzies, and for the sake of doing something a little different, we thought we’d muck around on the internet a bit for Bristol Doors Open Day. We have made a special Google Map (http://tinyurl.com/4yoyj4x), just for you, dear reader, showing you exactly where all the Doors Open Day places are. Now you can effortlessly plan your DoD itinerary using the internet. Better still, you can, like, consult it on your mobile device on the day, whether it be an iPad, you tragic poseur, or a smartphone.

Venue’s Unofficial and Unathorised Guide will tell you a wee bit about each of the locations, and will occasionally lapse into being a bit disrespectful.

Oh, but it gets better though. With most of the city centre locations, we also point you to something else that’s interesting close by each place.

So, for example, you visit a church, and Venue’s Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide will direct you towards something interesting nearby. It might be the alleged burial place of dozens of plague victims, or it might be the famous park bench with its own postcode, or it might be a tiny little brass plaque in the pavement commemorating … Well, it’s so small it’s quite difficult to read.

We couldn’t do this with all of the place as the ones further out from the city centre don’t always have anything that interesting near them. Like Kings Weston Roman Villa frinstance. It’s inside a shed inside a wire fence in the middle of a housing estate.

But with most of the other places we’ll direct you towards a few other items of historical, architectural, sexual interest.

Obvs if you’re some sort of local history smart-Alec you’ll already know some of it, but otherwise we categorically guarantee that at some point when using this map you will exclaim: “Coo! That’s well-interesting! I never knew that!”

If you do not find yourself uttering this exclamation, the management promise to refund the price you paid for this here magazine.

That’s http://tinyurl.com/4yoyj4x I’d look at it right now if I were you.

BRISTOL DOORS OPEN DAY WAS ON SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER, 10AM-4PM. ADMISSION TO ALL SITES IS FREE. SOME LOCATIONS ARE ALSO OPEN ON THE SUNDAY. FFI SEE WWW.BRISTOLDOORSOPENDAY.ORG

Heritage Open Days 2011

Just because you don’t live in Bristol is no reason to miss out on all the fun. Not only can you come to Bristol on 10 September, but you can also take advantage of Heritage Open Days in your own area.

Heritage Open Days are what they have everywhere else in England apart from Bristol. They run from 8-11 September this year. It’s the same idea as Bristol; places that aren’t normally open to the public (or which usually charge admission) let people in for a nose round free of charge. Quite often they put on other things at the same time, such as guided tours, performances and tea and cake as well. Last year the event attracted around 1 million visitors across the country.

There are quite a few places in and around Bath. So for instance you can get to go through the tunnels under the Roman Baths, or nose around No. 4, The Circus and see its restored Georgian garden. There’s also the Cleveland Baths, the Masonic Hall and quite a few more. If you’re in Keynsham, don’t miss the May Gurney recycling depot.

Dr Simon Thurley, Chief Executive, English Heritage, which helps organise it all says: “This is a chance to explore not just country houses but the history and culture of everything from Buddhist temples and Masonic lodges to mines, farms, pubs and factories.

“It is organised by local people who dedicate their spare time to opening properties and staging activities, and it is their knowledge and enthusiasm that makes Heritage Open Days happen.”

For full details of what’s opening when and where see www.heritageopendays.org.uk

Copyright Eugene Byrne 2011