Every September, Heritage Open Days celebrate history and culture through local organisations who offer free access to hidden places and new experiences.
Hyde900 are regular contributors to the Winchester Heritage Open Day events with many activities on offer in and around the surviving remnants of the 12th century Hyde Abbey complex at Hyde Gate and St Bartholomew’s Church.
Over the years, events have included guided walks, historical and archaeological talks, an exhibition of finds from community digs in local gardens, Abbey stone-hunting trails, and medieval seal and tile-making – all with tea and cakes!
This year's events included our regular medieval tile making and wax seal making workshops, and our archaeological finds display of objects from our excavations in local gardens.
New for this year was a tile-making talk and demonstration from Tom Chamberlain, a guided walk with Kate Dicker, a display of Hyde soldiers, and Hyde in Living Memory - a conversation with a panel of Hyde residents, some of whom have lived in Hyde for decades and remember shops, people and Hyde events of long ago.
King Alfred Buses kindly provided a bus tour to Hyde and our very own 'King Alfred' met visitors at the event. Thank you to all who came, and to our speakers and volunteers who made the day such a success!
Our 2025 talks and walks included 'Hidden Waterways of Winchester' by Erica Wheeler, 'The fall of a monastic city' by Professor James Clark, and a walking history tour of Hyde Abbey sites led by Francesca Sluman (Hyde900) and Dr Helen Lawrence-Beaton (ADAM Architecture).
Free tours to Hyde on a vintage open-top bus from King Alfred Buses, and a guided King Alfred trail were also on offer.
Thank you to everyone who came, we hope you enjoyed your visit!