Macclesfield Heritage Open Day
This September Macclesfield is throwing open it’s doors to celebrate Macclesfield Heritage Open Day. Organisations all over town are hosting tours, talks and workshops, letting you into areas usually closed to the public. There’s events on all over town so look out for the pink bunting and spend the day getting to know Macclesfield, old and new! This year’s theme is Creativity Unwrapped
Full list of events to come so be sure to follow us on social media for any updates.
Macclesfield Town Hall, Market Place, 10:30am – 2:30pm
On the Town Hall’s 200th Birthday we’re opening the doors to celebrate Macclesfield Old and New.
200 years since the first stone was laid we’re welcoming the public into Macclesfield Town Hall to celebrate Macclesfield and it’s people. Made In Macc are running a makers market in the Assembly Room, we’ve got local Volunteer and Hobby Fairs in the Capesthorne and Silk Rooms and discussions of an exciting new local history project in the Board Room. All this plus information about the historic town hall and it’s rooms.
King Edward Street Chapel, King Edward Street, 10am – 3pm
A very special opportunity to visit one of Macclesfield’s oldest and most beautiful buildings dating back to 1690 which was among the very first non-conformist chapels to be built in the UK and has been a Unitarian Chapel since the 18th Century.
King Edward Street Chapel is home to a small but vibrant community with a weekly calendar of events including hosting other local groups such as the Quakers. The Chapel is available for baby naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals.
Members of the community will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about the Chapel, its rich history, or its present-day role as a place where people of all backgrounds and beliefs come together in a spirit of tolerance, spiritual curiosity and love.
St. Paul’s Church, Glegg Street,10am – 3pm
Up at St. Paul’s Church you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the building’s 180 year history as well as plans for the next 180 years with their Reroof and Refurb project. Join them from 10am until 3pm with the café open from 10-12 serving free tea and coffee and FREE BREAKFAST.
Macclesfield Library, Jordangate, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Head to the beautiful Macclesfield Library for a creative coffee morning! Learn about the history of Macclesfield Library and take part in their Creativity At The Library collage – totally free, just drop in!
To celebrate this year’s theme Creativity Unwrapped, the library will be hosting a free illustrated talk Waxing Lyrical. Anne Mason and Margaret Hickson met in a Manchester design studio over 60 years ago and worked on the design and industrial process of batik for the West African Market. When local goes global. Please book your place at the talk in advance:
Call: 01625 374000
Email: Macclesfield.Library@CheshireEast.gov.uk
Christ Church, 11am – 3pm
Step inside the iconic Christ Church and discover nearly nearly 250 years of history. Head into the vestry to visit the archives, meet the volunteers from Roe-naissance who are helping preserve the building for the next generation and listen to the newly refurbished church organ.
The Silk Museum, Park Lane, 10am – 4pm
The Silk Museum in Macclesfield is a world-class textile and industrial heritage attraction, where “creativity unwrapped” is apparent in our vibrant collection of original Pattern Books, which date from the early 19th century.
- Dynamic walking tours will depart from the Silk Museum on from here on 9th September, which will link up some of the historic venues also involved in Heritage Open Days this year.
- The Silk Museum building was originally Macclesfield School of Art and we will continue that heritage of creativity and learning with pattern related crafts in the classroom for the day finishing off our ‘Do Something Summer’ craft sessions.
- The History Hunters will be in attendance and visitors can come and talk to them about what they are doing and some of their finds. We are also hosting some ‘Conservation in action’ short tours linked to the pattern books. These will be at 10.30, 11.30, 12.30.
St. Michael and All Angels Church, 10am – 3pm
Our special 2023 Heritage Open day to celebrate the centenary of our wonderful church bells!
This year our church bells are officially 100 years old and to celebrate we will be hosting a special Heritage Open Day to commemorate.
As part of the event, we will be hosting tours up to the ringing room and video footage of the bell tower will be broadcast on the big screen.
We will also have live bell ringing demonstrations and opportunities to have a go yourself!
There will also be plenty of information and history on hand from our expert Tower Captains.
Mads Little Theatre, Lord Street, SK11 6SY, 10:30am – 4pm
Macclesfield Amateur Dramatic Society opens its doors for visitors to see and be taken round our Little Theatre, a Grade II listed building, all ready, front- and back-stage, for an upcoming performance.
MADS is opening up our Grade II listed building, a 19th century Sunday School, which was refurbished in the early 1980s into a fully functioning 190-seater theatre, for visitors and guided tours. The open day will coincide with the first play of our 2023-2024 season and will give visitors the opportunity to see the building top to bottom – front of house on and back stage – in a state of readiness for the production to open on the following Monday. We will explain the creative process of how we get shows ready and what that means for our volunteers.