Heritage Open Day A Huge Success

England's largest community-led festival of history and culture, Heritage Open Days has run annually since 1994, celebrating local history by giving access to thousands of places usually closed to the public.

The College has participated in the festival for many years and on the day welcomed over 90 visitors through its doors. They came from near and far, including local neighbours, OPs, current and former Princethorpe families, and those interested in local history. All were made welcome and enjoyed a fascinating tour that took in Pugin’s magnificent Chapel, the Cloisters, nuns’ cells on Lower Pugin, the Library (originally the first church of St Mary’s Priory) and the unique Roundhouse. Visitors were also delighted to see the recently-restored last Station of the Cross and the decorated altar alcove in the Cloisters and Nuns’ Library respectively.

Foundation Archivist, Jo Wong, and Alumni and Development Officer, Caroline Spencer, acted as tour leaders, sharing wonderful insights into the history of the magnificent building and the amazing people that made it the place it is today.

A huge thank you to all who kindly organised and supported this super community event.