Heritage Open Day
Grove House by Peter Hollick.
As part of a nation wide activity, Saturday 13th September saw Grove House (High Street North and home to Dunstable Town Council), the Windmill (off West Street and home to the Dunstable Sea Cadets) and Priory Church, open their doors to visitors.
While the public are welcome to attend Council Committee meetings in the Council Chamber, other parts of Grove House are not usually open to the public. This is also true of the Windmill (which many of our visitors did not know existed!). This was an opportunity to see inside some of the important heritage of Dunstable; to learn about the buildings, their history and the role each plays in the town.
A stall was on the market on Ashton Square with information about Heritage Open Day. This day had already been advertised widely on the Town’s website, social media and in the Talk of the Town.
Over 170 visitors were welcomed to Grove House to see the newly decorated Marriage room, the Mayor’s Parlour, the Town Clerk and Chief Executive’s Office, various exhibitions, town charters, the ‘Mayor’s corridor’ (showing their portraits from 1865 to the present day) and the Dunstable and District Local History Society’s office.
Exhibitions included work by the Dunstable Heritage Textile Group and a stand showing the work of the Friends of Priory House and Gardens. The history of Grove House and associated information was to be found in the Council Chamber. Visitors could also learn what one needed to know to be a Victorian lady.
Visitors were welcomed to Grove House by the Town Guides and members of the societies alongside their exhibitions. The Town Mayor, Cllr Sally Kimondo, the Town Clerk, Paul Hodson, along with Cllrs Liz Jones and Peter Hollick, chatted to groups of visitors explaining their roles, that of the Council and other information about the Council and the building. They were ably supported by members of the Town Council staff.
Given the success of the event, not only at Grove House but also at the Windmill and Priory Church, it is already anticipated that this event will be in next year’s calendar.