Heritage Open Days 2017

  26th July 2017

We’re excited to announce that this year the University of Gloucestershire will again take part in Heritage Open Days, a national initiative that sees places of historic interest open their doors to the public for free.

On Sunday 10th September 2017 we’ll be hosting tours of Francis Close Hall (from The Chapel) at 10am and 11am, and Park Campus (from Elwes Reception) at 1pm and 2pm.

Francis Close Hall opened in 1850 to accommodate the male students of Cheltenham Training College. Designed by Samuel Daukes, it is one of Cheltenham’s best examples of a Victorian-Gothic building. The tour will take in the grounds and buildings, recounting the history of both and the students who have studied here.

The Park Campus was originally planned as a zoological garden by Thomas Billings. Despite opening on Queen Victoria’s coronation day, 28 June 1838, the enterprise failed and Billings sold the site to Samuel Daukes, who operated it as a pleasure garden and built the villas that still border the campus today. The tour of the grounds will uncover the history of the site and how we came to own it.

Tickets for both tours are free and can be booked via Cheltenham Tourist Information Centre, based at The Wilson Art Gallery, in person or be calling 01242 237431.

More information on other Heritage Open Day events in Cheltenham and beyond can be found on the national website https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/.