Anticipation builds for Heritage Open Days in Gosport next month

The annual Heritage Open Days event will begin on September 9, with more than 60 free events taking place across the town.

Running until September 18, Heritage Open Days take a deep dive into Gosport’s past, from inventions such as the first commercial yacht and oldest diving helmet to tales of Victorian erotica and smuggling.

Of the 60 events, 20 are brand new this year.

Terry Rhodes, chairman of the Gosport Heritage Open Days, said: ‘Once again, we have a great range of events, most of which are led in-person by volunteers who have a wonderful passion for their heritage subject and greatly enjoy sharing their knowledge with visitors.

‘A few are self-led and some digital, but all will reflect the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Gosport and its communities.

‘With our printed programme due out in early August, our volunteers will be busy getting the information out into the community.’

Some new walks have been added such as a new self guided walk to discover the Ghosts of Haslar using QR codes on a pop up trail. Meanwhile old favourites like Fort Blockhouse, the Institute of Naval Medicine and aircraft and museum’s at HMS Sultan will be available again.

Visitors can also see inside the gun powder store near Explosion Museum, the Powder Monkey Brewery and more.

To book on to an event, people can go to gosportheritage.co.uk.