Churches, libraries and old houses are among the locations the public can visit for free on the 7th & 8th September
Twenty one amazing buildings, organisations and groups are joining this year’s Doors Open Days Festival this weekend.
In Dumfries, visitors can access the historic Rosefield Mills, the last surviving large-scale Victorian industrial buildings, sited on the River Nith near Dock Park.
St. Michael’s Church will host a series of fantastic events over the weekend, including organ recitals with Simon Hyslop, a presentation relating to Jean Armour and Rabbie Burns, and members of The Galloway Consort will perform 15 th – 16 th Century instrumentals. A Junior Choir led by Roy and Fiona Watson and supported by Diva Voice will sing a beautiful selection of religious, folk and classical songs, and amazing art works produced by participants in the Access Art project will be on display.
The Theatre Royal Dumfries will also provide access to visitors on Saturday 7th September, where you can go behind the scenes and meet the Guild. Members of the Guild of Players will be here to welcome visitors and share their experiences of the many different aspects of putting on a show. Backstage tours will be at 10.30am, 12 noon, and 1.30pm.
The Dumfries and Galloway History Society, based on Glasgow Street, will facilitate your research into your family tree and local area. Come and find out about their resources, and experienced volunteers will be able to offer advice on where to look next.
The Crichton Church and the Board Room, Grierson House – both at the Crichton, are holding two fascinating sessions on Saturday 7th. At 10am – 12 noon there’s an opportunity to view the interior of Crichton Church, with Crichton Trust staff on hand to answer your questions. At 2pm – 3.30pm, Dr Valentina Bold, the Crichton Trust’s Heritage Officer, will present ‘The Crichton and War’, with a guided tour of Grierson House with Jennifer Challinor, The Crichton Trust’s Head of Research and Development. Refreshments will be available.
In the east of the region, Westerkirk Parish Library will also welcome visitors. The building is built in the Gothic Revival style and dates to 1863. It was a purpose-built space to house books bought with a legacy from Thomas Telford, the renowned 19th century Civil Engineer. It is in the Gothic Revival Style, a popular and avant-garde fashion at the time.
Visitors to Dryfesdale Lodge Visitor Centre, Lockerbie, with the Garden of Remembrance, a lasting memorial to the 270 lives lost as a result of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 on December 21st, 1988. Alongside the Memorial room at the Lodge are displays on local history of Lockerbie and the surrounding area. Trustees will meet and explain the history of the region and recent renovations to visitors.
Ukrainian POW Chapel, Hallmuir, will also be open – built in 1942, the Ukrainian POW chapel is a single storey, pitched roof, prefabricated hut. The interior is adapted from barracks to a place of Eastern rite worship with a simple screen (Iconostas) enclosing the altar and tabernacle of a Ukrainian type cathedral. The screen has a round-arched opening at centre with doors through to High Altar; square-headed openings to sides and timber pews, altars, lectern and other furnishings, and a ceiling painted blue with gold stars.
Cruck Cottage is the only remaining example of a basic dwelling that was very common in the 18th and 19th century. It has been carefully restored and maintained and suitably furnished, and provides an insight into the living conditions of a past age. There will be a mystery object activity and visitors will be able to view a range of historic items and try to work out what they were used for.
Ellisland Farm was built by Robert Burns in 1788 as the family home for his wife Jean Armour and their young children. Burns lived here until 1791 and during this time he wrote around 25% of his work including some of his most famous songs and poems such as Auld Lang Syne and Tam O’ Shanter. A new exhibition will be unveiled during DOD weekend, exploring the hidden histories of people associated with the farm.
South of Dumfries, Shambellie House is open and visitors can walk around the House and Grounds, meet a selection of tutors, view some of the work created at Shambellie, and sample some of the creative activities that Shambellie have on offer throughout the year. Tours of the House and Grounds available with John Stewart, descendant of the Stewart Family at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm.
In Kirkcudbrightshire, Dalbeattie Museum is a renovated 1800’s Grocers Shop, with a wide collection of 1800s and 1900s memorabilia, spread over 5 rooms on 2 levels.
The Kirkcudbright History Society are running two different events; first, Kirkyard Trail which explores the setting and history of Kirkcudbright or St Cuthbert’s kirkyard. The site of the original kirk of St Cuthbert, built sometime in the period 750-850, which gave the present town of Kirkcudbright its name, and is the site of the most southerly Viking burials in Scotland. Tours run on Sat and Sun, both at 14:30 and last an hour. The Society also runs a guided Town Walk, on Sunday 8th, 11am – 12:30pm, and 2:30pm – 4pm.
Greyfriars will also be open in Kirkcudbright, 11 til 4, on Saturday 7th September.
Dundrennan Abbey will be running ad hoc tours throughout the weekend, and a soap carving activity. Test your budding stone masonry skills by carving a soap with any design you like!
At Kirkandrews Kirk, between 2pm and 4pm (both days) there will be afternoon tea with talks to showcase the history of the Kirk and the local area; as well as an opportunity to look at finds from James Brown’s 1905 excavation of a nearby Iron Age fort.
Guided tours are available at Barholm Castle (booking is essential online – see https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/regions/dumfries-and-galloway/barholm-castle). Barholm Castle is a traditional Scottish tower house situated 300 feet above sea level overlooking Wigtown Bay and the Machars of Wigtownshire. Its earliest origins probably date from the late 15th century and it was originally built and owned by a branch of the local McCulloch family. It is reputed to have been a hiding place in 1566 of the well known figure of the Scottish reformation John Knox (1514-1572). The castle fell into disuse and disrepair in the mid-18th century, but was lovingly restored in the early 21st century.
In Wigtownshire, Newton Stewart Museum is running a special Victorian Lantern Show for Doors Open Days and will open 12 noon til 1600 on both days.
At Sorbie Tower, guests will travel back to the 12th century with a medieval reenactment weekend! There will be a living history camp, authentic cooking, weapons and fighting all within the tower and grounds of the magnificent Sorbie Tower! There will also be guided tours taking place around the tour and grounds at 11am and 2pm each day.
On Sunday only at Whithorn, 9 High Street, there will be an open day to show the progress made by young people who have rebuilt the building and learnt skills ranging from stonemasonry to hand-hewing roof beams and making windows. 9 High Street has been derelict and roofless for over 40 years, until it was acquired by the Whithorn Trust and a contract awarded to Building Futures Galloway, also known as Whithorn ReBuild, to renovate it by training young people in heritage construction skills. Visitors are invited to drop in for tours and talks.
For precise times, parking information and a map for all sites, please go to https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/regions/dumfries-and-galloway
