A hidden church vault, a historic cemetery mausoleum and an underground Cold War bunker will be among the places opened to visitors during Heritage Open Days across Spalding and South Holland from September 11 to 20.
The programme offers residents and visitors the chance to explore buildings and sites that are not normally open to the public, including a newly revealed feature beneath Spalding United Reformed Church on Pinchbeck Road.
Victorian steps revealed beneath Spalding church
The church will welcome visitors on Saturday, September 12, from 10am to 3.30pm. Recent work in the building’s vault has uncovered Victorian steps that remain in place, together with the hatch once used to lower coffins into the burial chambers.
The church dates back to 1823 and is described as one of the few non-Church of England churches to have a vault. Visitors will also be able to see a wreath from the 1800s still resting on top of one of the burial chambers.
“The church dates back to 1823 and is one of the few non-Church of England churches to have a vault. Recent work has discovered the Victorian steps still in situ, along with the hatch where the coffins were lowered in. There is even a wreath from the 1800s still on top of one of the burial chambers”.
The opening provides one of the first opportunities to view the Victorian steps since their discovery during the recent work.
Spalding Cemetery mausoleum tours
The Friends of Spalding Cemetery will open the Johnson Mausoleum on Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13.
Historic-building tours will run from 12pm to 3pm on both days. The cemetery itself will remain open until dusk, giving visitors additional time to explore the site during the Heritage Open Days weekend.
Holbeach bunker offers a glimpse of Cold War history
Further afield, the Holbeach Royal Observer Corps underground bunker will open on Friday and Saturday, September 18 and 19.
Retired members of the Royal Observer Corps will explain the history of the service and share memories of working in the bunker, where members monitored for impending nuclear attacks. Visitors will be able to descend underground and see the facility for themselves.
Access is via a 14-foot ladder, meaning the bunker is unsuitable for people with mobility issues or claustrophobia. Tours are scheduled for 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm on both days.
Places are limited and must be booked in advance through TicketSource.
Creative activities in Spalding town centre
Transported Arts will also be in Spalding town centre on both Saturdays during the Heritage Open Days period, September 12 and 19, from 9am to 3pm.
The “Celebrate South Holland” activities will be themed around the local area. Visitors will be able to make distinctive headdresses with artists Emily Cartwright and Ruth Pigott.
On Saturday, September 19, puppet maker Robbie Bellekom will join the event with Lincolnshire Longwool sheep and lamb puppets. The puppets will make informal meet-and-greet appearances around the town, including in the Market Place.
The sheep puppets are intended to echo the MARK-IT Trail sheep statues created with the Spalding and District Civic Society. Those statues are located throughout Spalding town centre.
Also on September 19, a gazebo and guided riverside walk will offer another hands-on activity. Participants will collect textures along the route before making crayon rubbings of the engraved Stone Way Markers on the Spalding Riverside Trail.
With events spread across two weekends, the Heritage Open Days programme combines access to normally hidden historic spaces with family-friendly arts activities in the town centre. Visitors planning to attend the bunker should book ahead, while the church, cemetery and town-centre activities have the published dates and times above.