Heritage Open Days
9th Sep 2023 - 17th Sep 2023 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Visit Ilkley Manor House on 9-10 & 16-17 September, from 1100-1600. We are open on weekends and entry is free. However, we are organising quirky & unique activities specifically for this year’s HODS.
Explore Ilkley’s prehistoric past with family activities! Create Bronze Age cup & ring markings, sculpt Stone Age jewellery, & take our Neolithic quiz. Tour the Roman fort with expert John Cockshott. Was the town Olicana or Verbeia? Book to find out. It’s free.
We have a wealth of Roman history since the House is built on the site of the Roman fort. The Romans occupied the area from ca. 80 AD to the late 4th century. At 1100 on 9 and 16 September, local expert John Cockshott will lead a tour around our Roman fort. It will last up to an hour with time for questions. John will cover the historical background of the area, the reasons for the fort’s location, and the controversy about its Latin name! There will be an opportunity afterwards to see the Manor House’s Roman collection, including the renowned Verbeia altar stones and the tombstone dedicated to the Romano-British woman, Vedica. The tour is free but booking is essential. N.B. The Roman artefacts are on the ground floor.
On both weekends, we will offer family fun focused on the Neolithic to Bronze Age, a period we do not usually explore at the Manor House. Children can create their own cup & ring markings in air-dry clay inspired by patterns found on Ilkley Moor. They can make Stone Age jewellery by threading clay beads with string. View our collection of ancient arrowheads & axes. Plus, test their knowledge with our Stone and Bronze Age quiz! This will be a fun way for children to learn about Ilkley’s prehistoric past & have a keepsake to remember their time with us.
