CALLING all lovers of Farnham! It will soon be time for Heritage Open Days, the occasion when every year the town throws opens its doors to visitors and shows off the treasures of its beautiful buildings and history.

The dates to watch for this year are Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15, and Thursday, September 19, to Sunday, September 22.

All the details are in the colourful and lavishly illustrated free brochure, packed with fascinating information about the town, its thousand-plus years of history and all the varied activities that go on in town today.

The brochure can be picked up in the council offices in South Street or in public buildings in and around the town, or viewed online at farnhamsociety.org.uk or farnham.gov.uk.

Some of the events require advance booking and early booking is recommended – details are in the brochure. Entry to everything is free.

This year’s theme is People Power. Had it not been for the action of local people, Farnham Maltings, with all the many things that go on there today, would have been a housing estate; the Bishops Meadow, the wildlife haven by the river west of the town, would have been sold for development; and the little town centre Victoria Garden would not exist.

Further afield, a classic example of People Power is that of the famous 19th-century Tolpuddle Martyrs, the six Dorset agricultural workers who were deported for being members of a Friendly Society. Members of Farnham Rep will be bringing their story to life with readings from the play Six Men of Dorset in the Culver Room at Farnham Library on Saturday, September 21.

People Power is also exerted by individuals, and over the centuries Farnham has produced a very impressive number of distinguished people.

Heritage Open Days highlights a list spanning 900 years, starting in 1132 with Henry de Blois who began the building of Farnham Castle, and continuing through the centuries right up to modern times with sportspeople like Jonny Wilkinson, Graham Thorpe and Rachel Morris.

The names of 34 of them in date order appear at the foot of each page of the brochure, and Peter Bridgeman’s talk at the Maltings on Friday, September 19, will reveal their histories and those of many more.

Many famous people and events are commemorated with plaques on buildings in and around the town.

Twelve of them are illustrated in the brochure and the challenge is to discover where they are and join in the big Family Plaque Quiz – look for the instructions on the facing page next to the photo of the plaque marking Jonny Wilkinson, England’s World Cup winning rugby hero.

Heritage Open Days events kick off on Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15 with some very special attractions.

Historic Farnham Castle is open from 11am to 5pm on Sunday, September 15, with tours of the Bishops Palace, cream teas in the superb setting of the Great Hall, and historic Civil War re-enactments in the grounds with military drills, musket and cannon firing.

On Sunday, September 15, Guy Singer, the walks expert well known to Herald readers, is offering something new to Heritage Open Days; a longer walk from Farnham to Waverley Abbey and Waverley Abbey House. It’s a leisurely five-hour stroll taking in historic sites, including a guided walk round the abbey ruins and a visit to the magnificent Waverley Abbey House which is open from 10am to 4pm.

On Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15, historic Coxbridge Farm at the end of West Street offers a glimpse into Farnham’s farming past with rides in a tractor drawn trailer around the peaceful acres of the farm. They offer two tours on each day and early booking is recommended – these family-friendly rides are very popular (details are in the brochure).

Then from Thursday, September 19, to Sunday, September 22, there are four days packed with fantastic attractions all over the town and surrounding area – look out for the festive pink balloons and bunting marking the places which are waiting to welcome visitors.

Buildings old and new will open their doors with special events and information about their history.

The brochure lists those in the town centre in street order and also offers a fascinating and varied selection of venues in the surrounding area.

There is a handy map to help visitors find their way around, plus a one-page Quick Guide where all the venues and events can be seen at a glance.

Guided walks in the town, the park and The Bourne village are on offer, as are talks on the history of Rowledge, the architecture of Castle Street, and an intriguing talk entitled Farnham Green by Jonathan Jones, the town crier. Why is green the main colour in the town’s civic finery?

Alan Gavaghan, chairman of the Farnham Society, said: “Whenever I think of Heritage Open Days, the quotation ‘There is no such thing as a free lunch’ springs to mind, but I relish the thought that it is completely confounded by the magic of Heritage Open Days.

“It is all free, so come along and enjoy a genuine series of free events which will not only be enjoyable but will also leave you with pleasant memories and the discovery that Farnham is full of hidden treasures.”