A RECORD number of visitors - around 4,000, - flocked to Farnham to enjoy all the attractions on offer for Heritage Open Days events.

This year’s theme, ‘Changing Faces, Buildings Then and Now’, saw buildings dating from the Norman period to the present day open their doors, plus a special museum exhibition and themed shop fronts.

The Farnham Society, with support from the town council, proudly organises the annual Heritage Open Days, taking great pleasure in showing off all that Farnham has to offer

Farnham Castle welcomed an impressive 940 visitors on September 10, not just from the local area but from all over the UK and abroad, for tours of the Bishops’ Palace and grounds and there were displays by the English Civil War Society. all topped off with delicious cream teas and fresh cooked pizzas.

The great houses of Moor Park, Waverley Abbey and Ellel Pierrepont, offered guided tours and attracted around 700 visits.

Wrecclesham’s historic Yew Tree Cottage and Partridge House had fully booked tours and St Peter’s Church showed off its recent renovation works; and Farnham Pottery mounted a variety of exhibitions and gave tours of the old Victorian buildings, rounded off with tempting home-made cakes and bread freshly baked in the big brick oven in the cafe.

In the town centre, the New Ashgate Gallery was packed with people enjoying paintings and etchings of Farnham and meeting the artist Susie Lidstone, while in the panelled Culver Room at Farnham library, members of the Farnham Rep recalled the glory days of the Castle Theatre with readings.

Hones Yard, a relic of an old farm off Downing Street with evidence of Farnham’s great local hop industry, also attracted a large number of visitors.

Guided walks on offer ranged from tours of significant trees in the town centre led by Peter Bridgeman, to a history of the town’s water supply, Bishops Meadow and Farnham Park walks, and Michael Blower’s ever-popular architecture walk in Castle Street. There were also two ‘virtual walks’ for the less mobile, at the Maltings, on trees and Castle Street.

There were also two ‘virtual walks’ for the less mobile, at the Maltings, on trees and Castle Street.

Alan Gavaghan, chairman of the Farnham Society, said: “We are delighted that the complex preparations for this year’s events have met with such a resounding result.

“Preparations are already in hand for 2018 and our thanks go to all the many Farnham people who have taken part with such enthusiasm and have ensured this year’s success.”