One of the great things about Heritage Open Days (HOD) - if you're like me - is it offers the chance to poke your nose into places not normally seen in public. And so it proved this year with another great programme of visits co-ordinated by Chippenham Museum.
Seven Belles met for coffee at Sarah Jayne's first and enjoyed sitting outside in the sunshine. We then set off in a smaller group to find out what sustainable architecture means at Artel31: first question asked - is the change or requirement really necessary? If the answer is yes, then how can it be made the most sustainable to meet the brief. We also learned how that part of Chippenham is set to change - in a good way.
Then it was a totally flexible rest of the day with varying numbers and timings to view Jack and Jan Konyenberg's delightfully quirky house where Diane managed to try the trendy hanging chair AND look comfortable. Then onto the jaw dropping set up (and coffee) at the ARC. This was designed by Artel31 with flooding in mind, hence the building is on stilts and the skatepark is anticipated to flood. Some also fitted in a revisit to April Barlow at Tanner's Cottage and the story of Florence Hancock.
Fiona P took in Lucy Whitfield's talk at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre and we also found a nod to extraordinary women at Jack's in the shape of Emeline Pankhurst's portrait. It comprises hundreds of photos of women nominated as inspirational by the citizens of Manchester as part of the Women Like You project which celebrated 80 years of women having the vote.
A week later - and not part of HOD, but still appropriate - saw three Belles explore the stories behind the Commonwealth War Graves at Chippenham Cemetery. There are dozens of graves there, many of them grouped together with others dotted around. We now know how to tell whether a headstone has been replaced; the difference between the design of MOD and war graves (and the differences between UK and some of the other countries represented); and some of the stories of the soldiers and (mainly) airmen buried there. If you look around carefully you'll find the headstone of the brave SAS soldier who designed their logo!