A guest article by Brian Sayer from the Friends of Old Shoreham about the Old Shoreham Heritage Festival in September.
The Old Shoreham Heritage Festival offers nine days of walks, talks, art, music and workshops from 6 to 15 September, organised as part of this year’s national and European Heritage Open Days.
The theme is Routes, networks and connections, a perfect fit with Old Shoreham’s historic importance as a crossroads between the Sussex Weald and the sea, connected by the river to the coastal roads. For 2000 years the main east-west route across the River Adur has passed through the centre of the parish.
The Festival invites everyone in Adur to step outside the town centre and discover where Shoreham began – and ‘where the wild things are’. It isn’t only about the past: it’s about getting a fresh perspective on the social and economic opportunities in our area and the potential for nature recovery.
See the full programme of activities at: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/old-shoreham-heritage-festival.html and download the detailed Programme Guide.
Walks
We’ll be launching the Old Shoreham Heritage Trail, a new history trail through Old Shoreham from the river to the Downs, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Old Shoreham Conservation Area. We’ll offer guided walks along the trail during the two weekends of the Festival, and signboards and trail guides will be available for those who want to explore the area independently.
FOldS members are also developing a virtual trail that will showcase historical features of the area that are not easily seen today.
Art exhibition: ‘New Art celebrating Old Shoreham’
An exhibition of new and original art depicting aspects of Old Shoreham and its connections to the world, will be open every day in St Nicolas church, Adur’s oldest building.
The artists are of all ages, amateurs and professionals, working in a range of media including paint, ceramic and textiles. Their work will capture what is special about this area and its community, and it will be possible to purchase many of the pieces on display.
Music and poetry
Local musicians will be contributing to many aspects of the Festival during the weekends and in evening concerts. There will be harp music, singing, acoustic guitar and other instruments in the church, bringing another dimension to the art exhibition, with band performances in the churchyard, plus poetry and a singing circle, open to all. On Friday 13 September in the Amsterdam Inn, local bands will be performing tunes and songs about ‘routes , networks and connections’.
The FOldS Talks
The Festival will launch a new series of lively, engaging discussions with local activists and experts who are working in the community to protect and improve our environment and our heritage.
Three evenings of talks during the Festival will include speakers from the National Trust, the South Downs National Park, UNESCO, the Wildlife and River Trusts, community associations and local authorities across Adur. They will describe programmes and projects that underline what is special about our local environment. Together we will be able to explore how people in the community can get involved with these programmes, taking action in your home or street to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of this part of the world.
Practical and craft workshops
Four workshops will offer opportunities to research local history, develop your drawing and illustration skills, explore local literature and contribute to creating a quilted banner for Old Shoreham.
The full programme and booking links are available now at the Heritage Open Days website, where you can also see what else is happening locally. There is also a detailed Programme Guide to download and read. Places on the guided walks and talks are free but limited. Book now to avoid disappointment.
The Old Shoreham Heritage Festival is organised by Friends of Old Shoreham, working with the Friends of St Nicolas, the Shoreham Society, Adur Art Collective and many other local groups to build understanding of the history and natural beauty of this part of our area, and start some new conversations.
