Blue Plaque unveiling at Darfield Museum and Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days are a great way to access venues that may not normally be open to the public, get behind the scenes or gain free entry to sites that normally charge a fee. 

Started in 1994 with 701 participating sites nationwide, there are now more than 5,000 venues across the country. 

Several of these are within the Barnsley area, and you can find out more about what’s on offer by visiting  Heritage Open Days in Barnsley, 2025 | Barnsley Museums. Do keep checking, as additional events are often added closer to the time. 

If you cannot wait until September for a heritage fix, why not head along to the Maurice Dobson Museum in Darfield on 29^th August for the unveiling of a blue plaque dedicated to Maurice and his partner, Fred. The ceremony will be at 4pm, but do get there early to give yourself time to look around. 

Finally, you can also enjoy some heritage in the comfort of your own home by watching this presentation about Monk Bretton Priory, a recording of a talk originally given by Fred Thompson at a Barnsley Civic Trust event in May 2025, which has recently been added to Barnsley Museums YouTube channel  The History of Monk Bretton Priory