Wakefield District Heritage Celebration Event 2026

Join us at a special event to celebrate the history and heritage of the Wakefield district on Thursday 8 October, 9.15am – 4pm, at Nostell Priory.

Our Heritage, Our Stories is a multi-year programme led by Wakefield Council and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, bringing communities together to explore and celebrate the rich heritage of the Wakefield district.

The project supports local people and organisations to research and share the stories, places and traditions that matter to them. It also aims to improve access (including digital access) to historic sites, archives and collections across the district, helping more people connect with the district's heritage.

As part of the Our Heritage, Our Stories project, this special Wakefield District Heritage Celebration Event will bring together heritage organisations, community groups, and practitioners from across the district to connect, share ideas, and celebrate the fantastic heritage work taking place in our communities.

The programme will feature guest speakers, including:

• Helen Featherstone, Director of England, North, National Lottery Heritage Fund

• Jo Hudson, General Manager, National Trust – Nostell and West Yorkshire Properties

• Anna Carter, Audience Engagement and Learning Manager and Areej Shah, Collections Archivist, West Yorkshire Archive Service

• Tegwen Roberts, Heritage Development Manager, Wakefield Council

• Kathryn Stainburn, Castleford Civic Society

• Trisha Farr, Felkirk Heritage Group

• Lorraine Simpson, Wakefield Historical Society

• Duncan Smith, Gawthorpe Coal Carrying and Maypole Committee

• Castleford and Pontefract Town Criers

There will also be stalls from a variety of heritage groups and organisations in the district, including Castleford Civic Society, Castleford Heritage Trust, Creative Wakefield, Felkirk Heritage Group, Friends of Waterton’s Wall, Holy Family Hub Pontefract, National Coal Mining Museum, Nostell – National Trust, Remember Barnbow, Wakefield Historical Society, Wakefield Museum and Castles and Wakefield Libraries and Local Studies.

The afternoon will feature opportunities to explore Nostell House and Gardens.

Remaining spaces for the event can be booked at: Wakefield District Heritage Celebration Event 2026 on TicketSource.

Support with travel costs is available where needed. For further information, contact heritage@wakefield.gov.uk

The Our Heritage, Our Stories project is kindly funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.