STOCKTON’S first ever Heritage Fayre will take place at the weekend.
Anyone interested in Stockton Borough’s heritage or who owns a traditionally constructed building is urged to go along on Saturday 22 October.
The fayre will be held between 10am and 4pm in and around a marquee on Stockton High Street. Admission is free.
The event will feature talks and demonstrations on traditional construction skills and how to maintain historic buildings, with opportunities to ‘ask the experts’.
There will also be practical ‘hands-on heritage’ workshops with traditional building materials, with a particular focus on homes built pre-1919 and during the inter-war years, many examples of which can be found across the Borough.
Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “It is important that the rich built and social heritage of Stockton-on-Tees is recognised, maintained and developed appropriately and this event is one of the ways that we can help do that.
“It will be a great opportunity to learn about caring for traditionally constructed homes, to see building materials and construction techniques that are good for historic buildings as well as to hear more about Stockton’s rich history and heritage.
“There is something for everyone so I urge anyone with an interest to go along and celebrate Stockton’s Heritage.”
Alan Gardner, a Chartered Building Surveyor accredited in conservation who specialises in the repair of historic buildings, will be on hand to answer questions on the care and maintenance of historic buildings. He said: “To help our historic buildings survive into the future we need to understand that they will often require the use of traditional building materials and skills. The use of standard modern materials, however well intentioned, will often only damage and accelerate decay of our historic buildings and this always needs to be remembered when repair is being considered.”
The event, which will feature a display of grant funded projects, comes as the final months of Stockton’s current ‘Grants for Heritage Building’s scheme – funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Stockton Borough Council – takes place.
As well as a wide range of traditional crafts, books and novelties for sale, the local historian, author and Chair of the Townscape Heritage Initiative Forum, Alan Betteney will be signing his new book, ‘Pictures of Stockton Past’.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to find out more and register their interest in a possible ‘Stockton Heritage Group’, a new independent society being proposed by local people to help play a part in respecting Stockton’s past and safeguarding its future.
In a packed line-up, Stockton’s very own Victorian Sweet Kitchen will provide a live demonstration of traditional sweet making with a recreation of the town’s famous Nebo creams on sale with the newly launched “Newbo” variety.
There will be live demonstrations on how to make and repair a traditional timber sash window, and ‘have-a-go’ sessions at building a wall from wattle and daub and laying traditional brick bonds and courses. Representatives from Beamish Museum will also be on the High Street with their vintage 1950s caravan and there will be a display of Stockton’s ‘Stories from the High Street’ with recreations and film footage from years gone by.
Children will also have a chance to take part in a Stockton themed quiz with prizes of bookmarks and tasty treats from the Victorian Sweet Kitchen.
Catering will be provided by Alice’s Vintage Kitchen who will serve a wide range of hot and cold drinks, cakes and sweet treats in a heritage-themed café area in the marquee.
Access to staff, volunteers and resources will be available from Teesside Archives, Durham Records Office, Historic England, North East War Memorials Project, Preston Park Museum, Cleveland Industrial Archaeological Society, Tees Archaeology and Stockton Libraries, as well as specialist traders and manufacturers.
For full details including any last-minute updates, visit www.stockton.gov.uk/heritagefayre
Stockton’s Grants for Heritage Building’s scheme is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. For more information visitwww.stockton.gov.uk/grantsforheritagebuildings