Enjoy Cradley Heritage Open Days with free entry

Saturday, September 13

• Come and see our display of wedding dresses and photo albums from 1920 to the present day & find out about having your wedding in church (10am – 2pm)

• Trace your Cradley family tree with family history experts & grave searches (10am - 2pm)

• View historic photographs and displays (10am - 2pm)

• Tower Tours at 11am, 12 noon & 1pm - climb the tower to learn about the bells and clock – have a go at chiming a bell! Booking on arrival.

• Watch a local blacksmith make chain and forge iron in the churchyard

• Between 2.30pm and 3.30pm join us to hear our vicar, Mthr Victoria Barlow playing favourite wedding music on organ & piano with big screen projection.

Sunday, September 14

• Come and see our display of wedding dresses and photo albums from 1920 to the present day & find out about having your wedding in church (11am – 3pm)

• View historic photographs and displays (11am - 3pm)

• Enjoy refreshments (11am – 3pm)

See inside our church which was originally built in 1789 as a Non-Conformist Chapel, before the minister converted to the Church of England in 1798. The sanctuary, which was added on in 1933, features three stained glass windows by local stained-glass artist William Pardoe of the Stourbridge Stained Glassworks of nearby Lye. 

There will be lots of old photographs to view and displays about the heritage clock project and the recent new weathervane and tower floodlights.

On the Saturday, local history volunteers will be helping visitors trace their Cradley ancestors and will be on hand to help people find family graves in the churchyard. A selection of local history books will be available to purchase. 

On the Saturday our blacksmiths Happy and Matt will be demonstrating chain making in the churchyard and making small items that you can purchase to take home.

On the Sunday the exhibition of wedding dresses and photos continues.

Refreshments will be available on both days.

From 2.30pm until 3.30pm on the Saturday there will be a free concert with our very own vicar Mthr Victoria Barlow playing well-known wedding music on the organ and piano. 

See if you can spot the piece of music that you walked down the aisle to! A live video feed of Mthr Victoria at the console will be projected onto a big screen so you will be able to see her hands and feet in action. Refreshments will be available after the concert.

Free parking may be available courtesy of Cradley Baptist Church in Blue Ball Lane and also at local car parks and on street parking. The churchyard will be closed to vehicles for safety due to craft demonstrations in the churchyard.

Future concerts will be listed on our website - visit https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/18477

Help Required

We are in need of a wedding dress and photo album for the 1920s and 1930s to complete the display. If anyone has a dress from these decades and would like to have it on display, please contact the Parish Office before Monday 8th September on 0121 550 1158 email parishoffice@halasteam.org.uk