One of the winners of the children's art competition, Maddie from Vigo School, with Mayor of Test Valley Cllr Gordon Bailey and Cllr Andersen.
Young artists help bring Guildhall’s story to life at heritage open day
Visitors of all ages joined in the celebrations on Sunday 14 September as Andover marked the 200th anniversary of its iconic Guildhall with a special heritage open day.
Standing proudly in the heart of the town since 1825, the Guildhall has been a focal point for civic life, cultural events, and community gatherings for generations. On Sunday, its doors were opened once more to the public, inviting people to explore the Upper Guildhall and learn about its history.
The event was co-hosted by Test Valley Borough Council, Andover BID and Second Sundays, and formed part of a wider programme of activities celebrating the Guildhall’s rich history.
One of the highlights was the children’s art competition, which invited young artists aged 5 to 11 to share their vision of the Guildhall - past, present or imagined. Over 150 entries were received and proudly displayed in the Upper Guildhall, with three winners chosen by the Mayor of Test Valley, Councillor Gordon Bailey, and a panel of local councillors.
Elsewhere in the town, families and craft enthusiasts joined textile artists Sharon Kearley and Lucy Pick for drop-in sessions to learn about using sustainable methods to dye yarn and linen with natural flowers and plants. People also had the chance to weave their own designs using pre-dyed yarn and card looms to take home. Sharon brought along her Viking replica loom and a table loom, giving the public a hands-on experience of traditional weaving techniques.
Visitors could also listen to residents' stories and reminiscences about Andover in a sound piece created by Boris Allenou, collected during a residency at Andover Museum, in partnership with Chapel Arts Studios.
In the Chantry Centre, students from Harrow Way Community School displayed a fascinating history exhibit with suggested heritage trails around Andover and Andover Museum hosted a pop-up Victorian museum, giving visitors a glimpse into the town’s past through objects, stories and activities.
To tie in with this year’s national Heritage Open Days theme of ‘architecture’, Andover BID organised a special ‘look up’ trail encouraging people to explore the town’s architecture and discover hidden details above street level.
Local business Andover Framing also joined the celebrations, producing a limited-edition Guildhall 200 poster.
Mayor of Test Valley, Councillor Gordon Bailey, said: “The Guildhall has been a cornerstone of Andover’s civic and cultural life for two centuries. This event was a wonderful way to celebrate its legacy and bring people together to share memories, make new ones, and look ahead to the future.”
Jon Deacon, Executive Director of Andover BID, said: “As we continue to celebrate the Guildhall’s 200th year it was wonderful to see so many people taking part in the celebrations for Heritage Open Days. The Guildhall, as well as the town itself, has many stories to tell and it was especially nice to see so many children learning about the building and going on the ‘look up’ history trail around the High Street.”