DISCOVER THE NEW FOREST'S HERITAGE ON SPECIAL OPEN DAYS

St Mary's Church in Breamore and the Rockbourne Roman Villa will be brought to life as part of Hampshire County Council's programme of events for Heritage Open Days from 13-16 September.

The open days aim to encourage residents and visitors alike to enjoy the rich and diverse heritage that exists in Hampshire by offering free entry, guided tours and special exhibitions in many of the historic sites, monuments, buildings and beautiful countryside. Running for the ninth consecutive year, they will enable people to visit many other attractions in Hampshire which are not normally open to the public.

Guided tours of St Mary's Church in Breamore, by Kay Ainsworth from Hampshire County Council's Museums Service, will provide a rare chance to hear about the building's classic Anglo-Saxon architectural features and its unique inscription. The church is one of the most complete Anglo-Saxon churches in the country.

Visitors to Rockbourne Roman Villa, near Fordingbridge, will see some of finest Roman remains for free and can even expect to have a free guided tour led by a Roman soldier on the Friday and the Monday. The villa once stood in the centre of a large farming estate and is the largest known Roman villa in the south. History enthusiasts will be enthralled by the remains, which span the period from the Iron Age through to the 5th Century AD.

In Christchurch, the Red House Museum and Gardens is offering visitors the chance to see its displays of local artefacts free of charge from 13-15 September.

Visitors to Botley Mills, an ancient mill on the River Hamble, will be able to see a late 18th century water mill and an early 20th century roller mill, which are currently being restored to be included in a Museum of Flour Milling at the site.

The Heritage Open Days also offer people a free visit to Bursledon Windmill, the county's only restored working windmill, on 14 and 15 September. A selection of breads from around the world, made with stoneground flour from the mill itself, will be on display at the windmill over the weekend.

The County Council's Executive Member for Recreation and Heritage, Councillor John Waddington, said: "We are committed to maintaining Hampshire's historic buildings, monuments and wonderful countryside so that they can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. I hope that people make the most of the Heritage Open Days and use this marvellous opportunity to see and experience the New Forest's heritage for themselves."

All the sites included in this programme are either owned, managed or have received some form of support from Hampshire County Council. It is just one part of Heritage Open Days, a national initiative co-ordinated by the Civic Trust and funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and aims to improve access to appreciation of

the nation's heritage. For a list of sites taking part in Hampshire County Council's programme for Heritage Open Days, visit the County Council's website: www.hants.gov.uk/heritage or contact one of the County Council Information Centres on 0800 028 0888. A free leaflet is also available.

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Julia Herron 01962 846006

3 September 2002

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Notes to Editors

For further information about the national programme contact The Civic Trust on 020 7930 0914 or see www.civictrust.org.uk

The Heritage Open Days will take place on the following dates: