DOZENS of historic buildings across East Lancashire will have free access from today until Sunday as part of the national Heritage Open Days.

In Blackburn the Quaker Meeting House in Paradise Lane will open its doors on Saturday from 10am to 4pm as well as Hobkirk Sewing Machines, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from the same times.

Blackburn’s Bureau Centre will welcome visitors on Saturday from 10am to 4pm and there will also be an Eanam Wharf Experience at the weekend at The Wharf Studios from 9am to 5pm on Saturday and 11am to 4pm on Sunday.

Meanwhile in Darwen a major feature of the four days will be the Blackburn and Darwen Band March and Hymn Tune Contest on Sunday, to celebrate the 176th anniversary of the band.

Eighteen brass bands will be battling it out for prize money in the town centre from noon.

Burnley’s Towneley Park will also be open and volunteers have been preparing the site.

Other venues that will be open for tours and activities are Bold Venture Park at the weekend from 10am to 3pm, Brambles East School on Saturday from 10am to 1pm and the Darwen Heritage Centre on Friday and Saturday from 10am to 5pm.

The Grane Mill in Haslingden and the Clitheroe Castle Museum will both be open at the weekend from 11am to 4pm.

There will also be a Clitheroe Town Trail running on all four days from 9am to 5pm everyday apart from Sunday, which will be from 11am to 4pm.

Also open in Clitheroe will be the Trinity Methodist Church on Saturday from 11am to 3pm, where there will be a celebration of panto, and Low Moor Reading Room from 11am to 3pm.

Leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council Cllr Stuart Hirst said he was looking forward to the celebrations.

He said: “I am so glad that all these interesting places in East Lancashire and the Ribble Valley will be opening.

“I would urge people to get down there and soak up your area’s heritage.”

Padiham’s Gawthorpe Hall will be welcoming visitors on Saturday from noon to 5pm.

On the same day Burnley’s St Peter’s Church will be open from 10.30am and The Weavers Triangle Visitor Centre is open from 2pm., the Woodend Mining Museum from 11am to 4pm and Oak Mont Engine House from 2pm to 4pm.

In Bacup Stubbylee Hall will be opening the Sunday from 11am to 2pm and in Barnoldswick Bancroft Mill will be running tours at the weekend from 1pm to 4pm.