People living in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, will be able to visit two of the city’s oldest buildings during a series of heritage events this April. These events include a free day for the community to explore local grounds and a festival featuring talks from some of the country’s leading historians.
On Sunday 12 April 2026, Llanthony Secunda Priory is holding a free open day. The site is a former religious house from the 12th century located next to the historic docks, and it features listed buildings that reopened in 2018 after a major restoration project.
Following this, the Gloucester History Festival Spring Weekend will take place from Friday 17 April to Sunday 19 April 2026. According to Visit Gloucester, the festival is based at Blackfriars Priory and includes 30 events with 50 different speakers.
The headline speaker for the weekend is Dame Mary Beard, who will discuss ancient Rome and Greece on Saturday 18 April. This year’s festival theme is Power and Protest, with talks covering a variety of topics including medieval queens, working-class movements, and modern politics.
Festival president Professor Janina Ramirez said she is looking forward to gathering experts inside the priory’s ancient walls to reflect on the past. Blackfriars Priory was founded in 1239 and is known for housing the oldest surviving purpose-built library in Britain.
