Heritage Open Day 2025 at Great Linford Manor Park, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Previous Heritage Open Day.

Located in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Great Linford Manor Park was the home of successive Lords of the Manor since medieval times and was recently restored by The Parks Trust. Visitors can now stroll around the Georgian gardens, admiring features such as the cascading ponds, Wilderness and HaHa. This year’s 2025 Heritage Open Day offers an afternoon of fun walks, talks and activities within the grounds of this stunning park.

For the 2025 Heritage Open Day, held from 12pm to 5pm, on Saturday, September 20th, you can rub shoulders with the Lord and Lady of the Manor, the Astrological Doctor and the School Master, as well as other costumed characters. Walks will be conducted around the park grounds by knowledgeable guides who will explain the fascinating history of the area. Talks on a variety of subjects will also be held in St. Andrew’s Church and a marquee within the park grounds. There will be live music throughout the afternoon, and a variety of food and craft stalls to browse.

Here are just some of the highlights of the day.

Venue: St. Andrew’s Church

12th-century St. Andrew's Church is the perfect setting for visitors to learn about the history of Great Linford, and tea, coffee and cakes will be served all afternoon. So, pull up a pew and enjoy the following talks and activities.

​1 - 2 pm. Talk: Discovering the Newport Pagnell Canal
Roger Butler tells the story of this lost Buckinghamshire canal and explores its remains.

3.15 - 4.15 pm. Talk: A brief history of Great Linford
John Gosling delves into the history of Great Linford, its notable residents and events. Includes many historic images.

12.00 - 4.30 pm: Down Memory Lane with Electra Boat
Canal history display from Electra Boat, and a drop-in session from 2.30 pm, at which you are invited to share your canal memories.

Guided history walks

Join the knowledgeable guides from The Friends of Great Linford Manor Park for informative walks around the park.

Walks depart at 12.30 pm, 2 pm and 3.30 pm, and last one hour.
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Meet at the Parklands car park, by the twin Pavilions.

Venue: The Almshouses

​Meet the lacemakers
Lacemaking was an important cottage industry in the village. Meet the lacemakers and learn about this fascinating craft.

Willow weaving workshop
Deb Jones provides a workshop on this ancient craft.
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The Friends of Great Linford Manor Park
Children can try their hand at writing with a traditional quill and ink in front of the old village school, or do some colouring with one of our Georgian character sheets. You can also view copies of historic photographs and documents from the village and learn about what the Friends do to maintain, protect and promote the park.

Venue: Talks Tent

12.15 - 12.45 pm: MK Canals, from Fenny to Wolverton 
David Wolfson, Chair of MK Canals, presents a talk on canals in Milton Keynes.

​2.15 - 2.45 pm: The HaHa excavations at Great Linford
Doug Stuckey of Bucks Archaeological Society delivers a talk on the recently completed HaHa excavations.

4.15 - 5 pm: The Myths and Legends of the Skies
Talk by Bucks Astronomy on the constellations and what they represent.

There's lots more to see and do. Full details can be found on the Parks Trust 2025 Heritage Open Day page.