Flatpack Festival
Film for all the senses

Tales from the Cut

Saturday 17th September, 2016

The Roundhouse | 11:00

A rare opportunity to take a peek inside the Roundhouse, a beautiful horseshoe-shaped building that was built as a coal wharf in the 1840s.

Roundhouse Birmingham is at the heart of the city’s canal network and was originally designed as stabling for horses as part of a competition won by the famed architect WH Ward, its distinctive horseshoe shape becoming integral to the ‘city of 1,000 trades’. The Grade II* listed building, which is owned by the Canal & River Trust, will be restored over the coming years, in partnership with the National Trust and with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund. This one-off event is a rare opportunity to take a peek inside.

Throughout the weekend local poet Kurly will lead ‘Un-Tours’ around the site, taking an offbeat journey through the Roundhouse’s past, present and future. Once inside you can also take in a range of canal-related sound and film, including some terrific footage drawn from the collections of British Pathe and the Media Archive for Central England.

Un-Tours: 11-1 and 2-4 on Sat 17th and Sun 18th

Open visits: 4-5 and 5-6pm on both days (With a chance to see the main part of the building and the archive material, but not including the Un-Tour element)

This event is also taking place during Birmingham Heritage Week. A little further down the towpath look out for Wonderful Waterways, a week of activities hosted by the Canal and River Trust from 12-16 September.

Please note places are limited and booking is essential for both the Un-Tours and the open visits. It is recommended that all visitors come in sturdy footwear.

Image credit: Jana Eastwood.

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