HERITAGE Weekend brought visitors flocking to East Hampshire to see places not usually open to the public and objects normally kept out of view.

Among the highlights was an exhibition of the work women did on the railway during two world wars, a chance to see a spectacular piece of needlework, and a building used to trap eels.

On Sunday, the Odiham Embroidery was on display at the historic Bridewell in the village. Designed by local artist Mary Turner, it depicts 800 years of local history from the time of the Magna Carta, reflecting the history of England as it was played out in the parish.

It features King John and the barons setting off for Windsor and Runnymede, visits by both Queen Elizabeth I and II, the meeting in Odiham that led to the founding of the veterinary profession in Britain, French prisoners of war held on parole at Odiham and North Warnborough during the Napoleonic war, and the great heavyweight boxing match between Mendoza and Humphreys in 1788 – among many other scenes.

Eleanor de Montfort, King John’s daughter, is also depicted, along with her husband Simon de Montfort who returned to join her at Odiham Castle following the first Parliament with elected representatives in 1265.

It was put together by 70 stitchers and it is a magnificent piece of work that was opened by the High Sherriff at a ceremony funded by the Odiham Society which first put forward the idea of creating the Embroidery.

Specially for Heritage Open Day, the Eel House, beside The Wayfarer’s Way footpath off the Dean at Alresford, attracted a lot of visitors keen to see the structure which has three water channels running through it.

It was built to house the iron grills used to trap eels and for more than 160 years the river keeper would arrive at The Eel House to set his traps and manoeuvre his live catch into a boat-shaped eel box.

Buildings constructed specifically for eel trapping are extremely rare in the UK and entry is free. The Eel House is run by the New Alresford Town Trust.

Over the weekend, as part of the Heritage Open Days, the Mid-Hants Railway Watercress Line saw almost 300 people join behind-the-scenes tours of the workshops and visit the ‘Women on the Railway’ exhibition at Ropley station.

Canadian Pacific project supervisor Dr Becky Peacock said: “The tours allowed us to showcase the amazing work our staff and volunteers do and get visitors up close to some fascinating engines, like our flagship Canadian Pacific.”

Another highlight was the women’s exhibition which demonstrated the jobs they did during the two world wars - everything from building carriages to laying tracks and collecting tickets.

Dr Peacock said: “It was great to see so many people take an interest in what we do and want to learn about the history of the railway, and the women who worked on them.

“Taking part in events like this helps us to attract people who may not have visited the railway before and show them we are more than just a train ride.”