Heritage Open Day: Thorns DIY was established in 1835 and the building itself is enriched in history. We are inviting visitors to look at some unusual paintings believed to date back to the 18th century located in our Tool Department. Thorns DIY is one of the longest running Ironmongers in the UK. The building which Thorns resides used to be a hotel and is steeped in history. The paintings in our Tool department were discovered when removing some old shelving units in the 50s but were then covered up again to protect them. In 2013, when our Tool department was moved upstairs we then rediscovered the paintings and decided to unveil them for our customers to enjoy.