MUSEUM SHOP ACTIVELY SUPPORTS
LOCAL CRAFTSPEOPLE
Beautiful and unusual Christmas gifts
from the Museum Shop
Weald & Downland
Open
Air Museum
The Weald & Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton, near
Chichester, West Sussex, is actively supporting the work of craftspeople
throughout the region by selling a new and extensive range of hand-made
craft items in the popular Museum shop. Throughout the winter, the shop is
open daily from
10.30am
to 4.30pm,
offering a tempting choice of quality gift ideas especially in the run up
to Christmas.
The shop has always stocked a wide selection of gifts,
toys, stationery, local produce and books. However, the Museum has
recently taken a policy decision to actively support and promote local
craftspeople, and has increased and diversified its range of hand-made
craft goods. The Museum’s exhibits consist of over 45 original historic
buildings from the south east including Sussex, Kent, Surrey and
Hampshire, and the move to support producers of local craft goods reflects
this focus on the heritage and ongoing countryside traditions of this
region.
Craft items on sale now include vivid blue-glazed pottery
from Amberley Pottery near Arundel; contemporary ironwork, including
spectacular candelabras and candle holders, by Iron Approach in Lewes;
beautiful pressed leaf pictures in rustic wooden frames by Horsham artist
Uni Millichap; ornamental wood turned gifts by John Chapman from Cranbrook,
Kent; and wood turned bowls by Ted Hickford from Midhurst.
There are also wildlife photographs by Roger Wilmshurst of
Washington village; hand spun and knitted quality scarves, fun hats and
bags by Silkwood Yarns of Sutton, Surrey; fragrant and
beautifully-designed soaps from Merrywood Soaps in Kent; cards featuring
photographs of local scenes by Martyn & Teresa Saunders from Aldwick Bay;
and beautiful glasswork bowls, plates and other items in enchanting,
swirling colours from Jane Cole from Partridge Green.
The shop also sells delicious local produce including unusual
chocolate flavours by Montezuma’s Chocolates in West Stoke. Also on sale are
biscuits and shortbread made with wholemeal flour ground in the Museum’s own
17th century watermill, and local jams and preserves. For children, there
are many inexpensive stocking-fillers, plus traditional candy canes and
lollipops made without artificial colours or flavourings.
The Museum bookshop keeps a wide range of books on historic
buildings, local history, conservation, traditional crafts, trades and
related subjects. Many of these are specialist publications that are not
readily available through traditional booksellers. For outdoor types, the
Museum is the most comprehensive UK stockist for the famous range of axes
manufactured by Swedish specialists Gränsfors Bruks. Each axe is carefully
forged by an experienced smith who shows his pride in his work by stamping
his initials on the head next to the company logo. Each smith is introduced
in “The Axe Book” that accompanies every Gränsfors Bruks axe. A twenty-year
guarantee is the final stamp of quality.
The Museum shop is open daily this winter from 10.30am –
4.30pm. The Museum’s exhibit buildings are open during the winter season on
Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10.30am – 4pm.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The
award-winning Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building
exhibits and is designated by the Government for the outstanding importance
of its collections. Exhibits include a medieval farmstead; a working
watermill producing wholemeal stoneground flour; exhibitions focusing on
traditional building techniques and agriculture; historic gardens, farm
livestock and a working Tudor kitchen. The Museum runs a well-established
programme of courses in building conservation and rural crafts. There is a
café which uses the Museum’s own flour and a shop with gifts and books on
countryside and buildings themes. The modern Downland Gridshell houses the
Museum’s building conservation centre and artefact collection. There is a
daily tour at 1.30pm when the Museum is open, and an appointments system for
visits to the collections for research purposes.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Reporters and photographers are welcome at the Museum.
For
further information call the Museum information line on 01243 811348 or
contact Cathy Clark, Marketing Officer
Tel:
01243
811014.
Fax:
01243 811475
Email:
marketing@wealddown.co.uk.
Full
details about the Museum and its activities can be found at
www.wealddown.co.uk further details of some of the merchandise
can be found at www.wealddown.co.uk/shop.htm
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