Focus Days - New for 2008

Join the Museum interpretation team for a more in depth look at different aspects of our rural heritage and current work at the Museum.  Fascinating days of discovery for all the family.

 

2008  
6 January 2008 Twelfth Night - Focus Day
13 April 2008 Grow your own clothes - Focus Day
14 September 2008 Small Beer and the Upper Crust - Focus Day
23 November 2008 Stir-up Sunday - Focus Day


Special Events  

Set in the beautiful surroundings of the Museum, special event days are packed with entertainment and interest for all the familyAdmission to special events is included in the standard Museum admission price with the exception of open air theatre and musical concerts.

Trade Stands

At a number of our events we offer space for trade stands. To view or download an information pack click here

For the latest news on specific events click here.

 

2008  
18-22 February 2008 Children's Half Term Activities
2 March 2008 Mothering Sunday
21-24 March 2008 Easter Festivities
4-5 May 2008 Sussex Food and Farming Show
26-30 May 2008 Children's Half Term Activities
31 May-1 June 2008 Heavy Horse Spectacular
15 June 2008 Fathers Day - Hands on traditional Countryside Activities
6 July 2008 Early Music Afternoon
20 July 2008 Rare and Traditional Breeds Show
30 July 2008- 27 August 2008 Childrens Summer Activity Wednesdays
1-3 August 2008 The Art of the Blacksmith
16 August 2008 St Roche Service
16-17 August 2008 Steam Festival
4-5 October 2008 Autumn Countryside Show
22-26 October 2008 Children's Half Term Activities
7 December 2008 Tree Dressing
26 December 2008 -
1 January
2009
A Sussex Christmas
   
For your personal copy of this years special events leaflet call 01243 811363.


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DAYS FOR CHILDREN

Running out of ideas on how to occupy your children in the school holidays?  Why not try one of our Children's Activity Days packed with things to do?

Children, (and their parents and carers!) can try their hand at an astonishing range of arts, crafts, activities and games which take place amongst the Museum's buildings.

Dress for mess and outside play.
 

SPRING HALF TERM

FEBRUARY FUN

18-22 February 2008  11.00am - 4.00pm

Grooming

Lino Printing

Rag Rugging

Nature Table


Put on your winter woollies this half term and come to our beautiful site in the South Downs to enjoy a week of creative activities and countryside skills.
Follow the trail around the Museum to find the hidden animals, and work out the link between them. Make some bird cake for the hungry birds, try rag-rugging, roll your own bees wax candle, and have a go at brass rubbing and lace making. Also enjoy creative arts, crafts and country storytelling. And with spring just around the corner, plant a garden pea or broad bean, take it home and watch it grow!

You can also visit all of the Museum’s historic houses, and enjoy a walk in the woods, or by the lake with the hungry ducks! Most activities are under cover, and run from 11am – 4pm. Lakeside café open, plus indoor and outdoor picnic areas, dogs on leads welcome, free parking.

For further information telephone 01243 811348.

Please wear clothes suitable for playing outdoors.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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SUMMER HALF TERM

COUNTRYSIDE ADVENTURES

26-30  May 2008  11.00am5.00pm

Come and enjoy the great outdoors and make the most of the countryside which is bursting with life at this time of year. Learn about the natural world with trails, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts using natural materials, and a host of outdoor games. For accompanied children of all ages, from 11 am - 4pm, under cover if wet.  Please note, some of the activities are weather dependent.

Lakeside café open, or bring a picnic, dogs on leads welcome, free parking. Plus: end the holiday with a visit to our Heavy Horse Spectacular on Sunday June 4th! Includes magnificent displays and a grand parade of horse-drawn vehicles.

For further information telephone 01243 811348.

Please wear clothes suitable for playing outdoors.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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 SUMMER HOLIDAYS

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS

30 July 2008 - 27 August 2008

 

Hands-on creative fun and activities start on Wednesday 25 July at the Museum, and will continue every Wednesday until 29 August. Accompanied children can enjoy arts, crafts, traditional countryside activities, and meeting the heavy horses and farm animals. Enjoy a walk in the woods, feed the hungry ducks on the millpond, and visit the Tudor kitchen. Please dress for outside play. Activities include:

bulletMake a willow wand
bulletMedieval puppet show
bulletStorytelling
bulletWorking donkeys
bulletLearn about knots!
bulletFencing demonstration
bulletCreative arts
bulletBoundstone Junior Band
bulletLino printing
bulletMuseum Trail
 

Lots of outdoor and indoor fun from 11 am to 5pm, under cover if wet.  Please note, some of the activities are weather dependent.

For further information telephone 01243 811363.

Dress for mess and outside play.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.

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DAYS FOR ALL THE FAMILY

MOTHERING SUNDAY

2 March 2008

A special spring day to welcome visitors old and new at the start of the season! £1 entry for everyone, plus our traditional bunch of daffodils for mothers and grandmothers!  Mothering Sunday is a wonderful time to visit with spring in the air, buds bursting, traditional breed farm animals grazing around the site and Shire horses at work at seasonal tasks.


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EASTER FESTIVITIES

21-24 March 2008

Activities and Easter celebrations for all the family throughout the holiday weekend.

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SUSSEX FOOD AND FARMING FOOD FAIR

4-5  May 2008
 

Click here for more Food Fair images

More pictures

Newspaper article

The tables will be groaning at one of the county's major gatherings of suppliers and retailers of locally produced food and drink. 

Around 50 producers from throughout the South East will be selling speciality food and drink including award-winning beers and wines, sausages and bacon, succulent meat and game, delicious ice cream, aromatic bread and much more. 

Producers will be based in and around the Museum’s buildings, bringing a unique atmosphere to the occasion. The authentic working Tudor kitchen 'Winkhurst' will be at the heart of the taste celebrations during the fair.

This event is organized by A Taste of Sussex which promotes local food producers throughout the region.

To reflect the national ‘Year of Food and Farming’, this year the event will also include a celebration of downland farming.

Admission includes entry to the Museum and the Food Fair

2008 News Release
 

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HEAVY HORSE SPECTACULAR

31 May - 1 June 2008

Click here for more Heavy Horse Event images

More pictures

One of the largest gatherings of heavy horses in the South East.  Over 30 working horses will demonstrate their versatility in day long displays packed with activity.  There will be displays throughout the day with continuous ringside commentary and a grand parade of over thirty horses and horse drawn vehicles. 

2008 News Release

View Podcast of previous event

If you enjoy the weekend you could always try your hand on one of our Heavy Horse Experience Courses!

 


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FATHERS DAY

15 June 2008

Toys For The Boys!  Fathers have the opportunity to celebrate their own special day with a programme of activities, demonstrations and competitions designed to appeal to fathers, grandfathers, and children of all ages – and of course, mum will be welcome to join in as well!

Try some unusual and challenging countryside activities. Sample some of the Museum's courses in traditional rural trades and crafts, drive a vintage tractor and work with the Shire horses all in one action-packed day. 

2008 News Release

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EARLY MUSIC AFTERNOON

6 July 2008 2.00pm onwards.

Click here for more images of Early Music

More pictures

A lively afternoon of music, dancing and merrymaking, as groups of musicians, some in period costume, perform song and dance from the medieval, Tudor and Stuart times in the wonderful; setting of our historic buildings.  Come just to listen or join in the dancing.

2008 News Release

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RARE AND TRADITIONAL BREEDS SHOW

20 July 2008

Click here for more Rare Breed images

More pictures

Our biggest show of the year! Over 500 cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry of numerous rare breeds will be taking part in the show, the largest in south east England. 

Bring the family to see orange bristled Tamworth pigs; the Pygmy goats, not much more than one foot high; Gloucester Old Spot pigs with their dramatic black blotches, Longhorn cattle with majestic curly horns and Southdown Sheep with their teddy bear faces and dumpling shape and many many more.

Other attractions include country craft and trade stands with farm and animal themes and the Museum's own team of working Shire horses.

View Podcast of previous event

Schedule of Classes for competitors         

 

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ART OF THE BLACKSMITH

1 - 3 August 2008

The British Artist Blacksmiths Association (BABA) international AGM: meet over 70 blacksmiths at work on a specially commissioned piece. Have a go yourself, and enjoy many other fascinating blacksmith-related activities around the site. The event runs alongside an exhibition of contemporary blacksmiths’ work supported by BABA, from July 23rd – August 3rd in the Downland Gridshell.

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ST ROCHE SERVICE ON THE TRUNDLE

16 August 2008

A free open air service on the site of the chapel of St Roche, patron saint of healing.  Meet at the Trundle near Goodwood Racecourse, transport up the hill will be provided if needed.

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STEAM FESTIVAL

16-17 August 2008

All the bustle and excitement of a Steam Festival, with steam engines on display and demonstrating the kind of work around the Museum site for which they were originally designed.  Plus steam rollers, working models, model boats on the lake and a variety of trade stands.  News Release

View Podcast of previous event

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AUTUMN COUNTRYSIDE SHOW

4-5 October 2008

Click here for more images

Click here for more images

Click here for more images More Autumn Countryside pictures

 

 

 

'We Plough the Fields and Scatter' 

A celebration of how the countryside used to be.

The hiss of steam engines, the chug of the threshing box, the chink of the plough horses chains and the scrape of metal on earth as the plough eats into the ground - these once heralded the golden days of autumn, and now remind us of the rural heritage on which our modern society is built.

Numerous pairs of heavy horses, vintage tractors, the huge threshing drum and a gleaming steam engine will all be at work.

The museum's crop of thatching straw, grown each year to supply local thatchers and to repair the Museum's own buildings will be threshed with steam driven machinery in the traditional way.

Heavy horses and vintage tractors will plough the stubble left by the harvest.   The museum's pair of Shires plus visiting Suffolk, Clydesdales and British Percheron draught horses will be at work. 

Countryside skills and crafts and trade stands will add to the atmosphere.  A perfect day out!

News Release

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AUTUMN HALF TERM ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN 

AUTUMN ACTION

27-31 October 2008.  11.00am - 4.00pm

Wickedly wonderful seasonal activities, fun and farming for accompanied children of all ages! Help with the harvest; discover an interesting use for the humble apple; carve a pumpkin lantern; and enjoy arts, crafts and much more. Plus – join the Harvest Procession on Wed 25th at 1pm. From 11am – 4pm daily, under cover if wet.  Activities vary each day and include:

Please wear clothing suitable for playing outdoors.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.

For further information telephone 01243 811348.

[Index of Events] [Home]


TREE DRESSING

2 December 2007
7 December 2008
: 12.30 - 4.00pm


More pictures

A festival of trees rooted in the Green Man legends of ancient times and the importance of natural objects to man.  One of our busiest days in the winter, people of all ages flock to join in with dancing, singing, fireside story telling, mummers plays ending with a lantern procession and spiral dance around a magnificent aspen tree as it is dressed with the lanterns. To join in with the lantern making workshop, don’t forget to bring a jam jar and a night light!   Beginning at 12.30pm the celebrations last until about 4.30pm. Lantern making will finish around 3pm in time for the procession at 3.45pm.  Mulled wine and mince pies available.

If you're stuck for a particular Christmas present why not have a look in the Christmas craft market or theMuseum's gift shop.  The shop has a well-deserved reputation for its wide range of books on rural and related traditions and is the ideal place to discover volumes unlikely to be found in the high street.

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A SUSSEX CHRISTMAS

26 December 2007 to 1 January 2008
26 December 2008 to 1 January 2009

For the traditions of Christmas  click here.
For pictures from previous years click here.

www.foodloversbritain.com is the key place for those who love to eat and buy British on the web. Check their events section, particularly with regards to December and Christmas festivals and fairs.

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SPECIAL FOCUS DAYS

On selected days throughout the year, our interpretation team invite you to join them for an in-depth exploration of some intriguing aspects of our rural heritage and current work at the Museum.  Fascinating days of discovery and demonstrations for all the family

TWELFTH NIGHT - FOCUS DAY

6 January 2008   11am-4pm

A focus on.. all the excitements, traditions and celebrations surrounding Twelfth Night in Tudor times, with a chance to sample ‘Twelfth-cake’ prepared in our Tudor Kitchen.

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GROW YOUR OWN CLOTHES - FOCUS DAY

Sunday 13 April 2008  11am-5pm

A focus on… how fabrics and clothing were grown and made in Tudor and Victorian times with demonstrations of spinning, weaving and natural dyeing.  How were clothes worn and how does this differ from today?   Come in your own period costume if you wish.  This focus day complements our Historic Clothing Project exhibition which runs from Monday 7th – Friday 18th April.

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SMALL BEER AND THE UPPER CRUST - FOCUS DAY

Sunday 14th September    11am-5pm

A focus on… Tudor bread making and brewing based in and around our working Tudor kitchen.  To include talks from local bakers and brewers contrasting historic and contemporary brewing and baking processes, and the importance of yeast.

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STIR-UP SUNDAY - FOCUS DAY

Sunday 23rd November  11am-4pm

A focus on… a traditional Christmas pudding and cake bake!  Find out how the Victorians prepared for a typical Christmas in 1890 and sample the results.

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