Set in 50 acres of beautiful Sussex countryside is a
very special place to wander amongst a fascinating collection of
nearly 50 historic buildings dating from the 13th to the 19th
century, many with period gardens, together with farm animals, woodland walks
and a picturesque lake.
Rescued from destruction, the buildings have been carefully dismantled,
conserved and rebuilt to their original form and bring to life the homes, farmsteads and
rural industries of the last 500 years.
Wander through these exhibits at your leisure - a majestic timber framed
farmhouse from Kent; a striking market hall from Hampshire; a Victorian school; a medieval
shop; carpenters, plumbers and brickmakers workshops; barns; a granary and a tread wheel
from the South Downs.
Many of the interiors have been furnished, recreating the way the buildings were
used by their owners centuries ago: seven historic gardens
show the herbs, vegetables and
flowers grown to meet the needs of rural households
from medieval to Victorian times.
See bread, pottage and sweetmeats being
prepared in the working Tudor kitchen, you may even be invited to sample the
results!
Pause at the working water mill where stone ground flour is produced daily,
experience a recreated Tudor farm, enjoy a picnic by the millpond or a walk in the woods.
Delight in the company of our rare and traditional breeds of farm livestock -
working horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. See traditional farming in action
and heavy horses at work.
Demonstrators regularly show their skills and
everyone you meet will be happy to talk about how people lived and worked. Discover the skills of the early carpenters,
find out about traditional building techniques and learn how we help to conserve rural crafts.
Hens peck in the straw, woolly faced sheep
chew the downland grass and Shire horses work in the fields. Enjoy the
rhythm of the traditional countryside and unspoilt landscape.
For a complete contrast visit the Downland
Gridshell, the Museum's workshop and store for supporting collections - in an
amazing award-winning architectural tour de force, the first timber gridshell in
Britain. Tours daily at 1.30pm.
Children will enjoy the freedom to roam in
safety and gain hands-on experience of the Museums buildings, gardens and
animals.
With such a variety of things to do this is a wonderful
day out for all ages!
