Quick Tour

Get a better idea of the Museum by following this quick tour in words and pictures

To get more information about any building either
click the hyperlink in the text or click a building in a picture or a map.

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Welcome!

You enter the Museum through Longport Farmhouse (1). This imposing house was rescued from the site of the Eurotunnel terminus near Folkestone. It now houses the Museum administration, shop and entrance hall. It is a house of several periods, the earliest from the 16th century, the latest from the 19th century, an excellent representative of the evolution of historic buildings.

 

Longport Farmhouse from Newington, Kent. From 16th Century. Hambrook Barn. 18th Century. Introductory Exhibition Toll Cottage from Beeding, Sussex. 19th Century.

Longport Farmhouse from Newington, Kent.

Longport House (1)

You will be met by the Museum’s friendly team of volunteers who will be on hand to answer any questions and help illuminate the lives of the people who lived in the buildings so many years ago.  We hope that by the end of your visit you might even wish to become a volunteer yourself!

Start your visit in the barn from Hambrook (2) which houses the Museum's introductory exhibition showing the traditional regional building materials and methods that you will see as you move around the Museum.  Stay for a few minutes to watch the introductory video.

As you leave the barn the full beauty of the Singleton Valley is revealed. Follow the path down to the old Toll Cottage (3) with its traditional garden. Toll cottages were built in the 18th and 19th centuries to collect tolls from passing traffic on newly constructed turnpikes.

.Market Hall from Titchfield, Hampshire. C17th.Upper Hall from Crawley, Sussex. C16th.Medieval House from North Cray, Kent.Market Square from Toll Cottage

View of the Market Square from the Toll Cottage (3)

Pause at the market place;

In medieval times this was often an area separated from the main street of the town. The Museum's market place is intended to be the centre of a group of town and village buildings. Its shape and area are based on the market square at Alfriston in East Sussex. The centrepiece is the market hall where goods could be sold or stalls set up by licensed traders.

Medieval Shop from Horsham, Sussex. Market Hall from Titchfield, Hampshire. 17th Century. Upper Hall from Crawley, Sussex. 15th Century. Upper Hall from Crawley, Sussex. 15th Century. Medieval House from North Cray, Kent. market square aerial view

Shops, Market Hall, Crawley Hall and North Cray House (left to right)
 
Surrounding the market square are medieval shops (25) from Horsham used continuously from the 15th century through to 1967. Next door is the Upper Hall from Crawley (26), which was probably a communal meeting place. The beautiful white and red ochre building, North Cray (27) is a classic medieval hall house, the colour of the timbers is authentic having been revealed during dismantling. As you enter this building you may be surprised by the absence of a chimney, the timbers darkened by smoke from the open fire and the dark shutters that kept out the cold but also the light. Behind the Market Square is the house extension from Reigate (28) and plumbers (29), joiners (30) and carpenters (31) workshops complete with tools and equipment. The joiners shop contains hands-on activities and displays relating to building construction, here you and your children can experiment with different building techniques and understand how many of the ancient buildings on the site were constructed.  At the rear of the joiners shop an outshot houses two of the Museums historic wheeled vehicles, an early horse drawn furniture van and a Gypsy Caravan.  You will also see a bell frame topped with a wooden spire, partially covered with wooden shingles.  The frame was constructed during one of the Museum's special timber framing courses and the shingle are made and placed during another course designed to revive this dying art. 
 

Market Hall from Titchfield, Hants. 17th Century. Medieval Shop from Horsham, Sussex. 15th Century. Upper Hall from Crawley, Sussex. 15thCentury. Medieval House from North Cray, Kent. House extension from Reigate, Surrey. 17th Century. Plumbers Workshop from Newick, Sussex. 19th Century. Joiners Shop from Witley, Surrey. 19th Century. Building Construction Exhibit. Carpenter's Shop Windlesham, Surrey. 19th Century. Building from Lavant, Sussex. 17th Century. Pugmill House from Redford, Sussex. 19th Century.

 

Market Hall from Titchfield, Hampshire. C17th. School from West Wittering, Sussex. C19th. market square to school

View through the Market Hall towards the School
 

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