2018 sees many anniversaries at the Museum – from the arrival of our first exhibit building in 1968 to the establishment of our endowment fund.
1968 (50 years ago)
- Arrival of first building on site – the timbers of Winkhurst farm (later revealed to be a Tudor kitchen)
- Sites & Buildings Committee established to agree acquisitions and sitings of exhibit buildings
- Roger Champion arrives with Museum, helping with the dismantling of Pendean farmhouse
- Chris Zeuner arrives, quickly becoming Keeper and then Director
- Beeding toll house and Horsham medieval shop dismantled
- Fittleworth wall paintings rescued
- Lintott’s Walking Stick Factory collected from Chiddingfold (the first item in the rural life collection)
- Timbers of Bayleaf Farmhouse arrive on site
Winkhurst Farm prior to dismantling. In the foreground is the part of the house which has been rebuilt at the Museum, which is interpreted as a Tudor kitchen.
1978 (40 years ago)
- Re-erection of hall from Crawley and building from Lavant
- ‘Discovering Timber-framed Buildings’ by Richard Harris published by Shire
- First use of dendrochronology on timbers of exhibit buildings (on solar of Bayleaf farmhouse, felling dates 1505–10)
The upper hall from Crawley on its original site. It had been converted into a barn.
1988 (30 years ago)
- Collecting policy (PDF) formally established
- Re-erection of Cowfold barn
- Chris Zeuner becomes chairman of AIM and president of Association of European Open Air Museums
- The bakehouse from Newdigate is dismantled (currently in the process of being re-erected)
- The Rare Breeds Show welcomes 5,000 visitors – a record for a special event!
Newdigate bakehouse prior to dismantling in 1988
1998 (20 years ago)
- The Museum is Designated in a Government scheme to recognise pre-eminent national and international collections (note – the whole of the Museum’s collection is Designated, not just selected parts as with many Museums)
- Endowment Fund established following £250,000 legacy from Wilhemina Minet
2008 (10 years ago)
- Paul Rigg becomes Museum Chairman
- Landscape conservation and management plan for West Dean Park approved
