Lifelong learning has been at the heart of the Museum’s aims since its founding over 40 years ago. We strive to promote the preservation of buildings of architectural or historic interest, as well as the ancient crafts, trades and manufactures of the Weald & Downland region. The courses we offer make use of our historic exhibit buildings and collections of smaller artefacts, our landscape and our regionality, giving course participants access to a unique learning environment.
Courses at the Museum
We run extensive programmes of day-schools and longer courses in Historic Building Conservation and Traditional Rural Trades and Crafts, along with a series of evening talks on a range of lively topics. Our courses are taught by current practitioners in their fields, who are enthusiastic about their speciality and are generous in sharing their knowledge and skills. Whether you are looking for a new hobby or to learn a new skill which might change your career, we have something for you. We hope you will enjoy browsing through our courses, and we look forward to taking your booking.
Sun 10 December 2023
10:00am - 4:00pm
Sat 3 February 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Continuous hurdle fencing – Sold Out
Mon–Fri 19–23 February 2024
9:00am - 5:00pm
Oak Timber Framing: Jowl Posts
Sat 2 March 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
How To Carve A Letter In Stone
Sun 3 March 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
How To Carve A Leaf In Bath Stone – Sold Out
Wed–Fri 6–8 March 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Make A Traditional English Longbow
Sat 9 March 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Willow Garden Supports
Sun 10 March 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Make A Living Willow Chair
Wed 13 March 2024
10:00am - 4:30pm
Spoon Carving for Beginners
Thu 14 March 2024
10:00am - 4:30pm
Spoon Carving for Improvers
Fri 15 March 2024
10:00am - 5:00pm
Pole Lathe Bowl Turning
Sat 16 March 2024
10:00am - 5:00pm
Pole Lathe Bowl Turning
Sun 17 March 2024
10:00am - 1:00pm
Make a Hedgerow Brush
Fri 5 April 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Traditional Soapmaking & Perfumes – Sold Out
Mon 8 April 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Introduction To Nalbinding – Sold Out
Mon 15 April 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Traditional Woodcut Printing
Tue 16 April 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Traditional Woodcut Printing
Wed 17 April 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
How to Sketch: Introduction to Textures & Techniques
Thu 18 April 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Create a Frame Basket
Fri 19 April 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Gate Hurdle Making Day
Fri 26 April 2024
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Natural Navigation Walk
Fri 3 May 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Gate Hurdle Making Day
Sat 4 May 2024
10:30am - 4:00pm
Introduction to Falconry
Sun 12 May 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Dorset Button Fox Brooch
Mon 13 May 2024
10:00am - 5:00pm
Wild Food Foraging
Wed 15 May 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
How to Draw Buildings in Pen & Ink
Thu 16 May 2024
10:00am - 3:30pm
How to Drive Heavy Horses
Sat–Sun 18–19 May 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Make a Woven Top Stool
Sat 18 May 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Botanical Illustration: Culinary & Therapeutic Herbs
Sun 19 May 2024
10:00am - 12:00pm
Willow Platters
Tue 21 May 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
The Roofing Square
Tue 21 May 2024
10:00am - 3:30pm
How to Care for & Manage Heavy Horses
Thu 23 May 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
How To Repair Traditional Timber Walls & Roofs
Thu 23 May 2024
10:00am - 3:30pm
How to Drive Heavy Horses
Sun 26 May 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Painting with Yarn: An Introduction to Woven Tapestry
Sat 8 June 2024
10:30am - 4:00pm
Introduction to Falconry
Sun 9 June 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Herbal Woodcuts: Block Cutting & Printing
Sat 15 June 2024
10:00am - 5:00pm
How to Shoot a Traditional Longbow
Sat–Sun 15–16 June 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Weaving Weekend: Woven Tapestry for Beginners & Improvers
Sun 16 June 2024
10:00am - 5:00pm
How to Shoot a Traditional Longbow
Fri–Sun 21–23 June 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Make a Traditional English Longbow
Fri 21 June 2024
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Natural Navigation Walk
Wed 26 June 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Inspired by the Museum: How to Paint with Watercolours
Sat 29 June 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
The Houses of the Weald from Medieval to Early Modern
Thu 4 July 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Create a Frame Basket
Mon 8 July 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
How to Read Old Documents
Wed 10 July 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Inspired by the Museum: Sketching Animals
Tue–Thu 16–18 July 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
An Introduction to Practical Timber Repairs
Sat–Sun 20–21 July 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Coracle Making Weekend
Sun 21 July 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Introduction to Feltmaking
Mon–Fri 22–26 July 2024
9:00am - 5:00pm
Oak Timber Framing: Wall Framing
Sat 27 July 2024
10:00am - 4:15pm
Nettle Fibre Workshop: from Sting to Spin
Sun 28 July 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Traditional Linocut Printmaking
Sat 3 August 2024
10:30am - 4:30pm
Beekeeping for Beginners
Sat 17 August 2024
10:00am - 4:15pm
Nettle Fibre Workshop: from Sting to Spin
Tue 3 September 2024
10:00am - 3:30pm
Ploughing with Heavy Horses – Sold Out
Thu 5 September 2024
10:00am - 3:30pm
Ploughing with Heavy Horses
Wed 18 September 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
How to Draw in Charcoal
Thu 19 September 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
How to Date Timber-Framed Buildings in the South
Fri 20 September 2024
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Natural Navigation Walk
Mon 23 September 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Lime Plasters
Tue 24 September 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Limewash, Distemper & Linseed-based Paints
Tue 24 September 2024
10:00am - 3:30pm
How to Care for & Manage Heavy Horses
Thu 26 September 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Wattle & Daub
Sat–Sun 28–29 September 2024
9:30am - 5:00pm
Stone Carving: Green Man
Sat 28 September 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm
Botanical Illustration: Hips, Haws & Berries
Mon 30 September 2024–Fri 4 October 2024
9:00am - 5:00pm
Oak Timber Framing: Roof Framing
Sat 5 October 2024
10:00am - 4:30pm
Leather Belt Making Workshop
Sun 6 October 2024
10:00am - 4:30pm
Leather Pouch Workshop
Mon 14 October 2024
9:30am - 4:30pm
Wood Block Textiles Printing
Sun 3 November 2024
10:00am - 4:00pm