Houses

The historic houses at the Museum show continuity and change in layout and room functions. Features, such as the chimney, made a difference to how people lived in these spaces. This can be traced from open fires in medieval homes, such as Bayleaf farmhouse, to the introduction of chimneys, seen in the house from Walderton or the Toll Cottage. An intermediate phase of a ‘smoke bay’ is visible in Poplar Cottage.