What’s On This Month…
Discover what’s on this month as there is always something new to discover at the Weald & Downland Living Museum. Just as life in the past changed with the seasons, our demonstrations and hands-on activities vary from day to day, reflecting the rhythms of the people who once lived and worked in our historic buildings.
Our interpretation team, supported by visiting specialists and our fantastic, knowledgeable volunteers, brings different parts of the Museum’s collection to life each day, offering fresh stories, skills, and insights to enjoy.
Alongside our regular programme, a range of additional interpretation activities and demonstrations will be taking place. Please be aware that these may change due to circumstances beyond our control, so if there’s something you’re particularly keen to see, we recommend checking on the day of your visit and keeping an eye on our social media channels for any news.
October:
Friday, 30 October
Make a day of exploring centuries of history this half term. Wander through the Museum’s historic surroundings and discover how tradition and innovation meet in the Gridshell exhibition. Perfect for anyone looking for an inspiring autumn day out.
Saturday, 31 October
Spend Halloween somewhere truly historic. Discover how All Hallows’ Eve was marked in the 16th century as Bayleaf Farmhouse and Winkhurst Kitchen bring the customs and atmosphere of the period to life. Perfect for families who want a Halloween experience with a fascinating historical twist.
November:
Sunday, 1 November
Love discovering how people made, cooked and created in the past? Meet an Elizabethan musical instrument maker, see Regency hat making, step into a 16th-century kitchen and learn how to light a fire with flint and steel. Perfect for families and lovers of traditional skills.
Monday, 2 November
Fancy starting the week with some hands-on history? Explore Victorian cottage life, watch Tudor cooking, discover fire-lighting with flint and steel and learn the story of Lurgashall Watermill. Perfect for curious visitors who enjoy seeing history in action.
Tuesday, 3 November
Ever wondered what everyday Tudor life was really like? Explore a 16th-century kitchen, discover Cowfold Barn and hear fascinating stories about women, pets and domestic life 500 years ago. Perfect for social-history fans.
Wednesday, 4 November
Love traditional crafts and the hidden stories of everyday life? Watch historical knitting and flax processing, discover the duties of a churchwarden and hear about Southwater Smithy and the Museum’s historic gardens. Craft lovers will find plenty to enjoy.
Thursday, 5 November
Step into centuries of domestic life accompanied by music. Explore a Tudor yeoman farmhouse, discover a working 16th-century kitchen, visit a Victorian cottage and enjoy live music in the galleries. Perfect for visitors who enjoy history with atmosphere.
Friday, 6 November
Watch traditional craftsmanship unfold before your eyes. See a pole-lathe turn timber into useful objects and discover the thrifty skill of rag rugging in the galleries. Perfect for makers, crafters and heritage enthusiasts.
Saturday, 7 November
Looking for a day packed with unusual history? Discover the food of the poor in an 18th-century cottage, meet a friend of Guy Fawkes, watch spinning, flax processing and historic instrument making, and see beautiful Regency hats take shape. Perfect for families who want history full of characters and stories.
Sunday, 8 November
Fancy discovering the grittier side of the past? Meet a 17th-century barber surgeon, follow the journey of flax, explore how poorer families ate in late autumn and see how Tudor households cooked and made fire. Perfect for visitors who like their history vivid and real.
Monday, 9 November
Slow down and step into the rhythms of everyday history. Explore a Victorian cottage and Tudor kitchen, learn to make fire with flint and steel and discover how Lurgashall Watermill worked. Perfect for anyone who enjoys practical, everyday history.
Tuesday, 10 November
How different was life for ordinary people 500 years ago? Explore a Tudor farmhouse and kitchen, compare women’s lives in 1540 and today, and discover how attitudes towards pets have changed. Perfect for visitors fascinated by the human side of history.
Wednesday, 11 November
Discover the crafts, buildings and traditions that shaped everyday life. Watch flax processing and historical knitting, explore Tudor domestic life and hear stories from Southwater Smithy and the Museum’s historic gardens. Perfect for craft lovers and curious historians.
Thursday, 12 November
Looking for a cosy autumn day surrounded by history? Enjoy music in the galleries while exploring a 16th-century yeoman farmhouse, Tudor kitchen and late Victorian cottage. Perfect for visitors who love atmospheric living history.
Friday, 13 November
Meet the makers and householders of the past. Discover the Mistress of the House, watch flax processing and pole-lathe turning, and see how old textiles could find new life through rag rugging. Perfect for traditional craft enthusiasts.
Saturday, 14 November
Interested in the mysterious and medical side of history? Meet the Cunning Woman and explore the blurred line between healing and witchcraft, then discover how childbirth changed from Anglo-Saxon times to the modern age. Perfect for visitors drawn to the more unusual stories of the past.
Sunday, 15 November
Love colour, craft and cosy historic interiors? Discover natural dyes, explore a working 16th-century kitchen and Victorian cottage, and see how people once started a fire using nothing more than flint and steel. Perfect for craft lovers and families alike.
Monday, 16 November
Calling all archery and traditional-skills fans! Explore a display of historic arrows, step inside Tudor and Victorian homes, learn fire-lighting techniques and discover the workings of Lurgashall Watermill. Perfect for anyone who loves practical history.
Tuesday, 17 November
Curious about the details of Tudor life? Discover a 16th-century kitchen, see how people made fire and hear fascinating talks about farming, women’s lives and pets in the 1500s. Perfect for social-history lovers.
Wednesday, 18 November
Love seeing historic skills kept alive? Watch historical knitting and flax processing, explore Tudor cooking and discover the stories behind Southwater Smithy and the Museum’s historic gardens. Perfect for visitors inspired by heritage crafts.
Thursday, 19 November
Immerse yourself in the sounds, sights and skills of the past. Enjoy music in the galleries, watch flax being processed and explore everyday life in Tudor and Victorian homes. Perfect for anyone who enjoys a relaxed day of living history.
Friday, 20 November
Planning a visit today? The Museum is closed while preparations take place for the Christmas Market. Come back this weekend for one of the most festive dates in the Museum calendar. Perfect for Christmas lovers looking ahead to a seasonal day out.
Saturday, 21 November
Ready to get into the Christmas spirit? Browse the Christmas Market while discovering life in a 17th-century farmhouse, stepping inside a Victorian cottage and watching the traditional craft of fletching. Perfect for families, festive shoppers and history lovers.
Sunday, 22 November
Make your Christmas shopping trip a journey into the past too. Explore the Christmas Market, visit a Victorian cottage and Tudor kitchen, and discover the art of lighting a fire with flint and steel. Perfect for families looking for a festive day with something extra.
Monday, 23 November
Planning to visit today? The Museum is closed while the Christmas Market is packed away and the site is reset. Perfect excuse to plan your next historic day out.
Tuesday, 24 November
Fancy exploring Tudor life from every angle? Watch flax processing and cooking, step inside a yeoman farmhouse, learn how to start a fire and hear fascinating stories about Tudor women, pets and farming. Perfect for visitors who love everyday history.
Wednesday, 25 November
Love textiles and traditional crafts? See spinning on the Great Wheel, historical knitting and Tudor cooking, then discover Southwater Smithy and the Museum’s historic gardens. Perfect for crafters and hands-on history fans.
Thursday, 26 November
Step out of the modern world and into centuries of domestic history. Explore a Tudor farmhouse and kitchen, visit a Victorian cottage and enjoy live music in the galleries. Perfect for visitors looking for a peaceful, atmospheric day out.
Friday, 27 November
Calling all craft lovers! Watch flax processing, pole-lathe turning and rag rugging while exploring Tudor and Victorian domestic life with the Mistress of the House. Perfect for anyone fascinated by traditional skills and handmade objects.
Saturday, 28 November
Love history with smugglers, medicine and a hint of Christmas? Discover 18th-century smuggling, watch a Tudor kitchen prepare for Advent, explore Museum artefacts and hear how childbirth changed from the Anglo-Saxons onwards. Perfect for families and adventurous history lovers.
Sunday, 29 November
Brighten a late-November day with colour and fire. Discover the beautiful world of natural dyes, explore a 16th-century kitchen and learn the traditional skill of making fire with flint and steel. Perfect for craft lovers and curious families.
Monday, 30 November
Finish November with a day of historic skills and stories. Explore Tudor and Victorian domestic life, discover a display of arrows, learn how to light a fire with flint and steel and hear the story of Lurgashall Watermill. Perfect for history lovers looking for an absorbing autumn day out.
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Become a Member and Make the Most of the Seasons
Becoming a Member is the best way to enjoy the Museum throughout the changing seasons while helping to care for our historic buildings, traditional crafts, and beautiful landscape. As an independent charity with no government funding, your support helps protect this special place for future generations. With unlimited visits, seasonal activities, and new experiences to discover each time, membership quickly empowers the joy of returning.
Join as a Member and make the most of everything the Museum offers every season.
Click here to find out more about our membership
Information for Visitors
The Museum’s 40 acre site, historic gardens and buildings are fascinating places to learn about rural history. Visitors can purchase grain from the Museum shop and feed the hungry ducks on the mill pond. Whilst enjoying the great outdoors and fresh air, look out for our working animals, which can include the Heavy Horses, Sheep and Ducks. There are a number of lovely woodland trails, including a woodland play area for children to explore.
Why not enjoy breakfast, brunch or lunch at our Waterside Café? Visitors can also bring a picnic as there are plenty of picnic areas available on site. Takeaway refreshments will also be available from our seasonal Shepherd’s Huts located around the Museum.
Dogs on short leads are welcome and there is ample free parking. Please note that the Museum is a no-smoking site. Visitors with access needs are advised to read our accessibility page in advance of their visit.
All activities are subject to change.
