Heritage Crafts: Try a Trade

Help us keep our heritage crafts alive as we host two days of activities especially for children to ‘Try a trade’ as they explore our Museum heritage trades and crafts.

Help us keep our heritage crafts alive as we host two days of activities especially for children to ‘Try a Trade’ as they explore our Museum heritage trades and crafts.

Over the two days families can have fun exploring our historic buildings around our 40 acres, free activities will include:

 

Free have a go activities:

• Be a carpenter – learn and try about the wooden planes in the Carpenter’s Shop.
• Be a sawyer – can you operate our 2 person saw on our sawbuck?

 

Free Heritage Craft Activities:

• Make a lucet (braid)
• Make cordage (string)
• Learn the art of carding wool using our very own South Downs Sheep Wool
• Make a Corn Dolly

Visit our Trades & Crafts Recruitment Stand!

Over the two days, we will also be hosting a selection of special trades and crafts for children to have a go at, these are more specialists so will be limited in number and operated on a first come basis on each day.

To enable us to provide this unique opportunity to have a go, these activities will have a fee per activity. This fee will be a donation to the Museum to help cover the cost of materials and to enable us to further support our learning activities at the Museum.

 

Special trades and craft activities:

• Be a Potter – Make your own clay coaster £1.50 (100 spaces per day)
• Be a Baker – Make & bake a bread roll in our onsite bakehouse £1.50 (100 spaces per day)
• Be a Dairymaid or Dairyman – Have a go on the butter churn and make a small butter pat to take home. £1.50 (100 spaces per day)
• Be a Miller – Weigh out and bag your own flour to take away and have a go on the quern. £1.50 (100 spaces per day)
• Be a Blacksmith – Where you can make a hook in our Museum forge £4.00 (12 spaces per day, age 8+)
• Be a Hurdle Fence Maker – Make a mini hurdle fence to take home. £1.50 (50 spaces per day, Age 6+

Please note these activities are suitable for age 4+ unless otherwise stated.

As the spaces are limited in number, to allow as many children to have a go each child will be able to book a maximum of three trades. It will be on a first come first serve bases, so if you would like to have a go at these additional skills, we recommend you arrive early to choose and book from the spaces available on the day.

We will not be taking pre-bookings for these activities, they will only be available to book on the day at the Museum ‘Trades & Crafts Recruitment Stand’.

The ‘Trades & Crafts Recruitment Stand’ will be located in our trades and crafts area. Please visit the stand on arrival to book sessions for your children. You are able to visit the whole Museum throughout the day, attending your timed sessions to complete your activities.

Once you have completed your tasks, you can collect your ‘Try a Trade Certificate’ as a souvenir of your visit.

 

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Information for Visitors

Discover 40 acres of history, nature, and countryside charm at the Weald & Downland Living Museum near Chichester, West Sussex. Explore our collection of historic buildings, working farm animals, and heritage gardens, and experience what rural life was like in centuries past.

Come Rain or Shine You Can Explore and Enjoy

Stroll through our beautiful open-air museum, where you can see authentic period homes, workshops, and barns set within the stunning South Downs landscape. Enjoy peaceful woodland walks, spot wildlife, or visit the woodland play area — perfect for children to explore and learn through play.

Meet Our Working Animals

Look out for our Heavy Horses, Sheep, and Ducks, who help bring the Museum to life. Visitors can even feed the ducks on the mill pond — grain can be purchased in the Museum shop.

Relax and Refuel

Take a break at our waterside café, serving delicious breakfast, brunch, and lunch options. You’re also welcome to bring a picnic, with plenty of scenic spots around the site to enjoy. During the warmer months, Shepherd’s Hut kiosks offer takeaway drinks and snacks around the Museum.

Useful Visitor Information

• Dogs on short leads are very welcome across the site.
• Free parking is available for all visitors.
• Please note: the Museum is a no-smoking site.
• Visitors with accessibility needs can find detailed information on our Accessibility page.

Please note that all activities and demonstrations are subject to change and may vary depending on the weather or season.