4 September 2025
Our Story: The Founding of the Weald & Downland Living Museum
Nestled in the heart of the South Downs National Park, the Weald & Downland Living Museum tells the stories of rural life in South East England, not just through its…
12 August 2025
Joining the Past & Present: The Joiners’ Shop from Witley
As part of our collection here at the Museum, stands the Joiners’ Shop from Witley. While a fascinating building in its own right, the Joiners’ shop also gives us an…
31 July 2025
Toys Through Time: A History of Toys & Games
Toys have long played a vital role in the lives of children, providing not only entertainment but also education, socialisation, and development. Across history, the materials, design, and purpose of…
20 July 2025
Whispers of the Weald: Folklore in West Sussex
From age-old legends of ghostly processions to the rustic charm of shepherd songs echoing across sheep-filled hillsides, West Sussex hums with echoes of its folkloric past. Especially in the Weald…
10 July 2025
Brewing Energy: The Traditional Art of Brewing Beer
Step into the fragrant, fire-warmed Winkhurst Tudor kitchen at the Weald & Downland Living Museum, and you might just catch a whiff of something brewing traditional 16th-century beer. With smoke…
24 June 2025
Planting the Past: The Living Gardens of Our Museum
In 1983, a quiet yet transformative initiative took root at the Weald & Downland Living Museum - one born not from blueprints or brickwork, but from soil, seed, and a…
21 June 2025
Herald in the Summer: Summer Solstice & Midsummer
How do you herald in the summer? What traditions mark the changing of the seasons? For thousands of years, the beginning of summer was marked by the Summer Solstice. …
22 May 2025
Daily Rural Life in Anglo-Saxon England
In the shadow of mighty kings and storied conquests, it was not the thrones or the battles that kept the heart of Anglo-Saxon England beating, but rather the enduring industry…
29 April 2025
May Traditions: From Fires to Fairies
As the landscape shifts from the pale green mist of April into the frothy bloom of May, nature enters a crescendo. This is the season of Beltane — a time…
7 April 2025
Easter Traditions Through Time
Easter has long been a time of celebration, blending deep Christian traditions with lively folk customs. At the Weald & Downland Living Museum, where history comes to life, we look…
