Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
Singleton Chichester West Sussex. PO18 0EU
call: 01243 811348
email:
office@wealddown.co.uk
website:
www.wealddown.co.uk
  For
a fascinating day out, visit England’s leading Museum of historic
buildings and traditional rural life, the Weald & Downland open air
museum. Over 45 original buildings have been
rescued from destruction and rebuilt in a beautiful 50 acre parkland
setting, bringing to life the homes, farms and workplaces of the south
east over the past 500 years. Watch the Shire horses at work; visit the
medieval farmstead, working Tudor kitchen and 17th century working water mill;
enjoy a picnic by the millpond or a walk in the woods;
relax by the lakeside; visit the café or picnic on many quiet spots around
the site. Join the daily tour of the new Downland Gridshell, home to the
Museum’s conservation centre and extensive collection of rural artifacts.
The enchanting atmosphere and the historic collections mean that it’s a
great day out for all the family at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum
in Singleton, West Sussex.
Special events are held
throughout the year at the Weald and Downland open air museum, with hands-on children’s activities every
half term and weekly during the summer holidays.
Winter Week Half Term Activities
Mon 18 – Fri 22 February
Put on your winter woollies and wellies, come
to the Museum and warm up with a week of creative activities and countryside
skills: outdoor trails, arts, crafts, and ideas to inspire accompanied children
of all ages. From 11am – 4pm,
under cover if wet.
Open House on Mothering Sunday
2 March
A special spring day to welcome visitors
old and new at the start of the season! £1 entry for everyone, plus our
traditional bunch of daffodils for mothers and grandmothers!
Easter Festivities
Fri 21 – Mon 24 March
Activities and Easter celebrations for all the family
throughout the holiday weekend, including traditional crafts and pastimes,
storytelling, music, tasty seasonal fare, games and activities with younger
visitors in mind, plus an Easter bonnet parade on the Monday.
Sussex
Food and Farming: Food Fair
Sun 4 – Mon 5 May
A wonderful choice of quality fare to sample and buy from the
local producers of the south east, plus tastings, cookery classes,
demonstrations and children’s activities. And new for 2008, to reflect ‘The Year
of Food and Farming’ a celebration of downland farming. In Association with A
Taste of Sussex.
Spring into Action! Half Term
Activities
Mon 26 – Fri 30 May
Come and enjoy springtime in the countryside! Learn about the
natural world with trails, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts using natural
materials, and a host of outdoor games. For accompanied children of all ages,
from 11am – 4pm, under cover if wet.
Heavy Horse Spectacular
Sat 31 May – Sun 1 June
One of the south’s biggest gatherings of heavy horses: two
unforgettable days of displays, demonstrations of horses at work on traditional
tasks, and a parade of horses at the end of each day, all with continuous
ringside commentary.
Fathers Day
Sun 15th June
Toys For The Boys! A chance for dad (and the rest of the
family!) to try some unusual and challenging countryside activities. Sample some
of the Museum’s courses in traditional rural trades and crafts, drive a vintage
tractor and work with the Shire horses.
Early Music Afternoon
Sun 6 July from 2pm – 6pm
Song and dance from medieval, Tudor and Stuart times in the
wonderful setting of our historic buildings. Come just to listen or join in the
dancing!
Rare Breeds Show
Sun 20 July
Four legs, furry legs, feathered legs…come and get up close to
over 500 cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and poultry in this delightful agricultural
show for rare and traditional breeds of farm animals. One of the biggest shows
of its kind in the south east, plus craft and trade stands with a countryside
theme.
Supported by the Friends of the Museum
Wonderful Wednesdays
Wed 30 July – Wed 27 August
Hands-on activities to occupy
children of all ages! Have a go at all kinds of interesting and unusual country
skills, crafts, activities and games: many similar to those undertaken and
enjoyed by our rural ancestors. Lots of outdoor and indoor fun from 11am
to 4pm,
under cover if wet.
The Art of the Blacksmith
Fri 1 – Sun 3 August
The British Artist Blacksmiths Association (BABA)
international AGM: meet over 70 blacksmiths at work on a specially commissioned
piece. Have a go yourself, and enjoy many other fascinating blacksmith-related
activities around the site. The event runs alongside an exhibition of
contemporary blacksmiths’ work supported by BABA, from July 23 – 3 August.
Steam Festival
Sat 16 – Sun 17 August
All the bustle and excitement of a Steam Festival, with steam engines on display
and demonstrating the kind of work around the Museum’s site for which they were
originally designed. Plus steam rollers, steam lorries, working models, model
boats on the lake, and a variety of trade stands to browse and buy.
Autumn Countryside Show
Sat 4 – Sun 5 October
Come and experience the sights, sounds and smells of a
traditional harvest: enjoy heavy horses ploughing, vintage tractors, steam
threshing, falconry, a fun Dog Show, and countryside crafts to browse and buy.
Awesome Autumn Half
Term Activities
Mon 27 – Fri 31 October
Wickedly wonderful seasonal activities, fun and farming for
accompanied children of all ages! Make a mini scarecrow; discover an interesting
use for the humble apple; carve a really scary pumpkin; and enjoy arts, crafts
and much more. Activities from 11am – 4pm, under cover if wet.
Tree Dressing
Sun 7 December 12.30 – 4pm
A wonderful celebration for all the family of the life-giving
properties of trees. Make a lantern (bring a jam jar!), and join the procession
to dress the trees as darkness falls. Plus headdress making, story telling,
music, dance and seasonal tasty treats!
A Sussex
Christmas
26 December – 1
January 2009
Experience the traditions of Christmas past. Walk off the Christmas pud as you
enjoy our traditionally decorated houses, crackling log fires, festive fare,
music and stories from Tudor to Victorian times. Come and enjoy a truly merry
Sussex Christmas!
The Museum is Open Throughout The Year
The
Museum is open daily throughout the year. April - Oct daily 10.30am to 6.00 pm
Winter Opening
For Winter opening hours, please see
our website www.wealddown.co.uk
telephone 01243 811348
Christmas/New
Year Opening
Times vary so please contact us for
more accurate opening time information.
Admission
Prices
Adult £8.50
Over 60's £7.50
Child/Student £4.50
Under 5's Free
Family £23.50
Registered disabled and carer £2.00 each
Car parking Free
Location: Off A286 in Singleton, on
Chichester to Midhurst road in West Sussex.
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