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Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, West Sussex

This museum, set in fifty acres of grounds on the Sussex downs, is Britain's leading collection of historic buildings. There are fifty buildings in the collection, spanning five hundred years of architectural history. Each building was taken down in its original location and carefully reconstructed at the museum. Many of the houses have period gardens and interiors.

Weald and Downland's collection gives a unique insight into the lives of previous generations. What is most striking is the way life has become more isolated. The Bayleaf farmhouse from Chiddingstone in Kent is fifteenth century and dates from a time when there were no special purposes for rooms. In fact houses rarely had any internal rooms at all. House interiors were largely unbroken space, with unglazed windows, and openings around the eves acting as chimneys for smoke gathering beneath the roof. The Bayleaf farmhouse is laid out to show sixteenth century developments, when rooms began to develop their specific roles. There is a rudimentary bedroom upstairs, for example. The changes continued, rooms multiplying to give the fragmented spaces and individualistic lives we live in today. Obviously we could not expect modern residents to keep a building in its fifteenth century state, no matter what modification restrictions exist on listed buildings. The Open Air Museum is, therefore, a unique insight into the places where we once lived, and how they have changed.

Demonstrators are always available to talk about the buildings, and to display traditional craft skills. You can taste the products of a Tudor kitchen, for example.

 

 

Address: Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0EU. If satellite navigation requires a road name, use Town Lane.

Opening Times: These vary slightly according to season, but the museum is open all year round, except for Christmas Day.

During British Summer Time, 10.30am - 6pm.

During winter, defined as when the clocks change, 10.30am - 4pm.

2nd January to 28th February open Wednesday and weekends, 10.30am - 4pm, last admission 3pm. Open daily over February half term.

March 1st to 23rd December open daily.

Closed 25th December but open 26th December to 1st January , 10.30am - 4pm for A Sussex Christmas.

 

 

Bayleaf Farmhouse

Directions: The museum is situated seven miles north of Chichester on the A 286. There is a bus service from Chichester, Bogner Regis, Haslemere and Guildford. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on the Weald and Downland Museum.

Access: Wheelchair access to many areas of the old buildings is difficult. There are disabled toilet facilities, and guides trained in the needs of people with hearing or sight problems.

Contact:

telephone: 01243 811363

fax: 01243 811475

web site: www.wealddown.co.uk

Stagecoach Coatline buses: 0845 210170