Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, West Sussex, England

The Weald and Downland Open-Air Museum lies six miles north of Chichester just off the A286. You need a full day to get the most out of this splendid site with the timber framed houses and barns rescued from across the south east of England and all the artefacts on display from medieval to Victorian. It is a forty-acre site with 50 buildings and there are commonly demonstrations of crafts. When I visited I did not have time to take down details of all the buildings and their dates. This is just a collection of photographs to whet the appetite of those interested in history and eager for a grand day out in West Sussex.

The museum was started in 1967 by a group of volunteers led by Dr. J. R. Armstrong with the objective of saving representative examples of the architecture of South East England. It was opened to the public in September 1970. The musuem's website gives all the details of the facilities on site.

Left: Late 15th century shop. Right the market hall from Titchfield, late 17th century.

Demonstration of crafts in the medieval shop, which came from Horsham in Surrey

View including Whittaker's Cottages from Ashtead built in the 1860s on the left

On the left is the schoolroom from West Wittering built in 1710


Medieval shop left and end of Market Hall on the right		Bayleaf Hall House, early 15th century

Pugmill house for clay preparation		End view of Tichfield Market Hall

There was no chimney, the fire was on the floor		Poplar Cottage, late 16th or early 17th century

Fire cover or "couvre de feu" origin of the word curfew		Basketwork beehives

Early 17th century watermill		Victorian cottage bedroom washing bowl and jug

Pewter plates with earthenware and treem vessel		Victorian chamber pot, hot water bottle and candlesticks

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