THE "WEALD & DOWNLAND MUSEUM" WEST SUSSEX
This museum was established to rescue examples of buildings in the regional vernacular style. Buildings of importance are painstakingly taken to pieces, each part numbered, catalogued, photographed and detailed surveys of the building in its original state are made. The building is then rebuilt at the museum, using traditional techniques and materials.
The first reddish and white building on the right is a Medieval Manor House from North Cray, Kent. It had to be demolished in 1968 for widening a major road. To its left is a 14th century building "Upper Hall" from Crawley, Sussex. The large single upper room would have been used as a meeting place for public purposes; the ground floor consisted of separate rooms that would have been used as shops or stores. The separate building in front of these two is the Market Hall from Litchfield, Hampshire. It dates from 1620. In the open part, market stalls would be set up for selling goods and produce. At the right-hand end is a secure chamber in which petty offenders and drunkards could be locked up. The upper floor served as a room for the town council.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
This is the view between the three above mentioned buildings and brings into view a fourth - a Medieval Shop from Horsham, Sussex. It is a 15th century building, but archaeological evidence gathered when the building was being removed indicates it was the third structure to occupy its site. It was once part of "Butchers Row" in the market area of town. Originally two semi-detached buildings that were made into one; access to the upper floor was by a single staircase and presumably the shop owner and family lived there, the lower floor being shop/store.
Buildings were taxed according to the area of ground they occupied. Thus the higher floors were built out wider than the ground floor to give more useable space inside and to avoid an increased tax demand.
The visitor can read interesting information about each building, where it was, what architectural details are significant, its purpose, how people lived in it . . . and so on. In addition, the museum has an excellent collection of regional agricultural, craft and trade exhibits. These include farm implements and horse drawn vehicles, a forge, brick making, a working water mill, an exhibition about lead (from Roman date pipes to the great variety of architectural uses present in Victorian times).
The museum keeps draught horses and use them for various types of farm work and heavy transport within the museum site.
The museum has a flock of "Southdown" sheep; it is classed as a "rare breed" today, but is still used commercially in cross breeding. "Southdown" sheep produce soft fine wool and excellent meat.
The "Weald" is and area occupying parts of Sussex, Kent and lesser areas in Surrey and Hampshire (SE England), the geology is mostly Cretaceous sandstones and clays. The "Downland" refers to the rounded chalk hills bordering the Weald to the north and south (known, rather unimaginatively, as the North Downs and the South Downs). The majority of "downland" exhibits at the museum are from the South Downs, which with the Weald account for most of Sussex and Kent.
The first reddish and white building on the right is a Medieval Manor House from North Cray, Kent. It had to be demolished in 1968 for widening a major road. To its left is a 14th century building "Upper Hall" from Crawley, Sussex. The large single upper room would have been used as a meeting place for public purposes; the ground floor consisted of separate rooms that would have been used as shops or stores. The separate building in front of these two is the Market Hall from Litchfield, Hampshire. It dates from 1620. In the open part, market stalls would be set up for selling goods and produce. At the right-hand end is a secure chamber in which petty offenders and drunkards could be locked up. The upper floor served as a room for the town council.
[Spoiler (click to open)]
This is the view between the three above mentioned buildings and brings into view a fourth - a Medieval Shop from Horsham, Sussex. It is a 15th century building, but archaeological evidence gathered when the building was being removed indicates it was the third structure to occupy its site. It was once part of "Butchers Row" in the market area of town. Originally two semi-detached buildings that were made into one; access to the upper floor was by a single staircase and presumably the shop owner and family lived there, the lower floor being shop/store.
Buildings were taxed according to the area of ground they occupied. Thus the higher floors were built out wider than the ground floor to give more useable space inside and to avoid an increased tax demand.
The visitor can read interesting information about each building, where it was, what architectural details are significant, its purpose, how people lived in it . . . and so on. In addition, the museum has an excellent collection of regional agricultural, craft and trade exhibits. These include farm implements and horse drawn vehicles, a forge, brick making, a working water mill, an exhibition about lead (from Roman date pipes to the great variety of architectural uses present in Victorian times).
The museum keeps draught horses and use them for various types of farm work and heavy transport within the museum site.
The museum has a flock of "Southdown" sheep; it is classed as a "rare breed" today, but is still used commercially in cross breeding. "Southdown" sheep produce soft fine wool and excellent meat.
The "Weald" is and area occupying parts of Sussex, Kent and lesser areas in Surrey and Hampshire (SE England), the geology is mostly Cretaceous sandstones and clays. The "Downland" refers to the rounded chalk hills bordering the Weald to the north and south (known, rather unimaginatively, as the North Downs and the South Downs). The majority of "downland" exhibits at the museum are from the South Downs, which with the Weald account for most of Sussex and Kent.