Weald & Downland Open Air Museum

I found your photos and descriptions very interesting...

Glad you enjoyed such a lovely day with great weather ...

Wonderful buildings in a scenic setting with the hills around ...

Did you buy a sheep tea cosy ? Lol. :o)

Lovely blog Shirley - really interesting.

I didn't ignore your blog and pics,Shirley..this is my kind of day out.:o)..what a lovely place..so interesting,and nice to be able to read the info boards..think we need to visit your area more as well..:o)

These are such interesting places. It's a good job the buildings are being preserved. And it's fascinating to see the craftsmen at work.

No teapot for a cosy, Terra! ... Well, there is one in the back of a cupboard somewhere ... but I'm a coffee person . . . . .
Sheila ... pleased you liked it . . . . .
Sandra, if you ever are down South you will find plenty of interesting places to visit ... when OH worked with the blind and visually impaired I helped him on a day trip to the museum ... it was fascinating explaining the workings of the watermill and the way flour was ground ... a day to remember ... :o)
Hywel ... there was a young blacksmith ... many people with wares crafted from wood ... hand made jewellery ... hand knitted clothes etc. ... I really liked some of the items but the bank balance would not have ... lol!

Hi Shirley, I really enjoyed your blog,Thankyou I loved the shool room:)

Thanks, Sue ... the slate boards and the abacus in the school room tell a very different story to the teaching methods of today . . . . .

Thanks for the tour! Very interesting. Love your purchase!

Thank you for putting this on Shirley, I love wandering around places like this, I think it's fascinating how they can take down a building, mark all the pieces, and then build it all back up again to perfection! By the way...those sheep have the most bonkers expressions on their faces! Look at the lovely grey fluffy one!! Lol! They made me laugh so much, I would definitely have had to bring one home! Priceless!!x

What a wonderful time out you must have had. This would be a dream day out for me too, & I really did enjoy your blog & photos.

lovely Shirley - I do love these places - and if I was rich I'd have one of those water wheels - I love water features - and I love cottages and old buildings. The mushroom is really nice , as I am also a keen lover of wood ornaments - hence my love for woodland gardens :)))))))) beautiful lake and what views to see !!!

Love old buildings! I always try to see the inside of the buildings through the eyes of the folk who were around at the time - fascinating! Similar to St Fagins in South Wales - especially the Mill. What a lovely day!

I loved your blog too, just the sort of thing I like as well. I think we appreciate these sort of things when we are older too. (speaking for myself here), but I have always enjoyed anything to do with wood, comes from my father I think, he had an eye for making things from wood and was always looking at a branch or tree with a different eye to see what he could make from it.

Went there, must be 30 years ago..it has certainly got bigger and more organised!
Many thanks for the pics and great blog Shirleyt..must go back and take another look.

Thanks all for your lovely comments ... it was founded in 1967 and is a leading independent Museum and charity, receives no regular Government or local authority funding and depends largely on volunteers for its daily operation ... When we left at 1.30pm the queue of cars coming in stretched for almost a mile and a half to the exit/entrance ... lots of miserable looking drivers ... they should have got up earlier ... lol!

This is near where I live and I have enjoyed my visits many times over the years since it was first opened when I took my young son. I have watched it grow from small beginnings and it is so interesting as part of our social history.

Great blog Shirley & lovely pics as usual, Hard times back then compared to now..love the old school room..pleased you both had a nice day out,did you go in for refreshments ? love your new garden ornament too, dread to think of the cost ..with the tiny reindeer being £5..:o)

Great blog Shirley, I always like to visit those sort of places, I can spend hours wandering around seeing and reading how people lived and worked.
A smashing trip out and lovely pics.....

It's a very calming place isn't it, Jen? Well, when there are no crowds like yesterday! ... :o) . . . . .
Joan, refreshments were so expensive ... 2 filter coffees in a cardboard cup ... £3.60! ... The queue for the hog roast was a very long one ... my wood toadstools were £18 ... and the guy said to coat it annually with yacht varnish ... we're bound to have some left over from painting our yacht ... lol! . . . ..
Pleased you enjoyed it Lincs ... my kind of place ... :o)

I really enjoyed this day out with you and felt like I was there.Its amazing how these buildings have been saved. Thankyou for sharing this with us.

wow the coffees were almost airport price..lol.. are you painting the yacht this year then ?..the toadstools were not too bad price wise & i am sure you will love them in your garden in the warmer weather..i get yacht varnish from the £1 shop when i need it for outdoor things...

great blog shirley. love to go there, lovely houses and cottages and beautifull horses :o))

enjoyed your blog Shirley-- I've been there with my 'seagulls' as it wasn't a special day it was quiet and you could really look at the houses and try to imagine living in them! phew!! I understand that they've been rescued from all over Sussex-- thanks for reminding me....:o)

Loved your photos aand blog found them very interesting.

enjoyed your blog.... i went to visit there quite a few years ago.

Joan, I shall try to remember about the £1 shop in a year's time ... not a hope ... lol!

San, I'm always wary of horses, no reason to be, just can't get up too close to them ... :o(

Pam, I would like to return in the Spring to really have a better look at the buildings ... way too many folk around on Sunday! ... :o)

Thanks, Carole and Holly ... :o))

Shirley thanks for a most interesting blog, I am glad I was not a shepherd years ago!! a delightful look at the past, and coming from a farming family this would be just my cuppa tea!!

Dotty, when we came across the shepherds hut I thought of the film 'Far from the madding crowd' ... if you saw it you'll remember the scene where the dog herded the flock of sheep over the cliff edge ... I cried at that scene! ... This would be a good day trip out for you ... take a picnic and sit up on Trundle Hill overlooking Goodwood ... been there, done that in the Summer ... :o)

I do remember the scene......if ever we get the time lol

Work, rest and play, Dotty! ... :o)