Weald & Downland Open Air Museum

P. 1 W&D Spring 2015 OFC_W&D OFC (2) 20/02/2015 15:09 Page 1 SPRING 2015 WEALD & DOWNLAND OPEN AIR MUSEUM Gateway Project receives Heritage Lottery Fund support! Help us raise the rest . 29 10 32 May Day Its 50 years – Events, Farm since the idea Courses dismantling of an open and underway air museum What’s on was born! 2015 P. 2_P. 2- 23/02/2015 09:25 Page 2 WEALD & DOWNLAND OPEN AIR MUSEUM SPRING 2015 From the Director As many readers will now be aware, we received the wonderful news in November that the Heritage Lottery Fund 7 (HLF) has awarded the museum a £4 million grant towards the Gateway Project. It has been a long journey, which began over a decade ago Louise Adams Louise as the ‘Access Project’, and the next two years will be extremely busy ones: there is 18 much planning and organisation to do over the coming months. We anticipate that work will begin this spring when the catering buildings centred around the medieval house from Sole Street and the Pallingham Quay wagon shed will be dismantled. This process, and Front cover picture: Whittaker’s Cottages their re-erection elsewhere on the site will be a 33 and buildings behind the market square fascinating process for visitors in itself, so it will be seen from the woodland path in spring. ‘business as usual’ for the 2015 main season: we will continue to operate with as little disruption as possible to our visitors. News................3-5,16, 37, 39 Courses........................21-24 Keeping the museum community and all our keen supporters informed of the latest project developments Historic buildings............7, Talks .....................................25 and updates is vital and we will achieve this through a 13-15, 28-29 variety of channels including the new website, via Visits.....................................27 Facebook and Twitter, in the magazine of course, and an Comment .............................9 on-site display for everyone to view. Friends’ news.........30-31 In addition to the HLF award we are committed to History ...........................10-11 raising over £1 million and I am delighted to report that we are well on our way to achieving this, What’s on .........................17 Interpretation.........32-33 due to the hard work and generosity of our many supporters to whom we offer our grateful thanks. Schools services ...18-19 People ................................35 However, there is much more to do and further information about the Gateway Project Appeal is in the magazine on pages 4/5. There are many exciting activities and projects cur- Food & Folk Festival – 3/4 May rently happening and planned for this year which can be Enjoy the very best of the followed on the new website and in the pages of this South East’s produce, crafts, magazine. We will be working hard to promote Friends books and plants on show at membership following the recent administrative our popular spring event. changes; work has begun on cleaving the timber for the There will be cookery classes Saxon Hall project which will be on-going during the and demonstrations in the year; Joe Thompson is dismantling the barn and stable Southern Cooperative Cookery from the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury bypass route, and Theatre, traditional folk music, we have planned a number of new and favourite events dancing and storytelling, and including a Wood Show and the 30th anniversary of the the Pelican-in-her-Piety Living Rare Breeds Show (see articles throughout the magazine). History Group will let visitors into the secrets of medieval Finally, it is perhaps appropriate that the Gateway © Tony Briggs Project should be starting during the year of the 50th life. Plus, there will be lots of anniversary of the meeting at which Roy Armstrong tasty samples to try and buy, and a special guest appearance by celebrity cook, writer and broadcaster Antonio Carluccio. Visit the launched his vision of creating the museum (see page 10). website www.wealddown.co.uk/events/food-and-folk for details of Richard Pailthorpe when he will be joining us. Don’t miss it! Museum Director 2 Weald & Downland Open Air Museum SPRING 2015 P. 3-5_P. 3- 20/02/2015 15:10 Page 3 An aerial view of how the new Gateway to the museum will look from above the current entrance. The millpond is at the top right. Gateway – to the museum’s future . In November the museum received the thrilling news that the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) had awarded a £4 million grant to develop our Gateway Project! This great venture will point towards What will it be like? across the water, and there will be a our sustainability for the future – pro- The project will transform the way that learning and community space for use viding much-needed upgraded visitor visitors experience the museum from as a classroom and meeting room. facilities including new ticketing facili- the moment they enter the site. The ties, a café and shop, new site interpre- ‘gateway’ comprises two clusters of What will happen to the current tation and orientation, and the ability to buildings by the museum’s millpond buildings on the Gateway site? re-present two of our cherished historic providing an enticing vista as people Two of the museum’s historic buildings buildings as exhibits. First conceived enter the site, with a central courtyard, – the medieval house from Sole Street over 10 years ago, much work has been and designed to meet the needs and and the Pallingham Quay wagon shed, undertaken to seek out the best solu- expectations of our audiences. The which form the current catering facili- tions, including involving and consult- southern cluster will include a new ties – will be dismantled, moved to new ing our stakeholders and visitors. ticketing and retail facility, leading to sites at the museum, and interpreted, The Gateway Project – as it has interpretation galleries. These will providing opportunities for trainees become known – intends to be more enhance visitors’ understanding of and volunteers to be directly involved than just a ‘gateway’ to the museum. It the site, collections and the landscape with the conservation work, sharing will provide new ‘gateways’ to learning, from which our buildings have origi- and developing invaluable heritage participation and activities as well as nated. The northern cluster will house skills. being a ‘gateway’ to the South Downs the new catering facilities which will The house will be re-erected on the ▲ National Park. overlook the millpond with decking out edge of the clump of trees close to the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum SPRING 2015 3 P. 3-5_P. 3- 20/02/2015 15:10 Page 4 news ▲ current site of the sheepfold. This will reflect not only the building’s original location, but will also help to create an enticing vista beyond the market square, drawing visitors to the western end of the site as they leave the new interpreta- Raising the final tion galleries. The siting of the wagon shed is still to be decided and will be finalised during the course of the project. £1 million+ The third building to be affected is Longport Farmhouse. Currently the ground floor is used as the admissions entrance The Gateway Project is the most ambitious project in and shop, but it will become a temporary exhibition gallery the Weald & Downland Museum’s history. It will and meeting space. transform visitors’ experiences from the moment What about the new site interpretation and they enter the museum’s site. They will be better orientation? able to explore, enjoy, understand and become Updated interpretation throughout the site, along with a involved with the museum. In turn the project will suite of new engagement opportunities will enable visitors to help safeguard our priceless collections and secure explore, enjoy, understand and become involved with the museum in new ways. Hambrook Barn will become a focus the museum’s future for generations to come. The for family engagement and a space that encourages enjoy- Gateway project will provide practical developments ment and informal learning, including hands-on activities alongside a broader appreciation of the beautiful and the provision of explorer satchels to use on site. Themed site and outstanding heritage. trails and walks are to be developed with visitors being encouraged to engage with the museum woodland. HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? This ambitious project will cost over £5 million. How will visitors reach the We are thrilled that the Heritage Lottery Fund is support- HIGH Gateway buildings, ing it with a grant of £4 million. The museum must and what about car raise the remaining funds from other sources – the biggest STANDARDS parking? fundraising challenge we have faced. Improved access will The museum has again We are very grateful for the be achieved in a reached the highest standards response to date from individual number of ways, supporters, trusts and local in quality and performance and through a radically has been awarded Accreditation authority bodies which has redesigned parking raised approximately £800,000. from Arts Council England. scheme which will The standard is reviewed include bays and pref- DCMS/Wolfson Fund every five years. erential access for those with limited mobility, new Garfield Weston Foundation cycle and pedestrian facilities, Ernest Kleinwort Charitable safer turning and parking for coaches, and most importantly Trust the separation of the access footway from vehicle movements. PF Charitable Trust The scheme creates approximately 100 new parking bays, Bassil Shippam and Alsford which will help reduce significantly the number of days Charitable Trust in the year when the museum needs to use overflow car Golden Bottle Charitable parking facilities. Trust John Coates Charitable The new galleries and the café will enhance Trust everyone’s visit? Mrs Margaret Rank Yes, and importantly, the scheme creates a safe and comfort- Charitable Trust able environment for people and displays of artefacts, John Murray Charitable enabling the museum to become an all-weather venue for Trust visitors.

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