WEALD & DOWNLAND OPEN AIR MUSEUM Autumn 2010 Events and Courses 2010-2011 Celebrating 40 years! ●● TheThe 40th40th anniversaryanniversary weekendweekend inin picturespictures ●● BuildingBuilding HistoryHistory –– newnew bookbook tellstells thethe storystory ofof thethe museum’smuseum’s developmentdevelopment ●● BuildingBuilding conservationconservation comescomes ofof ageage –– anniversaryanniversary conferenceconference HistoricHistoric clothingclothing andand needleworkneedlework projectsprojects taketake leapleap forwardforward £1.00 where sold The museum’s 2010 Christmas card CONTENTS This year’s 3 Richard Harris retires Christmas card From the Chairman: Paul Rigg on features a leading the museum Southdown sheep Announcement of new director with Poplar Cottage in the background, 5 Building Crafts Gallery develops from a photograph behind the market square by visitor services 7 Furnishing projects at the manager Charlie museum Thwaites. They are available by post in Whittaker’s packs of 10 cards 9 at £8.50 each, Cottages and their including post & occupants packing. Order by phone (01243 13 Events Diary 811020) and pay by 14 40th Anniversary Celebrations credit/debit card, minimum order one 16 Building History – pack of 10 cards. Or the story of the Weald buy them from the & Downland Open Air museum shop where they are available as Museum packs of five cards 18 Building conservation comes at £3.75. of age – the museum’s anniversary conference How you can support the Museum 19 Young people benefit from Future The museum is one of the UK’s leading independent museums. It is a Jobs Fund projects charitable trust and receives no regular government or local authority funding but relies on visitor income, voluntary effort, sponsorship and 20 Obituaries its supportive Friends group. Among ways in which you can help are: joining the Friends; becoming a volunteer; leaving a gift in your Will; 23 Lifelong Learning section – providing an introduction to a sponsor or grant-giving body and Building Conservation & Traditional Rural Trades & Crafts advertising in the Museum Magazine. For further information contact courses programmes the museum office on 01243 811363. Website: www.wealddown.co.uk 30 Friends’ news 33 Historic clothing and needlework projects take leap From the Chairman forward 35 Unique learning experiences Leading our museum for schools robably the most important challenging process but for such an 36-37 Trustee and staff arrivals Ptask that the Museum’s important job, not unjustifiably so. and departures trustees ever have to do is to We needed to find the right person for Up Weald and Down Land! appoint the museum director. That us and with that in mind the process Training our gifted communicators has only happened three times in enabled staff, some volunteers and the museum’s history to date but, other stakeholders to meet the candi- 40 Enjoy wintry days at the as I write, we are about to embark dates in various situations. The term museum on a two-day interview process to ‘stakeholders’ includes representatives appoint our fourth director. from the trustees, Friends, the museum’s A few words about the appointment endowment fund, the new South process: we received over 60 applica- Downs National Park and our neigh- tions and seven of these were selected bours and landlords, the West Dean for interview. Over two days they Estate. received two interviews, made a But what of our present director? presentation to a stakeholder panel, Most readers of this magazine will completed two written tests and par- know that Richard Harris is to retire ticipated in a discussion group. A at the end of this year. Richard has 2 Weald & Downland Open Air Museum Autumn 2010 Richard Harris retires Richard Pailthorpe tion and reconstruction, chosen as the new for the museum’s reputa- tion in the field. museum director Richard’s teaching in he museum’s new director is building conservation, Richard Pailthorpe who will and especially timber T take up the post early in building conservation, January 2011. was the foundation of He brings with him previous the museum’s adult experience at the museum, having education programme, worked as assistant to Chris Zeuner and in particular its for 16 years between 1979 and delivery of an MSc, vali- 1995. Since leaving the museum dated by Bournemouth he has successfully managed Syon University. Park, the London home of the In 2001, after the Dukes of Northumberland and more death of Chris Zeuner, recently Parham Park here in West Richard became museum Sussex. He is a director, and his main former chairman aim has been to improve of Chichester physical and intellectual Visitors Group access to the museum and is currently Richard Harris. through interpretation, vice-chairman teaching and displays. He managed the of the Historic t the end of this year the completion of the Downland Gridshell Houses Associ- Amuseum’s director, Richard building and leaves behind a compre- ation of South Harris, will retire, completing hensive plan for the future development East England. Richard Pailthorpe. 35 years’ service and dedication to of exhibits and visitor facilities. A chartered surveyor and graduate of the institution. Richard has been appointed a visiting Reading University, Richard was win- His first task at the museum was in professor at the University of Chich- ner of the Grinstead Bursary in 1986, 1975 when he was asked by Roy ester, one of the museum’s partners, and which he used to make a study tour of Armstrong (founder) and Chris Zeuner will continue with his teaching at the North American museums, historic (museum director) to survey the timbers museum as well as in an occasional houses and heritage sites. He has a of the hall from Boarhunt which had consultancy role in relation to building number of publications to his name. recently been dismantled. In October interpretation and conservation. Richard brings over 30 years’ expe- 1975 he was appointed assistant to Roy A full appreciation of Richard’s role is rience of heritage, museum and estate Armstrong, two years later research included in the new book on the management to the post and I and my officer, and then in 1979, in succession development of the museum, Building trustee colleagues look forward to to Roy, research director. History: The Weald & Downland Open working with him. It was in this role that Richard made Air Museum 1970-2010 – the first Paul Rigg his major contribution to the museum, forty years, which can be obtained Chairman of Trustees, Weald & responsible through the high standard of from the museum shop (see also pages Downland Open Air Museum his work on historic building interpreta- 16-17). been our director since 2001 but has quality of its restorations and the debt of gratitude to Richard for all that been associated with the museum since authenticity of its exhibits, as well as he has achieved for the museum, for his 1975, becoming research officer and widespread recognition for high stan- selfless approach and extraordinary then research director. That is 35 years dards in adult education and building time commitment, all of which has of his working life, an enormous com- conservation training. kept the museum where it is at the mitment to have given. It is probably Moreover, under Richard’s director- leading edge of its field. He can be fair to say that Richard is part of the ship, the finances of the museum have justly proud of the museum that he soil, the timbers and the ethos of this gone from strength to strength, as have will be handing over to a new director museum, and vice versa! the many regular special events we in 2011. There is a very good summary by have come to take for granted. We will I should perhaps add that Richard Diana Zeuner of Richard’s career and be implementing his innovations and will continue to meet his teaching contribution captured in our new ideas for many years to come. I am on commitments at the museum, along- commemorative book Building History record for saying that Richard is irre- side his new position as a visiting (starting at page 68) which I hope you placeable, and I do believe it. That is professor at the University of will all read and enjoy. But it is worth not to say that we cannot find another Chichester. We have also secured his repeating here that Richard’s expertise great director to take us forward into services as a consultant or specialist in timber frames and building restora- the next 40 years, rather it is to say adviser available to the new director tion makes him one of the foremost that Richard’s unique combination of on a range of topics as required. specialists in that field in the country, skills and knowledge may need to be We wish him well. and probably internationally. His found in a variety of new ways. Paul Rigg expertise has been largely responsible The trustees, and indeed the wider Chairman of Trustees, Weald & for the museum’s reputation for the museum community, owe an enormous Downland Open Air Museum Weald & Downland Open Air Museum Autumn 2010 3 Dr Gerard C J Lynch PhD Historic Brickwork Technology MA Conservation of Historic Brickwork [email protected] www.brickmaster.co.uk Tel/fax 01908 584163 ‘The Red Mason’ International Historic Brickwork Consultant Master Bricklayer, Carver, Educator & Author DAVID LANGDON Chartered Building Company Established 1806 Main contractor for the Downland Gridshell CONSERVATION WORKS UNDERTAKEN Over 60 years of craftsmanship in residential, community and commercial projects Admin Office: Flat 3, Barfield House, 18 Barfield, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 2JP Telephone: 01243 865771 Tel: 01983 562328 Fax: 01983 812394 www.eachiverton.co.uk Email: [email protected] Specialists in Truly Handmade Clay Products for restoration Tel: 01243 818028 www.greenmancarpentry.co.uk [email protected] Timber frame specialists Modern or traditional frames New build/extensions Historic frame repair All products are made in the heart of Sussex from our own local clays Airtight natural insulation systems Exquisite terracotta floors in a wide range of colours, shapes and sizes using techniques largely unchanged over the centuries.