A SPRING TREAT FOR MUM AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY

Mothers, grandmothers and their families are all invited to enjoy the wonderful exhibits and beautiful downland scenery at England’s leading museum of historic buildings on Mothering Sunday, 18th March. The Museum at Singleton, near Chichester, West Sussex, has a long tradition of presenting mothers and grandmothers with a complimentary bunch of daffodils on their special day, and in recent years has also introduced a special discounted entry price which represents a substantial saving on the usual ticket price.

For just £2 visitors can enjoy the ‘Open House’ at the Museum, which is set in the heart of the South Downs National Park. They can explore over 45 original historic buildings that have been rescued from destruction and carefully reconstructed on the 50-acre site, representing the homes, farms and workplaces of the south east over the last 500 years. Several of the houses are complete with carefully researched period gardens, and the site also includes fields, woodland walks and a lakeside café.

Visitors will discover the latest developments at the nationally-acclaimed Museum and will be able to find details of the varied events programme planned for 2012. Later in April, there are Easter activities for children on Wednesday 4th and 11th during the school holidays, plus celebrations and activities on Easter Sunday and Monday. The Food and South Downs Fair is planned for Sunday 6th and Monday 7th May, and other events during the year range from children’s holiday activities, to traditional countryside shows, seasonal celebrations, and an exciting summer Festival of Steam on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 August.

Mothering Sunday is a wonderful time for a visit, with spring in the air, buds bursting and newborn lambs. As well as the historic buildings, visitors will enjoy seeing the traditional breed farm animals, Shire horses and working cattle, and will also be able to visit the authentic Tudor kitchen, the working 17th century watermill, and feed the hungry ducks on the millpond!

Henry Warner, Head of Operations at the Museum commented: “Our Open House is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to enjoy the Museum and the South Downs in springtime. For first time visitors it is a chance for people to understand the concept of an open air museum, and they will find much to discover’’.

The Museum is open on Mothering Sunday from 10.30am to 4pm. It is open on Wednesdays and weekends until 19th February, then daily from 20 February. Opening hours are 10.30am to 6pm during British Summer Time, and 10.30 to 4pm during the rest of the year. Admission prices for 2012 are adults £10.00, over 65s £9.00, children £5.40, family £28, under 4’s free.

Background information

The award-winning Weald & Downland Open Air Museum has over 45 historic building exhibits and is designated by the Government for the outstanding importance of its collections. Exhibits include a medieval farmstead; a working watermill producing wholemeal stoneground flour; exhibitions focusing on traditional building techniques and agriculture; historic gardens, farm livestock and a working Tudor kitchen. The Museum runs a well-established schools programme, and an adult learning programme of courses in building conservation and rural crafts. There is a café which uses the Museum’s own flour and a shop with gifts and books on countryside and buildings themes. The modern Downland Gridshell houses the Museum’s building conservation centre and artefact collection; there is a daily tour at 1.30pm when the Museum is open, and an appointments system for visits to the collections for research purposes.

Note to editors: Reporters and photographers welcome. For further information and photographs contact, Henry Warner 01243 811363, fax 01243 811475, email operations@wealddown co.uk . Further details about the Museum and its activities are also available on the Museum information line on 01243 811348, or at www.wealddown.co.uk .

12.01.12