Day one of this week’s @Heritage_NGOs#SouthernProgress in Sussex and I had the chance to return to the wonderful @WealddownMuseum for the first time since the pandemic. Great to catch up with @heritage_notes & chat to volunteers. Here’s a little tour 👇
Firstly big ups to the education team @WealddownMuseum - some great & engaging activities around the site. This week there’s a model railway & chance to create mini medieval buildings, vintage hobby activities & games. Activities vary each week. More here wealddown.co.uk/whats-on/famil…
It’s a working site where visitors can try their hand at traditional techniques & the team farm, cook Tudor meals & use the environment to provide materials (such as for the stove). I love that @WealddownMuseum is a place where traditional skills are practiced & passed on.
Bayleaf farmstead was a favoured house when I visited as a child - we loved the fire & the early in-house toilet.
I also love the Medieval shop from Horsham @WealddownMuseum - reconstructed, how it was found & what replaced it.
Here’s the Bayleaf Privy by the way & the nearby Tudor kitchen where you can (when it’s open) sample Tudor cooking
Here’s my perennial 80s vibe pictures of me as a child visiting @WealddownMuseum - so it’s great to bring my girls & pass on the memories - definitely an inspirational place.
This visit I popped into a new archaeological reconstruction of a Anglo-Saxon house I hadn’t seen before. It’s fabulous - separate sleeping compartment areas, tiny holes in the wall for light & pre-Norman techniques of tree wrighting. Here’s the project wealddown.co.uk/buildings/angl…
Workshop, chapel, schoolhouse & mill in the Victorian village area
And I’ve always liked the Toll Cottage
The new cafe & shop area is transformational for the entrance with great views across the site
So interesting to hear about what’s going on, challenges & projects. Thanks for having me today @WealddownMuseum@heritage_notes
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Kicking off a day with @Historic_Houses at @Sothebys celebrating & reflecting on the 75th Anniversary of the Gowers Report & the formation of the Waverley Committee. Looking at lessons for today. 🧵
Our keynote, shadow Heritage Minister, Lord Parkinson reflects on the need for more sense of history in decision-making. The departure to America of the Blue Boy in the 20s led to public emotion & 90k visitors to its farewell - there was a need to tackle the issue: Waverley
Part of the challenge - acquisition budgets to save items for the nation. Inventive thinking including recent sharing of a Reynolds will be needed in the future. bbc.com/news/entertain…
Out and about today for @Heritage_NGOs in Bath & Bristol. Our first stop of the day - @FairfieldHouse_ home to Emperor Haile Selassie I & now a lively, sacred & historic place of importance for many communities including Ethiopians, Rastafari & Bath residents. 🧵
We chatted to a local charity group who work at Fairfield each fortnight, sewing bags to sell for good causes. A great example of heritage hosting creativity & wellbeing activities. Also on site is the Windrush Centre with an exhibition of community donated items.
So many fascinating connections from WW2 to Selassie to Pankhurst. @FairfieldHouse_ is gradually amassing collections including Selassie’s pianola
Here at the @ACEnterprises awards this evening. It was a real privilege to be a judge this year. First up - great to see our member @DelapreAbbey win catering initiative of the year & @nationaltrust win best e-commerce initiative
Next @The_Globe win best event with inclusive Anthony & Cleopatra. Best publication to @britishlibrary with @ShakespeareBT running up. Best venue hire is @glasgowlife & best ticketing initiative @FoundlingMuseum. Best licensing initiative @nationaltrust for collab w/ Craghoppers
Good also to see @AshmoleanMuseum & @EnglishHeritage running up. The best visitor experience is @GrimmAndCo, the best retail initiative is @MuseumoftheHome, the marketing campaign of the year goes to @CastleHowardEst
Emma & I explored @Heritage_NGOs member via @unibirmingham @winterbournehg today. An arts & crafts house & botanical garden. Come & have a look inside…
Wonderful to join @Heritage_NGOs new member @heritage_crafts at @EnglishHeritage @ElthamPalace for their Heritage Crafts Awards with @RoyalMintUK
Intros from Natasha Kaplinski, @EnglishHeritage Nick Merriman & @heritage_crafts Chair David Clarke - David welcomes @DCMS ratification of UNESCO convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. Thanks also to @HeritageFundUK for resilience grant.
37 training bursaries announced today for craftspeople of tomorrow - skills ranging from bookbinding & millinery to scientific glass blowing.
Good morning from #HeritageDebate24 - @Heritage_NGOs Chair @CaroleSouter introduces the topic “Balancing the Books - How Should the Heritage Sector Be Funded?” & the angles we will explore - philanthropic, public & commercial. Thanks to @Ecclesiastical & @ArchHFund @HistEnvForum
An opening poll answered by 158 of our 400+ live attendees captured the main source of funding for organisations attending.
We are hearing introductions from our panellists today.