Weald and Downland Living Museum Ticket Portal

Sunday 25 May 2025

A day of discussion, practical demonstration, guidance and hands on experience will convince even the most sceptical of the value of this ancient craft.

Saturday 5 July 2025

Sunday 6 July 2025

Learn how our ancestors processed the flax plant into linen fabric. For millennia this vital plant clothed us and became our second skin; come and be a traditional ‘scutcher’ or ‘breaker’ for the day and change this coarse fibre into a piece of simple twine. Using hand tools learn the art of breaking, scutching and hackling flax, dressing a distaff with long fibres. You will have an introduction in spinning flax on a simple spindle whorl and learn a simple weave, but most importantly, discover what to do with your leftover “tow”!

10 am start

History of flax growing based at Tindall’s Cottage

Growing and retting a crop with the regional differences

Coffee Break

Processing flax by hand outside with traditional tools.

Breaking, scutching, hackling working in pairs to produce ‘linen line’

Lunch break

Preparing fibres for spinning with drop spindles. How to dress a distaff.

Hackling ‘Tow’ and how to use the waste product from the process.

Afternoon Break

Making a sample twine to take away with you

Saturday 22 February 2025

Participants will work with a variety of coloured barked willows to create a living seat to take home and plant in your garden.

Friday 25th April 2025

Friday 20th June 2025

Friday 19th September 2025

Learn the practical basics of natural navigation. Natural navigation is the rare art of finding your way using nature, including the sun, moon, stars, weather, land, sea, plants and animals. You will be out and about on site at the Museum site using your surroundings as examples.

Sunday 23 February 2025

The day will be spent creatively designing a variety of garden supports including obelisks, tepees, fan trellises, small hurdles and peony/delphinium supports

Sunday 23 March 2025

Experiment with different types of willow to create a unique platter for display or serving dry foods. 

Thursday 24 April 2025

Thursday 05 June 2025

Make a willow frame basket using Somerset grown willow. Frame baskets are ideal for gathering and
storing eggs and picking soft fruit.

Saturday 10 May 2025

Friday 13 June 2025

Monday 06 October 2025

A chance to learn the ancient art of falconry, this day offers an enchanting encounter with birds of prey. Learn about the differences between Hawks, Falcons and Owls through practical handling sessions and amazing outdoor flight experiences with the birds flying to your gloved fist. A unique and awe-inspiring introduction to falconry.

Tailored for those who have a keen interest in falconry and birds of prey. During the course you will gain a basic understanding of birds of prey, their training and care, and hands-on experience of holding and flying falconry birds.

Saturday 26 July 2025

Saturday 09 August 2025

Saturday 16 August 2025

Learn how to make fibre and yarn from local nettles. During the workshop we will gather local nettles and learn about their use through time. You will learn how to extract nettle fibre, and learn a simple way to spin it so it can be used for weaving, knitting or crochet.

Saturday 21 June 2025

Sunday 22 June 2025

An introduction to the art and craft of longbow archery. The day focuses on the history and traditions of this remarkable weapon, including intensive tuition in the practice of longbow archery, using a range of different bows. Suitable for the beginner and more experienced archer alike.

Saturday 01 February 2025

Continuous wattle fencing uses mature hazel rods up to 18 foot in length, which are woven between upright supports to any height or length required.