Tools at the Weald and Downland open air museums

[tombear]

On Thursday last we did the tour of the Gridshell building at the Weald and Downland open air museum. In itself it's a amazing wooden construction ( plenty of info on the net so I won't bore you with my clumsy description ) but best of all part of the tour is a extended look into the lower store rooms were they keep the donated bits that ain't being used on display.

Basically there is cable tied to huge movable racks or on shelves thousands of farm, craft, smith, etc tools. For example there was a 8 foot high column of just straight bladed draw knives next to as many different shaped coopers etc draw knives. You are allowed to measure and photograph what you want, the guide was very knowledgable and to be honest I rushed about manically taking pictures of everything in sight like the complete set of tools from a tinsmiths shop or racks of carpenters axes of all different pattern.

When I've down loaded the camera ill stick up some examples.

So if you are interested in tools and are thinking of going to the place anyway I heartily recommend the tour, ours was at 1.30 on Thursdays but there may move it around, it's worth phoning ahead.

ATB

Tom

PS currently they are constructing a Anglo Saxon building and we had a good chat with the guy who was working on that. Oddly enough the next day we were at Butser and they are building a even larger and more impressive Anglo Saxon hall as well based on one excavated on a nearby site. Again the staff were very informative and friendly and it was great to see the construction methods.

 

[British Red]

Those gull wing axes at the Weald and Downland are pretty impressive huh?

 

[tombear]

Yeah, it's chock full of the sort of things I'd wet myself over if they turned up at a boot sale!

The only way it could ave been better, short of me being allowed to walk off with a cart load, would have been if they had more and earlier domestic / kitchen items but that's just me. I took pics of the early lanterns they had ( horn plates still mainly in situ) and a couple of rushlight holders but there wasn't that much treen, well that I could see.

atb

tom

 

[Goatboy]

Oooh that sounds like a place I could get lots in for days. (One of the reasons my misses tries to keep me out of places like itwhen we get somewhere. That & rocky beaches as that's me for hours looking into pools )
Looking forward to the pictures.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[tombear]

Ok, second attempt to put up some pics...

Excuse the quality of some, some were done on a old Iphone.

Now to finish packing for a couple of nights camping on Hadrian's Wall, the wifes been missing the deep fried haggis sausages and chips! Better make sure there's a Stottie van on site as well!

ATB

Tom

 

[richardhomer]

Thanks for uploading the photos Tom. My they have a good collection . Have you ever been to the black. Country museum? They have an old hard wear shop there full of local made tools.

 

[Goatboy]

Quite a selection they have. Some interesting pieces. Makes me sad that all the old tools on the old family farm have all gone now. One of the old barns was a real treasure trove. The only one I know where it is is an old flochter which is sitting in the vestibule of my old girlfriends family home. Her dad took a liking to it. It's a type of old turfing/peat spade.
Cheers for posting up and hope you have a nice time at the wall. Enjoy the snorkers, cant beat a haggis sausage, but you can batter it - if you're Scottish!

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.