The sun was resplendent over the sweeping green hills of Clanfield as we left Drift Road Evangelical Church at 10.05am. Thanks to Jean’s directions, we all managed to arrive safely, as well as enjoy some picturesque scenery on the way.

We soon arrived and some of us eager ladies started exploring, though most headed to the coffee shop to treat themselves with a drink and some cake. Refuelled, we began to view the medieval and Tudor village. We came to the 16th century market place which centred around the old market hall. Upstairs served as the town council chamber whereas downstairs was an open stall area used for selling goods. Under the stairs was a cage for offenders to be locked up and shamed in full view of the other villagers. We also passed some medieval shops which would have originally been butchers or fishmongers.

After admiring the garden of the Walderton house, we went up to the little school from West Wittering. It was originally an open ended cart shed but was later converted into a school for the use of six poor children in around 1820. Then some of us discovered a swallow’s nest with tiny chicks being very noisy in the 17th century Poplar Cottage.

By 12.30, we were starting to get a bit peckish so we all met up and ate our packed lunches or bought a tasty meal from the café. As the weather was still warm and sunny, we enjoyed our food on the big green by the lake, although risked being pestered by a gang of hungry ducks! After lunch, we wandered up to the Downland Gridshell, a huge building made with a wooden grid structure rather than a solid surface, covered with a strong, shaped shell. The oak laths reached from one side of the room, across the ceiling and down to the other side in one smooth curve. Our guide told us that each lath was made from six 20 feet pieces joined together to make one 120 feet long length. To make the whole structure, around 100 laths were put together to make a criss-cross pattern. The whole building cost 1.8 million and is used as a workshop to conserve and repair large timber frames. Our guide then took us to the basement to show us a collection of tools and artefacts.

As interesting as this was, some of us decided to sneak away and investigate some more of the area for ourselves. An hour later, we reunited and entered various styles of medieval houses. One displayed its own hand-drawn wall paper while others showed where open fires used to be lit in the middle of the living room.

We then came across the ‘Treadwheel’, a small thatched building from our very own village of Catherington. Inside was a bucket hanging over a well, which would be lowered down using a big wheel which a boy would have walked in to wind the rope up, like a big, human hamster wheel. The wheel was built over a well reputed to be nearly 300 feet deep and was still in use until about 8 years ago. To raise the bucket from that depth would have required at least 50 turns from the wheel, meaning the boy would have to walk more than a third of a mile!

When we had finished looking at the rest of the museum, we had a browse in the gift shop, and then met up in the car park. We had a great time at the museum and it was also nice to enjoy the company of other ladies. Can’t wait until our next outing!

By EmmaRuth Wellington