Some interesting museums:
Amberley Museum Telephone: 01798 831370
A fascinating working museum on a 14.5 hectare site dedicated to keeping traditional trades alive, a resident team of craftspeople use traditional tools and material to produce a number of fine wares. Also available are vintage bus rides, a narrow gauge railway, cycle exhibition and electrical items in the Seeboard Electricity Hall, plus lots more,Times vary, you need to check, Station Road, Amberley, West Sussex,BN18 9LT
Anne of Cleves House Telephone: 01273 474610
Part of the divorce settlement made by Henry VIII to Anne of Cleves (although she never lived there), this lovely Wealden hall-house is now a popular venue for weddings and a range of other events. On display are artefacts including Wealden ironwork, firebacks, cannon and the story of Lewes from the 16th century to the present day, Times vary, you need to check, 52 Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1JA
British Engineerium Telephone: 01273 559583
Opened in 1866 to deliver water to Brighton and Hove, electric motors replaced the steam pumps soon after World War Two. The steam pumps were restored in 1976 and the building is now a museum to all things to do with steam engines., Daily, steam up Sun and bank holidays, The Droveway, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 7QA
Filching Manor Motor Museum Telephone: 01323 487838
Home to some of the rarest racing machines in the world and set in 28 acres (11 hectares) of formal gardens, the exhibits in this fifteenth-century Wealden hall-house include a 1907 Corbin 'Vanderbilt Cup' racer, Sir Malcolm Campbell's 'Bluebird' speedboat, Alfa Romeos and Bugattis Open: Thu - Sun Easter to May + Oct, daily May - Sep, weekends only Nov - Easter, Jevington Road, Wannock, Nr Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 5QA
Fishbourne Roman Palace and Museum Telephone: 01243 785859
Many mosaic floors, under-floor heating systems and bath suites from the north wing of this 1st century Roman Palace can be found undercover. Outside, the formal garden has been replanted following the original Roman plan. Also available is the ‘Palace Café’. Open: Times vary, you need to check, Roman Way, Fishbourne, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 3QR
Museum of Rural Life Telephone: 01580 880324
Located next to a working Blacksmith's forge, exhibits include a collection of iron firebacks, country implements, a garage workshop, plus a number of reconstructed shops including wheelwright's, grocery and hardware stores. Open: Daily, Northbridge Street, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5NY
Petworth Cottage Museum Telephone: 01798 342100
Once the home of Mrs Mary Cummings, seamstress at Petworth House, the inside can be seen as it was in 1910. Open: Apr-Oct Wed-Sun plus bank holiday Mondays, 14.00-16.30, 346 High Street, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0AU
Shipwreck Heritage Centre Telephone: 01424 437452
A number of shipwrecks dating between the seventeenth and the twentieth centuries are visible nearby at low tide and this museum has photographs, videos and artefacts from these wrecks on display. A sound and light show tells the story of a shipwreck, which was discovered in the Thames in 1970. Also of interest is the radar and video equipment that monitors shipping traffic in the English Channel Open: Daily Apr - Sep, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3DW
Sussex Toy and Model Museum Telephone: 01273 749494
With a collection of teddy bears, dolls, planes, forts and trains, the museum is located in one of the arches under Brighton Railway Station. Open: All year except Xmas, 52-55 Trafalgar St, Brighton
The Bluebell Railway Telephone: 01825 720800
Starting with only two steam engines and two carriages, August 1960 saw the Bluebell Railway become the first volunteer run preserved railway to operate a passenger service. A museum, restaurant and real ale bar can be found at the southern terminus, Sheffield Park Station, Open: Dates vary, you need to check, Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex, TN22 3QL
Weald & Downland Open Air Museum Telephone: 01243 811348
Located 7 miles north of Chichester, 500 years of architectural heritage from medieval to Victorian times has been preserved. Buildings, furnishings, fields, gardens and complete working environments bring back the ways of the past. Open: Daily 10.30-18.00 Mar-Oct / Wed, Sat, Sun 10.30-16.00, Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0EU
Wish Tower Puppet Museum Telephone: Workshop: 01323 417776
Housed in one of the Martello Towers that were built along the south coast, the Puppet Museum has puppets from the earliest shadow puppets through to the animatronic wizardry of today. With well known puppets such as Muffin the Mule, Pelham Puppets, Penny Plain & Twopence Coloured, the Thunderbirds and of course Punch and Judy on display, plus puppets from around the world such as Wayang shadow figures from Asia, Turkish Karagoz shadow puppets and Japanese Bunraku figures, there is something for everyone. Workshops that provide an insight into puppet construction and use are also available. Open: Sat & Sun 11.00-17.00 Mid Apr-end Oct (open daily mid Jul-early Sep). Wish Tower,King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4BY
Newhaven Fort Telephone : 01273 517622
Britain was last successfully invaded in 1066 and since then, our coasts have been guarded by a succession of forts and castles placed at strategic locations. Seaford Bay and the port of Newhaven were always tempting landing places for an invader and the defensive history of the area dates back to the Bronze age when a large enclose fort was built on the cliff. When the Romans arrived, they too built a fort on the site and, since that time, fortifications have remained on Castle Hill, culminating in the building of Newhaven Fort.
The current Newhaven Fort structure was built around the 1860's and is the largest work of defence ever constructed in Sussex. It has stood firm as a vital element in Britain’s coastal defense through two World Wars. Following its abandonment as a military fortification, Newhaven Fort suffered years of incredible neglect and dereliction but has now been restored to provide an award-winning visitor attraction.
Newhaven Fort offers an exciting and varied day out at this award winning attraction. The massive walls, ramparts, tunnels and gun emplacements all fire the imagination and help visitors experience what life was like living in a Victorian Fortress, as well as understanding and learning about the First and Second World Wars. The sights, sounds - even the smells - of the period are found in a range of life-size exhibitions, displays and audio-visual presentations set inside Casemates (which once served as living quarters for those soldiers stationed there). There are echoing tunnels built in the cliffs. You get some idea of soldiers' living conditions, sit through an air-raid, climb up to the huge gun emplacements. For the under 12's.there is a newly built adventure playground
The ramparts have a panoramic coastal, South Downs and Newhaven port, views. Dogs are also welcome if on a lead. There is sit-in recreation of a helps to imagine being caught in a real air-raid. The story of how the Fort was built into the cliff under the instruction of a 22 year old lieutenant is interesting as are the military design concepts used. There is a wide range in the gift shop – from pocket-money-priced souvenirs to army surplus clothing and wartime recipe books. Good fresh air available on the 10-acre site. You can ask for a take away and enjoy a mini picnic on the grassy cliff top or have a snack in the café.
Adults £5.50, Seniors /Students /UB40 £4.60, Children £3.60 Family Tickets: (2+ 2/3) £16.50 Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9DS.
Tangmere Military Aviation MuseumTelephone: 01243 775223.
“The Museum funding comes entirely from ticket sales, 'Friends of the Museum' memberships, merchandise sold in the Museum shop and bequests and donations made to the museum by those who believe in what we are trying to do.”
The museum was established in 1982 on the old RAF Tangmere airfield. From its beginnings in 1916, through its illustrious service as one of Britain's front line fighter bases during WW2 and on to its key role as home to the world speed record breaking aircraft of the High Speed Flight in the post war years it has occupied a unique place in aviation history. The museum contains countless fascinating exhibits. Here you can see priceless historic aircraft such as Neville Duke's world record breaking Hawker Hunter, actual equipment used by the brave SOE agents who were carried into occupied France on 'black Lysander' flights from Tangmere, flight simulators where you can try your hand at flying, a full sized replica of the very first Spitfire prototype and more. Much more. There is something for all the family to see and do. View the artifacts that tell the story of Tangmere's crucial role during the Battle of Britain in 1940. In the Battle of Britain Hall the focus is mainly on the crucial air battles fought in the skies over Southern Britain in 1940. See the excavated and poignant remains of Sergeant Dennis Noble's Hurricane, enjoy the many fine poems written by airmen during the conflict, examine retrieved remains of Merlin, Junkers Jumo and Griffon engines.
Here you will also find the signatures of many of the Battle of Britain pilots, an original searchlight and a display of a number of Luftwaffe artefacts as well as a feature on photo interpretation, an exhibition of photo reconnaissance cameras and the actual uniform worn by Flt Lt James Nicolson during the action for which he won RAF Fighter Command's only VC in WW2.
Free Parking, Cafeteria, Visitor’s Picnic Area, Museum Shop, Memorial Garden Disabled Facilities Adults £5.00 Over 60s £4.00 Under 16s £1.50 Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £11.50 Party Tangmere Military Aviation Museum lies approximately three miles East of Chichester in West Sussex and is clearly signposted from the A27
Coombe Village Church
Located about two miles from Bramber and between Steyning and Shoreham an a little used back road, the village is known to many for its ancient and wonderfully un-restored church. So old in fact that its original dedication is unknown. The nave is early Norman and the chancel appears to date from the early 13th century. Inside the church as some early 12th century wall paintings depicting the life of Christ from the Visitation: The Nativity; Christ n Majesty and Christ handling the keys to heaven to St Peter. The entrance is formed by a Topsell gate, this clever design is peculiar to Sussex, but is now rare. Folklore has it that at a wedding, a white ribbon was tied to the top of the bar and the bridegroom had to lift his new wife over the gate. Services are still held in the church
