Poplar Cottage was the home of a landless peasant and his family in the early-mid 17th century. The garden of such a low-status dwelling would have been used almost exclusively to produce food and grow herbs for strewing and medicinal purposes. Few if any of the plans would have been grown for their aesthetic value.*

*From a sign next to the garden

Bayleaf is a timber-framed hall house dating mainly from the early  fifteenth century. The garden is a re-creation of a late-medieval garden, laid out in blocks of beds.

Each plot, together with the access path, measures 2 x 1 perches (16.5 x 33ft); 16.5ft is the statutory rod, pole or perch. This is the measurement a yeoman farmer would have been accustomed to.

The vegetables and herbs have been selected mainly from two medieval lists: a poem The Feate of Gardening, by Master Jon Gardener, written before 1400; and a list found in a cookery book, the Fromond List, of about 1525-30. *

*From a sign next to the garden

Paulo Coelho

The house from Walderton was built in the early-mid seventeenth century. The garden would have been mainly for vegetables, fruit, herbs and livestock. However, at this date and social level some plants were beginning to be grown for their aesthetic qualities. Lilies, Primroses and gillyflowers in the borders – the very first beginnings of decorative planting and display towards the public face of the garden.

By the 17th century a wider range of vegetables was available. As new varieties of brassicas were grown, the older practice of cultivating edible weeds declined.

This mill is for grinding corn, for flour and animal feed. The overshot waterwheel provides power for two pairs of millstones, a grain cleaner and a sack holst. *

*from the Weald & Downland Living Museum souvenir guide

This church was built in 1908 so serve the residents of the new village of South Wonston. It is 30 feet long by 15 feet wide (9 m by 4.5 m), with a porch and vestry. A short extension to the roof at the east end forms a cowl for a bell with a pulley in the vestry for ringing.

The village of South Wonston – part of the parish of Wonston – was created in 1892. Initially, the growth of the village was slow, but the Rector of Wonston thought it important to establish a spiritual base for the community. In 1908 he paid £8 of his own money for a small plot of land for the purpose of erecting a ‘mission room’ and an order was soon placed with Humphreys Ltd of Knightsbridge, suppliers of pre-fabricated corrugated iron buildings.

Money was raised by public donations and from a jumble sale, a concert and two offerories, amongst other fundraisers. The building was purchased for £89 10s and the foundations cost £13. The church, navmed St Margaret’s Mission Church, was first used on Sunday 7 February 1909.*

*from the Weald & Downland Living Museum souvenir guide

This photograph shows a carving of a double V ritual mark. This stands for Virgo Virginum – Virgin of Virgins – i.e. the Virgin Mary. It is not uncommon and is used on a wide variety of building materials and locations as a charm to ward off evil spirits and invoke good luck on the dwelling.*

*Information from a signboard in the Weald & Downland Living Museum

After a satisfying breakfast we visited the Bishop’s Palace Gardens which are next door to No. 4 Canon Lane. The gardens are beautiful and free to enter. After touring the gardens we drove to the Weald & Downland Living museum, arriving just as it was opening for the day.

The museum is home to rescued rural buildings which are set in a 40 acre wooded landscape. We found the museum to be excellent and spent almost 4 hours there. Lunch was taken overlooking the pool, watching dragonflies flitting around. We had an informal talk about the watermill by one of the guides. The mill and machinery were working and the guide, sporting a finger bandage, sheepishly told us how he had managed to place his finger in a part of the machinery where it shouldn’t have been.

Walking the distances around the landscape had racked up my daily step count and I was well on my way to reaching a personal best of 20,000 steps in a day, so, when we returned to Chichester, I accompanied Mr C in the quest to find suitable restaurants for the rest of the week. This is something he normally does on his own.

After all that walking we stopped for a refreshing drink in Wetherspoon’s before we returned to the B&B to relax and freshen up before dining in the Giggling Squid. The food and service in this restaurant, which serves Thai cuisine, was excellent. After our meal, we had a drink in the Boar’s Head before returning to the B&B for the night.