Rural Life Centre

The charming and educational Rural Life Centre is distributed over a vast 10 acres of field, woodland and barns, and its collections comprise large number of implements and devices marking over 150 years of farming. Many aspects of village and rural life are also displayed in realistic individual settings and include collections titled Farming through the seasons, Local hop growing and Tools and crafts allied to country industries and needs. So there's plenty of scope for learning here!

The Rural Life Centre has sheep around most of the year, they are around for lambing of course, generally in May. Other animals are on show at Events such as: 'Farm Animals of Yesteryear', and 'Donkey Day Out'. The traditional playground is ideal for letting the kids blow off steam and consists of well-maintained vintage equipment including 2 roundabouts a large slide, see-saw and swings.

Classic! The playground is restricted to 13 year olds and under. A lot of the collection is exhibited in walk through buildings and happily in many cases you are able to touch the displays, which naturally helps keep the kids engaged.

Particularly good fun is having a go at pumping water in the Victoria Laundry, though be warned you are likely to get wet! Plus running every Sunday and bank holiday Monday throughout the main season, the Old Kiln Light Railway is a delight kids of all ages! Well behaved dogs are welcomed on leads and most of the museum site is easily accessible to wheelchair users.