Two Day Course:
15 & 16 August

Cleave and shape the wood with hand tools, and learn to use a pole-lathe to make several turned items to take home.

Up to 4 delegates per day.

Cost: £95 per person.
Please feel free to complete the online booking form.

One day course:
Saturday 16 May 2009

The factual evidence from archaeology revealing health, herbs and living conditions provides a sound background for considering possible applications of herbs in Celtic medicine. We will be looking at those treatments with a long history of use and known therapeutic potential for today.

Gathering and identifying native British herbs in the woods and valley close to the round house will be part of the day led by qualified medical herbalist and herb historian, Christina Stapley. Herbs from other areas will also be supplied for discussion of their possible and known uses across time. Practical experience of making a poultice, teas, ointment, an infused oil, a plaster and pills make this a day of experience invaluable for safe home medicine.

Cost: £45 per person.
Up to 12 delegates per day.

Rag Rug Making
Tutor: David Linsey

Cost: £20 per person.
Up to 12 delegates per day.

Victorian Herb Favourites to Enjoy

One day course:
Saturday 4 July 2009.

Dipping into Victorian books and records enables a deeper look at the world behind the popular image of violets, lavender, moth balls and chamomile tea. We will be looking at Victorian problems and celebrations and making herbal recipes for rich and poor. Country cures and cookery add a homely hedgerow atmosphere beside Dr. Coffin's flourishing botanic medicine, available for the poor in industrial towns in the north. We will be making drinks to soothe and refresh and stock the winter store cupboard ready for colds and coughs. There will be confections of horehound and liquorice, mixed herbal teas, syrups, perfumed bags for drawers and spicy herbal flavouring for cookery. Some recipes to take home.

Cost: £45 per person.
Up to 12 delegates per day

Light and Candle Making
Tutor: David Linsey

Half Day Course:

After an introduction to lighting through the ages, create your own lights and rolled and moulded candles.

Up to 12 delegates per day.

Course dates and prices are to be announced.
Please feel free to complete the online booking form with a preferred date.

Hedgerow Basketry

One Day Course

Using materials collected from the Museum's hedgerows you will go through the process of creating your own natural basket to take home.

Victorian Blacksmith
Tutor: Brian Hill

Learn about the working Victorian forge and make your own hand-forged object to take home.

Cost: £40 per person.

Up to 2 delegates per day.

Heavy Horse Experience Day
Date of Next Course : Saturday 10 October 2009

Sovereign (and Robert Mackenzie, his owner) invites you to come and join him for 6 hours of unparalleled interest and fun learning to 'work' with a Shire Horse!

Your day starts at 9.45 am with a briefing session, followed by an introduction to Sovereign, who will delighted to consume a carrot or two at this point. You will experience grooming & harnessing up Sovereign ready for a days'  work, followed by handling tuition. You will then get the chance to long rein Sovereign around the fields in preparation for a variety of other working activities which after a break for lunch will probably include harrowing the fields. ( These will be weather and ground condition dependent). The day finishes about 4.15 pm by which time Sovereign will have been fed and watered after his days work.

Cost is £95 per head ( full price).

£5 discount for Friends of the Museum.  Minimum age 18 years old.

Ideal as a birthday present for the person who has everything and loves horses

Date of Next Course : Saturday 10 October 2009

Please register your interest with Admin Officer either by email officecoam2@btconnect.com or ring 01494 875542 from Tuesday to Thursday to sign up for course details to be sent to you.

An introduction to the traditional uses of lime in vernacular buildings, including a short lecture, a demonstration of lime slaking and practical sessions on mixing lime mortars, use of mortar in brick laying and re-pointing, hairing mortar to make plaster, plastering and rendering of walls and the application of lime wash.

The programme is very flexible and may be delivered in a different order to suit participants needs but all aspects listed will be covered during the day.

The Museum is grateful to the Chilterns Conservation Board for a grant from the Sustainable Development Fund to purchase tools and equipment to enable these courses to become established at the Museum. We are also very grateful Lime Technology for their donation of lime for use on this course. 

An introduction to the traditional uses of brick in vernacular buildings, including a lecture on uses of brick bonds and repair techniques and practical sessions on brick laying, bonding arrangements, brick replacement and re-pointing techniques. There will be opportunities to carry out work on some of the Museum's historic buildings within the practical sessions.

The Museum is grateful to the Chilterns Conservation Board for a grant from the Sustainable Development Fund to purchase tools and equipment to enable these courses to become established at the Museum. We are also grateful to H. G. Matthews for their donation of clay and bricks for use on the course.

An introduction to the traditional uses of flint in vernacular buildings, as well as demonstrations and practical sessions on mixing and using mortar with flint work, flint laying, flint knapping and re-pointing work on flint walls.

The Museum is grateful to the Chilterns Conservation Board for a grant from the Sustainable Development Fund to purchase tools and equipment to enable these courses to become established at the Museum. Our thanks also go to Lime Technology for their donation of the lime mortar and to Jewsons, Amersham for their donation of chalk flint for use on this course.

Please note that the course details may be subject to change.

Historic Restoration

This course will examine the conservation and maintenance of historic buildings constructed of timber, brick and cast iron. There will also be practical sessions learning construction and repair techniques.

Course dates and prices are to be announced.
Please feel free to complete the online booking form with a preferred date.

All tools and equipment are provided and no previous experience is necessary.

Places are limited, so book now!

• All workshop participants must be over the age of 16 years old.
• You are welcome to bring your own lunch or light refreshments will be available to purchase at the Museum's Wood End Cafe (except during December).
• Tea and coffee will be provided during the day.
• All tools and equipment are provided, unless otherwise stated, and no previous experience is necessary.
• Please ensure that you wear sensible clothing and footwear suitable to the season and the workshop booked**.
• ** There are specific clothing and footwear requirements for the Victorian Blacksmith workshop.

INFORMATION

• All Courses cost £ 95 per person per day
• Lunch & light refreshments included
• Max Numbers: 15 on each course
• Tools and equipment will be provided
• All course details may be subject to change

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Museum is very grateful to the following organisations for their donations and provision of materials for use on these courses :

Chilterns Conservation Board - Sustainable Development Fund grant to support the establishment of traditional building skills courses at the Museum.

• Dunton Brothers - bricks and clay
• H.G. Matthews - bricks and clay
• Jewson, Amersham - chalk flint
• Lime Technology Ltd - lime products