The Henfield Museum

The Village:
Henfield is an ancient village situated on a ridge a few miles north of the South Downs overlooking the River Adur. Its name derived from the Anglo Saxon "Hemfelde" meaning a dwelling place on high open land. The village has many timber framed houses and a parish church, parts of which date back to the 13th century.

The Museum:
The museum is owned and run by Henfield Parish Council. The collection was started by Miss Lucie Bishop and was first displayed in 1948. When The Henfield

The Collection:
Objects on permanent display:

• Local fossils and flint tools
• Household objects from all ages
• Farm tools, implements and dairy items
• Sussex rifle volunteer uniforms
• Bishop Wilberforce's waistcoat
• 19th and 20th century dresses
• A large collection of local paintings, drawings, and photographs.
• A one-man stretcher ambulance
• A 'Penny Farthing' bicycle
• A change eight bell set
• Plus much more...

Exhibitions:
Temporary exhibitions on local themes are staged three times a year. This gives the museum a chance to show objects that are not usually on permanent display, or objects that are on temporary loan.

Education:
The museum runs educational activities tied to the National Curriculum in collaboration with local schools and those catering for children with special needs. The museum also offers an outreach service to local nursing homes doing recall sessions. The museum's archives can be viewed by prior arrangement by students involved in serious studies.

Family History Research:
The museum holds transcripts of the census returns for Henfield, Shermanbury, and Woodmancote which can be consulted during museum opening hours. Other archives can be viewed by prior arrangement.