Royal seal of approval for museum
The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum welcomed Charles when he was the Prince of Wales in November 2010, a visit to help mark its 40th anniversary.
The visit was the icing on the birthday cake and was a fitting finale to what had been a very successful and celebratory year for the museum.
Charles spent a good two hours at the site, which encompasses many of his own personal interests, including rural crafts and conservation.
He met several members of staff. Horseman Mark Buxton was already well-acquainted with him, having been head horseman for the Royal Parks in Richmond.
Outside Titchfield Hall, Charles was greeted by pupils from Singleton Primary School dressed in Victorian costume and waving Union Flags.
After being presented with a beautiful posy of flowers by Ellie Conway, three, Charles met museum director Richard Harris and several dignitaries, including the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Susan Pyper, and Chichester District Council chairman John Ridd.
The tour then stopped to watch a small group of pupils gathered outside the school, playing Victorian games.
The museum’s head of learning, Diana Rowsell, said at the time: “It was really nice.
People have said he is very natural when he talks to you and he was. The cottage has a picture of Queen Victoria and he said he’d never seen that one before. It was exciting and a real honour to have him here and the children were very excited to see him.”
Charles sat in on an apothecary workshop in Poplar Cottage, led by schools officer Laura Dyke dressed in costume, and spoke to some of the children, who impressed him by remembering all the ingredients.
One of the children kindly offered up their seat but Charles politely declined.
Having walked in the wind and cold, Charles had a welcome stop in the warmth of the working Tudor kitchen, where he watched a candlelit cooking workshop with schoolchildren.
After seeing the newly-rethatched Treadwheel building, he was taken to the award-winning Gridshell, where he spoke to members of the National Society of Master Thatchers.