Courses
Come to Acton Scott to learn about the forgotten skills of the past including traditional rural crafts, working trades and domestic life. Building on the popularity of the 2010-11 programme, the Historic Working Farm has organised a new schedule of workshops and short courses for 2013 - 2014, click here for details.
For the last 30 years, traditional domestic activities, rural crafts and working trades have been demonstrated at Acton Scott and the Farm's programme of courses aim to pass on knowledge of these lesser known skills.
The 2013-14 programme features a very wide range of subjects including traditional domestic life such as needlework, corn dolly making and secrets from the herb garden, baking, preserving and wine making. Smallholding skills such as introductions to keeping bees, hens and pigs. Traditional crafts and trades featuring blacksmithing, heavy horse work, greenwood skills and leatherwork techniques. And also a range of courses on historic building conservation such as brickwork skills, working with lime and traditional plastering.
All the tutors employed to run the 2013 courses are experts in their field, some earning their living through the everyday practice of their craft, while others are resident interpreters and demonstrators.
The Historic Working Farm is located in the estate's 18th century Home Farm. Conceived by Thomas Acton more than a generation ago to keep alive the 19th century farming practices he grew up with this working museum was the first of its kind and has been much copied since.
Today, it specialises in pratical demonstrations of historic farming using traditional skills and period horse-drawn machines. You can see farm life unfold daily, while the land around is worked by heavy horses. The Historic Working Farm is operated and managed day to day by Shropshire Council and is part of the Acton Scott estate.
For more information about the 2013 courses in traditional crafts and trades click here and for a booking form click here. Alternatively, speak to visitor services telephone 01694 781 307 or email acton.scott.museum@shropshire.gov.uk