It has been wonderful to reopen Butser to visitors over the summer and start to get back on our feet after such a difficult few months. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported us!
We are currently working on funding applications and plans to help us over the winter months and recently had the pleasure of welcoming local MP Flick Drummond to the farm to discuss challenges and opportunities for support from the government. Find out more below.
Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond visited Butser Ancient Farm recently for a tour of our ancient buildings and landscape, alongside a discussion of the current challenges and opportunities faced at our unique heritage site in the South Downs National Park in East Hampshire.
MP Flick Drummond Meets with Butser Ancient Farm Directors Simon Jay and Maureen Page in front of the ongoing Horton House Stone Age construction.
The Farm, which reopened to pre-booked visitors on July 4th and has 'We're Good to Go' accreditation from Visit England, was a hive of activity on a beautiful summer's day, with visitors meeting the new baby goats, watching thatching and ancient skills demonstrations, and exploring the reconstructed ancient homes and buildings. However, after coming out of three months of lockdown, with a subsequent total loss of income during what would have been our busiest time of the year, we are facing a challenging time ahead.
With the recent announcement that the new Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is now open for applications, the visit was a fantastic opportunity for Flick to discuss the government's support package for the struggling arts and heritage sector.
Farm directors Maureen Page and Simon Jay were able to highlight their concerns and hopes for the future as Flick offered her support to any application the farm makes to the Recovery Fund.
Director Maureen Page said 'As Butser approaches it's 50th year of opening it has been very difficult for us to close for such a long period of time. We love to welcome visitors to explore the ancient past with us and usually host hundreds of school children each week to be inspired about ancient life. This in turn helps to fund our ongoing archaeological research work, enabling us to build and experiment with exciting new interpretations of ancient life, and continue our community wellbeing and volunteering programmes. We are anxious to continue this important work and need all the support we can get in order to do so'
Butser Ancient Farm Director Simon Jay and Master Thatcher Lyle Morgans talk to MP Flick Drummond about the thatching of the Moel Y Gerddi Iron Age Roundhouse.
MP Flick Drummond with Butser Ancient Farm directors Maureen Page and Simon Jay as the Moel Y Gerddi Iron Age Roundhouse is thatched by master Thatcher Lyle Morgans in the background.
Butser Ancient Farm usually welcomes over 35,000 school children to the Farm every year for a hands-on experience of ancient life. School children take part in a range of practical activities within the reconstructed buildings, representative of homes from the Stone Age, Iron Age, Roman and Saxon periods.
Although school trips are permitted to resume from September, there is still uncertainty over coach travel and the way in which schools will be able to travel to locations such as Butser Ancient Farm. With many attractions and educational centres facing similar issues, and coach travel companies also struggling, the visit was a valuable opportunity to raise these concerns. Flick will be able to represent and highlight these issues in ongoing government discussions.
With experience on the board of governors for a local School, Flick's interest in education and practical learning was a great match for Butser Ancient Farm, who pride ourselves on an inclusive, hands-on approach to education and learning. Indeed Flick was able to see and discover Bronze Casting in action, traditional thatching techniques in use and rare-breed goats being milked, all during her tour of the farm...all in a day's work at the farm!
As an independently funded, not-for-profit organisation, Butser Ancient farm relies on visitor income and donations to support our work. If you would like to visit and support us over the Summer we are currently open from Wednesday to Sunday for pre-booked visitors. Find out more and book tickets here.