Amberley Museum Visit

[Richard_FM]

I've been here twice, even though it's quite a distance for me.

The first time in 1987, and again in 2004.

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by pmmunro

Ask about Gift Aiding your ticket price. For places set up for this, this will entail a 10% or more supplement, in return for which the ticket will be valid more than once.

https://www.visitengland.com/sites/d...ion_jan_15.pdf

Thanks David for taking the trouble to post your photographs and description; it's especially intersting for those of us who are too far away to get there easily, even in normal times.

PMM

I spoke to Amberley Museum this morning.

They say they have never had the option of where one could return free for a second visit using the original visit day ticket (which is strange as have read several reports of people saying one could).

They did say that if one visited on a day ticket and then took out a yearly membership (entitling one to visit virtually any number of times) that the day ticket cost would be refunded.

They also said that the gift aid option on day ticket that they do operate does not offer a second visit. I cannot easily see the Gift Aid rules link saying anything about a free second visit.

David

[joebog1]

I thank you sir, for your answer!

Joe

[jamesperrett]

Originally Posted by DMcMahon

They also said that the gift aid option on day ticket that they do operate does not offer a second visit. I cannot easily see the Gift Aid rules link saying anything about a free second visit.

There are two different gift aid options and the charity can choose which one they want to offer. One option is to ask for an additional donation which will then allow them to apply for gift aid on the whole amount. I think this is the option that Amberley use. The second option is to allow entry for the whole year at the standard rate. Hollycombe Steam Museum and Basingstoke's Milestones Museum offer this second option (and Milestones also has a vintage radio display).

[Catkins]

Originally Posted by DMcMahon

Copied from the website.

From the 1840s to the 1960s, this chalk quarry would have reverberated to the noises of explosions, furnace blasts, rumbling trucks, trains, and horses. Since Roman times, chalk has been regarded as valuable source material for fertiliser and mortar, cement and concrete. Chalk was quarried here in two main quarries, the grey and the white. It was then heated in kilns with coal to create quicklime, The quicklime was then hydrated by adding water in a lively chemical reaction, and this made the final product, hydrated lime, which could be bagged and transported.

Originally several lime producers operated at the site, but by 1876 the Pepper family were the sole producers, employed over 80 people.

There are several sets of kilns of different designs around the museum, the largest of which are the de Witt Kilns, with 18 firing chambers, at the end of the museum. You can see the rail tracks that took lime directly to the kilns, and the lime pits used to add water to the quicklime.

I hope this doesn't get deleted as off-topic, as I'd just like to point out to those unaware that the scale of this operation at more than 18 firing chambers is just huge! A substantial undertaking. Many areas in the industrial revolution had limekilns, but, mostly limited to no more than two, often in rural locations which are now largely forgotten about. This link http://www.industrialgwent.co.uk/f22...lley/index.htm shows various kilns in the ex-industrial Wye valley for comparison.

I didn't know about this site (and I'm both interested in industrial archaeology and radios), and it is now on the top of my list to visit!

[DMcMahon]

The kilns certainly are an impressive sight even from a distance, you can walk along the top and look down into some of the kiln chambers.

David

[dave walsh]

Whoever you spoke to David was obviously unaware that a two day ticket scheme was in operation. Whether this was only operated on certain days or not I can't say but I don't think there was anything actually printed on a poster. As we showed our tickets we were advised verbally that we could come back again if there wasn't enough time to get round, it was a very friendly reception and sounds like it still is. The reason I was asking about corporatisation at Amberley is because I've seen it so often. Today's thread about changes with Duxford Radio Society backs this up and makes the comparison I would have introduced myself re Bletchley Park, which I used to visit when it was more like a family event. There was a famous BBC2 documentary about the Preston Transport Museum and the new regime there! It happens with Arts Centres as well when the community aspect fades away and the business side takes over.

As for the Chalk Pits mis-information [is that a pun maybe?]. We have a great Heritage Society in my home town but many members are relatively recent residents. I spoke to a former President [a great chap] about how the Society had [foolishly] failed to agree a price on what is [now] my historical house, long before I bought it. They spent the same amount on what was effectively a single brick 30' room used as a store by the education authority I was amazed by this and said "You mean you don't know the history of your own Society?" He said, "Well yes, I suppose you are right!"

Dave W

I went there once, lovey. I will go again (when things get a little more normal) but this time book a hotel or B&B nearby for a two day visit regardless of the cost of two tickets if needed. An hour or two both ways on the bike left too little time for a proper visit.

[DMcMahon]

Originally Posted by dave walsh

Whoever you spoke to David was obviously unaware that a two day ticket scheme was in operation. Whether this was only operated on certain days or not I can't say but I don't think there was anything actually printed on a poster.
Dave W

They seemed to know what they were talking about, next time I plan to go I will ask again, also make sure next time to get the OAP concession priced tickets, I missed that last time

David