Little Woodham
A volunteer-run recreation of a mid-17th-century village in woodland at Gosport, open on selected weekends with costumed craftspeople.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Little Woodham is a living history village in woodland at Rowner, on the Gosport peninsula. It shows country life in the middle of the 17th century, on the eve of the English Civil War. The first hamlet was built in 1984 as a temporary set for a re-enactment by members of the English Civil War Society, and it was used again in 1985.
When the Society could no longer keep it going, local residents formed the Gosport Living History Society to run the site. The borough council helped to fund the project until 1995, when the Society became a registered charity. The village has since been looked after by volunteers, and it won a regional award as a leisure and tourism venue in 2007.
The cottages and workshops are staffed by volunteers in period clothes, each of whom researches the life of a villager of the time. Crafts include weaving, spinning, pottery, wood sawing and blacksmithing at a coal forge. A replica 17th-century pottery kiln was first fired in 2015. The village is also used as a location for film and television productions.
Highlights
- Costumed volunteers showing seamstress, weaving and spinning work
- Potter at the wheel and a replica 17th-century pottery kiln
- Blacksmith at a working coal forge
- Sawyers and other woodworking trades
- Storytelling and special event days such as May Day and Craft Day
Permanent exhibition
- The 17th-century village – Cottages, workshops and a forge staffed by volunteers who show crafts and daily life from the middle of the 17th century.
- Founded
- 1984
- Operated by
- Gosport Living History Society
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £7 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £5Senior citizens, people with disabilities and full-time students |
| Children & teens | £5free up to age 2 · Children under 18 pay the child price; children under 3 are free. |
| Seniors | £5Concession rate for senior citizens. |
| Visitors with disabilities | £5Concession rate for people with disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | £5Concession rate for full-time students. |
| Groups (16+ people) | £5 per personGroup rates apply to groups of more than 15 paying visitors; the adult group rate is £5 per adult. Organised children's groups such as Brownies and Scouts pay £3.50 per child with one adult free for every six children. Home education groups pay £3.50 for each child and adult, and children under 3 are free. |
| Families | £20For 2 adults and 3 children. |
No pre-booking is needed unless an event says otherwise. Group rates are arranged at the shop.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Wheelchair users can generally get around, but the village is on wooded, slightly uneven ground and some house interiors may be hard to enter or move around in. Most cottage doors are wide enough for a wheelchair. There are benches around the village and seating inside the houses. Well-behaved dogs on a lead are welcome.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £20 · For 2 adults and 3 children. |
Children under 3 are free, and there is a family ticket for 2 adults and 3 children. Scout, Brownie and similar organised groups pay a reduced child rate.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
The museum says that there is plenty of parking; it does not give a charge.
The village is reached through Grange Farm from Barrington Close, Gosport. The what3words address is racing.them.lines.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
A small shop sells tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold drinks and snacks. There is a picnic area with benches under trees near the entrance. The only toilets are near the entrance, with none in the village itself.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| School programs | no |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Mid-week school and group visits are not offered at present because there are not enough volunteers to staff the village on weekdays. Groups can come on the public open days without booking. The volunteers each research a village role and share background that is often not covered in the classroom. |
