Acton Scott Historic Working Farm

Acton Scott Historic Working Farm will re-open for the 2008 season on Tuesday 15 April and close on Sunday 9 November.

The 2008 season sees many new developments taking place at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm. We have been awarded funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to carry out a wide-ranging Development Project at the heart of which will be the preservation of skills and reference to the past.

Work on a range of building projects has already started with:

• a new car park layout established
• a new Gateway Building (being constructed by award-winning Border Oak) will house a welcome point, Learning/Exhibition space and toilets.
• Border Oak erecting a new cart shed for the storage of agricultural implements and machines
• the schoolroom within Schoolhouse Café building is being reinstated to something close to how it would have been when it was originally built in the 1860s

These developments will support the museum’s desire to pass on skills and traditions through a variety of methods to visitors to the farm.

Acton Scott Historic Working Farm is one of Britain's leading working farm museums. We specialise in practical demonstrations of historic farming using traditional skills and period horse-drawn machines. Every day you can see milking by hand and butter-making in the dairy.

Each week day there is a demonstration from either the wheelwright, farrier or blacksmith. In the woodsman's hut, rakes and gate hurdles are made and displayed and household items fashioned from wood. A range of domestic crafts and skills are demonstrated and the season is dotted with special events all of which contribute to giving a picture of upland farming life in Shropshire at the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries. Please telephone for specific details.

Children will love the cows, pigs, poultry and sheep in the farmyard and fields. There are Longhorn cattle, Tamworth pigs and Shropshire sheep amongst the rarer breeds.

Acton Scott Historic Working Farm Museum offers a memorable day out for friends and family. There is a chance to shop too! Our Shop sells produce, country crafts, souvenirs and ice cream. During our development period, when the Schoolhouse Café will be closed, freshly prepared food will be available elsewhere around the farm including tea, coffee and cold drinks, sandwiches and hot snacks.

Build a day around your visit: Discover this beautiful corner of the Shropshire Hills on two way-marked walks, leave your car in the farm's car park and then head off on the Wagoner's Wander or the Acton Scott Ramble. Both have a short-cut for those with less time to explore. Walkers' guides are available from the museum.

The historic market town of Church Stretton is only five minutes away by car and offers a range of specialist shops and places to eat. The Long Mynd is nearby and at Craven Arms, just four miles to the south, you can find the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, Stokesay Castle and Land of Lost Content museum.

Our leaflet: Welcome to Acton Scott Historic Working Farm is attached to this page for you to download.