Collection: Cuckfield Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Decorative/Applied Art

  This group of material includes: ceramics such as commemorative Cuckfield pieces (Goss china and Staffordshire ware), Royal Family commemorative pieces and a bequest of approximately 50 pieces of mainly 18th and 19th century English pottery with several 17th century German tigerware bellarmines and 19th century local Chailey pieces; furniture such as a Jacobean chest of drawers, 1663 oak Bible box, set of 5 cottage Hepplewhite elm dining chairs, 18th century yew frame Windsor stick back armchair and 19th century elm wheelback chair with low back; several timepieces including an 18th century longcase clock and a watch by the local clockmaker and also several silver cups presented locally. The collection also includes 6 African spears.

  Social History

  A collection of domestic items and toys, domestic irons, 18th century whipping-post and a punishment post/childminder.

  Agriculture

  There is a collection of farming implements, saddlery tools, 19th century rural equipment including a wooden oxen yoke and a steel man-trap, 17th and 18th century domestic and agricultural metalwork items and a collection of a Downland’s Shepherd’s clothing and tools.

  Science and Industry

  Items from the local brewery and dairy businesses and various iron artefacts.

  Archaeology

  Two Romano-British pottery items.

  Fine Art

  Prints, watercolours and oil paintings of local significance.

  Biology

  A collection of birds’ eggs dating from the late 19th century.

  Costume/Textiles

  19th Century samplers and costume of local relevance such as smocks, wedding dresses and accessories.

  Photographic

  A small collection of photographs relating to local themes such as industries, schools, businesses, sport and entertainment, buildings, families and personalities.

  Archives

  The archive includes a small reference library of books and periodicals of local history interest, pictures and maps of the locality, photographs, archive and documentary material relating to: the geology of the area and Gideon Mantell’s discovery in the 1820s of Iguanodon fossils (the first found in Britain) in Cuckfield; the local 17th century iron industry; Cuckfield schools, businesses, sport and entertainment; Cuckfield buildings, families and personalities; Cuckfield and the two World Wars and present-day Cuckfield.

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC