We were thrilled to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to Amberley Museum on Thursday 5th December. During her visit she met a number of museum volunteers across the site and undertook the official opening of the newly restored Bagging Shed and Loading Bay.
She started her tour of the museum outside the Rail Exhibition Hall, getting the opportunity to see the West Sussex road roller, ‘Joan’ in steam and meet some of the Rail volunteers with the Blue Star loco. She met volunteers from the Wheelwrights, Cycle Shop, bus and maintenance teams, before being treated to the sight of the Tramocar and 125 outside the Southdown bus garage.
She also stopped off at the Arundel gin building and met volunteers from the Plumbers, the Steam Crane project and Woodturners. Here she was presented with a walking stick made by craftsman Ken Wood, with a horse’s head handle carved in walnut.
Following the tour, Her Royal Highness visited the recently restored Bagging Shed and Loading Bay. This late-nineteenth century working building, which was once the heart of the busy Amberley chalk pit and limeworks, has been restored and made more accessible thanks to a grant from the DCMS Museum Estate and Development fund, administered by Arts Council.
The Princess Royal then performed the official opening of the newly restored space by unveiling a plaque during a short, outdoor ceremony attended by museum volunteers and invited guests. She spoke to the crowd, congratulating everyone on the recently awarded King’s Award for Voluntary Service, and wishing us well for the future.
