AIA Members’ South East Visit

Saturday 26th July 2025

The AIA has arranged a one day visit for members to two of the largest outdoor venues in the south east with strong industrial archaeology themes – Amberley Museum ( https://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk ) and Hollycombe Steam in the Country ( www.hollycombe.co.uk/ )

Both museums have been recipients of AIA Restoration Grants and the ongoing restoration of Amberley’s Smith Rodley Steam Crane and the fully restored Clark Chapman Steam Winch at Hollycombe will be on show.

Amberley Museum (BN18 9LT) is located just east of Arundel in the South Downs National Park and Hollycombe (GU30 7LP) about 25 miles from Amberley near Liphook, some 25 miles south of Junction 10 of the M25.

Members should arrive at Amberley at 10:00 and we will spend 2 hours there, with a guided tour followed by a quick light lunch at 12:45. Then we will depart for Hollycombe at 13:15.

Our tour at Hollycombe will commence on arrival, hopefully around 14:00-14:15. It should be recognised that these are two large sites with many attractions on them which would normally take much longer to visit individually. The focus on this tour will be the AIA restoration projects with the opportunity of a ‘taster session’ at the museums, which could be followed up with individual subsequent visits.

Travel can be by private car (ample free parking at both venues) or by rail. Amberley Museum is located adjacent to Amberley station (Victoria/ Bognor Regis line) and Hollycombe is located one mile from Liphook station (Waterloo/Portsmouth Harbour line). For those travelling by train, we may organise car-sharing or if there is sufficient demand, we may be able to arrange a minibus to pick up at Amberley and transfer to Hollycombe and then deliver to Liphook.

We are very grateful to the two museums for offering AIA Members free entry in recognition of the grants awarded. There would be a charge for using the minibus for transfers and lunch at Amberley.

Note: This trip is for AIA members only. Not a member? You can be from just £22 click here: https://industrial-archaeology.org/membership/

Please register interest now via an email to Richard Vernon: affiliated@industrial-archaeology.org including contact details and how you would travel to the event: Own car/Public transport