The Mint House

About

A Folklore Community

At The Mint House, a remarkable C16th building, we are creating a vibrant home for Sussex folklore—a place where stories, traditions, and community come together under one roof. With its wallpaintings, ancient timbers, and layers of memory, it offers the perfect setting for a living, breathing centre of culture. As it is transformed into the Home of Sussex Folklore, the house itself becomes part of the story: a gathering place shaped by centuries of local life, now opening its doors to new voices and new ideas.

We are building a community rooted not just in appreciation of the past, but in active participation. The Mint House is a place where people step into cultural heritage, not simply observe it. Across its rooms, you will find exhibitions to explore, workshops that invite you to make and do, and welcoming spaces for conversation and learning.  Here, folklore is something you experience with your hands, your imagination, and your senses.

Every part of the house will carry a sense of purpose. Some rooms will host intimate events and performances; others will be shaped by craft, sound, and creative exploration. A library allows researchers and enthusiasts to explore the heritage that has shaped the building and the area across generations, while at other times offering a friendly place for families, local residents, and visitors to connect, share stories, and simply enjoy being together.

The Mint House is for everyone who feels drawn to the character of this place, those who have grown up with cultural traditions and heritage, as well as those discovering them for the first time. It is for artists seeking inspiration, for historians and folklorists searching for deeper connections, for schools and families wanting meaningful experiences, and for people who simply appreciate the warmth and creativity that arise when community gathers with purpose. We believe folklore belongs to all of us, and our activity reflects the diversity of voices, traditions, and experiences that makes 'us' what 'we' are today.

Throughout the year, the house will be alive with events that celebrate seasonality,  traditional skills, and offer new perspectives on the stories woven into the landscape. Our workshops and activities will provide opportunities to learn directly from craftspeople, musicians, storytellers, and knowledge-holders whose work keeps heritage alive. Meanwhile, our exhibitions and interpretatio will reveal the deep layers of meaning behind legends, stories, customs, and everyday cultural practices.

Most importantly, The Mint House will be a place of welcome. A place where people feel encouraged to participate, to share, to question, and to create. The sense of community that grows here will come not only from the stories we tell, but from the people who bring them to life—visitors, volunteers, partners, and neighbours who together will shape the evolving identity of this new cultural home.

In bringing The Mint House back to life, we are building more than a historic house. We are creating a living folklore community—rooted in Sussex, open to all, and sustained by the people who walk through its doors.