Weald and Downland Open Air Museum Limited

Analysis

Weald and Downland Open Air Museum Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Singleton. It was registered in February 1969, 57 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under environment and conservation. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00946307). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and sponsors or undertakes research.

In the financial year ending December 2025, Weald and Downland Open Air Museum Limited reported income of £3.4m and spending of £3.7m, spending 107% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3.0m to £3.4m (+15%), an average of +3.5% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2022, when income rose by 20%. Over the whole period it spent 104% of the income it received.

Among 4,574 England and Wales charities whose main cause is environment and conservation and that reported income, Weald and Downland Open Air Museum Limited sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include The Foundation and Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens,kew (£3.4m), The Port Sunlight Village Trust (£3.5m) and Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society (£3.4m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 38%, trading 37% and charitable activities 24%. Charitable activities took 70% of spending and raising funds 30%. Grants to other organisations totalled £1,380. Reserves of £824k would cover about 3 months of spending at that rate. It employed 58 people.

Data notes from the register: Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.