Ten Things to Discover At the Victorian Village
Published: 16th September 2015There is plenty to see and discover at Flambards Theme Park on our Exhibition Only days, running every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday until 23rd October. Flambards Victorian Village allows you to step back in time, over 100 years, to the cobbled streets and alleyways of ‘turn of the century’ Britain. Meet different Victorian characters in over 50 authentic scenes.
We have put together a list of our top ten favourite areas of interest to discover inside the Victorian Village, with lots of other interesting sights to see along the way.
- The Pheasant Inn – See Mary the landlord as she serves her pub full of customers who are looking to relax after a hard days work. Sometimes Mary likes to add salt to some of the drinks to keep the customers thirsty. In Victorian London one in every 77 houses was a pub.
- The Brougham Carriage - Located outside the Tobacconist, this carriage was the most favoured form of private transport for the wealthy. It was first made in 1838! Notice the patient coachman waiting for his ladies to leave the milliner’s shop.
- The Firehouse – See the brave firefighters and their engine in the firehouse. In the event of a fire, the fire bell on the roof was rung to raise the alarm, and the big doors of the village fire station were flung wide open. Before Firehouses opened, if was up to the house’s insurance company to dose out the fire.
- The Bakers – View the month-watering selection of homemade breads and cakes, including a wedding cake. The baker’s day is a long one, starting at 4am! His stale bread is a popular choice amongst mothers as it’s cheaper and goes further as the children tend not to ask for seconds.
- The School Room – In the village you will find St Mary’s old Church School. Teachers can start training from as young as 14, so this class is fortunate to have such a wise teacher. Look out for the naughty boy in the corner, he’s lucky to only have to wear the dunce hat as the dreaded cane was a popular form of punishment in Victorian times.
- The Dentist – Most dentists were only sketchily qualified in this era so to avoid the dreaded trip to the dentist, people would rub substances such as salt and soot onto their teeth in order to clean them.
- Time Capsule – Discover the story of apothecary William White's lost chemist shop time capsule. When WIlliam White died in 1909, the shop was boarded up by his son, Edward who wasn’t qualified to dispense drugs, the shop remained untouched for more than 100 years. The shop was transported to the village exactly as it was discovered, complete with cobwebs.
- The Post Office – Meet Mrs Smythe in the post office that she managers and admire the red pillar box outside which was built in 1860’s. In addition to dispensing stamps Mrs Smythe handles parcels and manages the Post Office savings bank, she also sells stationary and a selection of greetings cards, including the black edged mourning cards; unfortunately one of her bestselling products.
- The Toy Shop – Marvel at the vast selection of toys for sale in the village toy shop. Look out for the most recent addition, a wooden rocking house which is priced at two pounds and nineteen and sixpence, a very significant sale.
- The Blacksmiths – See the resident blacksmith in his workshop where he spends his days crafting everything from farmyard gates, to horse shoes, with the help of his assistant who is in charge of the bellows.
Check out our opening times calendar for more information about Exhibition Only days.