Tewkesbury Museum will partially reopen from Monday 10th August
You’ll need to book a free ticket online before you visit, you won’t be able to get in without one
Opening Hours
Weekdays, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sundays – closed.
Booking will be available shortly
You are welcome to spend time in the wonderful unspoiled seventeenth century building that is Tewkesbury Museum. Discover Tewkesbury’s rich and diverse history through a collection which ranges from Roman remains through to wartime austerity. Learn about notable Tewkesbury people like Antarctic explorer Raymond Priestley. Study the magnificent diorama of the Battle of Tewkesbury and the unique fairground model.
The building itself is a time capsule. Restored by Abbey restorer Thomas Collins in the nineteenth century and donated to the town as a Museum by an ‘anonymous gentleman’ in the twentieth, it is unique, full of original features, eclectic and eccentric.
The Museum is very child-friendly, with activities to keep them absorbed for hours. Because of its age the building is not disabled-friendly, though the staff are and will do everything they can to help.
As a small independent museum we offer local knowledge, local research and a fascinating glimpse into times gone by.
We’re often open outside our core hours; it’s worth a look to see if we are open.
We also do our best to open for individuals or groups outside these hours, by special arrangement.
Allow at least an hour for a visit
Facebook Posts
Model fairground running again. First time since, maybe, 1968. Five of the major rides built by A E Salt of Southampton and received by (the old) Tewkesbury Borough Council in the 1960's . The display was set up in the basement of the Town Hall, but soon fell into disuse and was abandoned there, before being given to the museum. Originally there were 10 powered rides, the museum has the incomplete remains of the other five.
In addition to the rides, museum volunteers have cleaned and restored many stalls and figures, built an entirely new table for the display.
The fair is now in the shop window of the museum and will shortly be open to the public.
Tewkesbury Museum are pleased to announce that the model Fairground restoration has now been completed. Two and a half years of effort by our very skilled volunteers have restored five of the big rides to working order, together with many stalls and figures. they also designed and built a cabinet to house the fair in the front room of the museum.
We had intended having a grand launch for the fair, but due to COVID 19 the museum is still closed. We are working towards opening again shortly, when there will be limited access for the public. We will be trialling ways of allowing access with invited supporters over the next week.
In the meantime, here is a short video of the fair running under power for the first time (we think) since 1968.
youtu.be/z7Ld581jpGk
Model Fairground Restoration Project completed
youtu.be
Tewkesbury Museum is delighted to announce that its model fairground has been completely renovated and made to work again after more than fifty years. The mo...Following building work part of the museum was coated with dust and grime. So, out with the old cleaner!
The vacuum is a Daisy No2 made in Birmingham in about 1909. And the old cleaner? I am sure many people will know. 😉
We hope to have news on re-opening shortly.
A little light woodwork at the museum. More news on this and other happenings shortly.
Dendrochronology
The Museum has had an appraisal visit from Dr Andy Moir from the Gloucestershire Buildings Research Group, as part of the Heritage Lottery- funded Gloucestershire Dendro Project. This visit was to assess the building and determine if there is any value in carrying out a dendrochronology study to date timber framing which appears to be original. The appraisal report will follow in due course, but it was declared to be the most challenging building in the project so far. No surprise there!
Though tree-ring dating might be a problem because so many large timbers are plastered or behind panelling, there is apparently plenty of other evidence for dating and understanding the evolution of the building. Outcomes for the museum will be display materials about the findings and some educational resources as well as a better understanding of the history of our unique building.
Details of the project can be seen at www.timber-framed.com/. They are looking for more timber-framed buildings in the town to be studied, so if you know a willing owner they’d like to hear from them.
Framework Knitting. An old Tewkesbury trade. Here's an interesting video describing the life of generations of one family of knitters in Nottinghamshire, including illustrations of how the machines operated and the organisation of the trade. With Luddites and Lord Byron too!
Stocking knitters cottages can still be seen in Stephens Alley and St Mary's Lane, whilst NE Terrace was at one time a frame knitting factory.
The trade in Tewkesbury declined in the face of competition from Nottingham and other places.
Thanks to Mark Poxon for sending the link.
youtu.be/Xwy65rhxW40
The Story of a Framework Knitter
youtu.be
On Saturday 23rd May at 3pm as part of the Nottstopping Festival, I’ll be premiering ‘The Story of a Framework Knitter’. The tale shares the lives of my FWK ...