Museums & Galleries · Essex
The Ancient House Museum
📍 CO10 8PB
Photo: Kognos (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- Exhibition of finds from Clare including fossils and arrowheads
- Replica of the Clare Reliquary Cross on display
- See some of England's finest pargetting on the building
- Permanent exhibition on Clare's medieval history
- View ancient items such as a Neolithic axe head
The Ancient House Museum is a small, volunteer-run museum in a Grade I Listed Building in Clare, Essex, especially noted for its decorative pargeting. Inside you'll find a changing themed exhibition alongside a permanent exhibition about Clare's important place in medieval history, with items including a Neolithic Axe Head, Romano-British Pot and Iron Spearhead. Wheelchair access to all parts of the museum is available, and entry is now free, though donations are welcome as the museum is entirely run by volunteers. It opens Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, noon to 4pm. It's a good stop if you're exploring Essex, with the nearest station at Sudbury (Suffolk) station 7.2 miles away, and six bookable places to stay within 5 miles on BritStays.
Practical details
- Open
- Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays, noon to 4pm
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair access to all parts of the museum
- Booking
- Entry is free; open by special request too
From the attraction's own website on 25 Sep 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Gift Shop
Visitor reviews
No reviews yet — been here? Be the first to share what it's like.
Log in or create a free account to write a review.
Do you own or manage The Ancient House Museum?
Claim this listing to respond to reviews and keep your information up to date. Verification is free — see why owners claim their listing.
Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near The Ancient House Museum
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0 mi
2.2 mi
Ashen Equestrian : Mac Shack Stable
Colchester, East Anglia
Sleeps 4
£707 per break
Check availability
2.2 mi
4.9 mi
5.4 mi
5.4 mi
🎪 What's on near The Ancient House Museum
Events from
Skiddle
Fri 13 Nov · 19:00
Comedy Night
JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester · 17.2 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 13 Nov · 12:00
Colchester Audio Tour: Echoes Through Time Tour
Colchester Castle, Colchester · 18.9 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 4 Dec · 18:45
Christmas Party Bookings - Buzz Bingo Colchester
Buzz Bingo Colchester, Colchester · 19.0 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
Fri 4 Dec · 18:00
A Christmas Carol - A One-Man Performance
The Old Sun Inn, Saffron Walden · 15.0 mi
Tickets on Skiddle ↗
🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to The Ancient House Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Sudbury (Suffolk) 7.2 miles
- Bures 10.9 miles
- Dullingham 12.4 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page