William Tyndale Museum
Small museum in Vilvoorde about the English Bible translator William Tyndale, housed in the city's former house of correction.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
William Tyndale was born in England in 1494, studied theology in Oxford and became a priest in 1517. He believed that everyone should be able to read the Bible in their own language, whereas owning and distributing a Bible in the vernacular was then forbidden. He therefore translated and printed in secret, and came into conflict with the church authorities. He fled to the Continent and eventually found protection in Antwerp, with the English merchant community there.
On 21 May 1535 Tyndale was arrested by a trick and imprisoned in the castle of Vilvoorde. In his cell he translated as much as he could while awaiting his trial. On 6 October 1536 the sentence was carried out by the Inquisition: he was strangled and burned, and his ashes were scattered in the Zenne. Nothing of the castle remains; in 1773 Joseph II had a forward-looking prison built on that spot, the Tuchthuis (house of correction), using stones from the castle ruins.
After the restoration in 2009, the prison complex became the home of the Protestant Community and its museum about Tyndale's work; in 2010 the community gained its chapel there. The museum is run entirely by volunteers and relies on donations and memberships. Since 1913 a monument in William Tyndale Park has commemorated the Englishman, and a walk of about 1.3 km leads from the park to the Tuchthuis.
Highlights
- Museum on the life and Bible translation of William Tyndale
- Housed in Vilvoorde's former house of correction
- Monument and William Tyndale Park within walking distance
- 1.3 km walk following Tyndale's traces
Permanent exhibition
- William Tyndale Museum – Museum on the life, translation work and death of William Tyndale in Vilvoorde, in the former prison complex.
- Operated by
- Protestantse Gemeenschap William Tyndale-Silo (vrijwilligerswerking)
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
The museum is at Rondeweg 3, next to Hotel Lodge.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The museum is next to Hotel Lodge. William Tyndale Park with the monument is a 5-minute walk from the town hall, at the crossroads of the Marius Duchéstraat and the Mechelsesteenweg; the walk from the park to the museum takes about 1 hour (1,300 m, visit to the museum not included). |
