Church Cottage Museum

About the museum

Church Cottage in Broughton, near Preston, dates from about 1590 and was built as a Lancashire longhouse with cruck framing, one of whose timbers can still be seen inside. Over the centuries it served as a school for boys, with lessons given largely by curates from the parish church, and as an inn that closed in 1862. Later it housed the church sexton and then a local family who lived there until 1986.

Parts of the building were pulled down in 1966, and after the last tenant left it fell into disrepair. Local fundraising, helped by a grant from a local aerospace company, paid for a restoration in the 1990s, and the cottage was opened as a museum by Princess Alexandra in 1995. It is Grade II listed and stands in the grounds of St John the Baptist parish church.

The museum shows how people lived, learned and worked in the area over the last 450 years. On the ground floor are a Victorian sexton's living room, a small inn area, a Tudor hovel and a wash house. Upstairs are a sleeping loft and a Victorian schoolroom, and there is a cart shed with farm tools and a cottage garden. Visitors are accompanied by a volunteer history guide.

Highlights

• Tudor cottage of about 1590 restored in the 1990s
• Victorian schoolroom and sexton's living room
• Tudor hovel and sleeping loft
• Cart shed with historic farm implements
• Personal history guide included in the admission

Permanent exhibition

• Church Cottage Museum – A Tudor cottage that was a school and inn, with a Victorian schoolroom, sexton's living room, wash house, cart shed and garden.

Founded

1995

Admission & discounts

Admission includes the services of a personal history guide. Entry is usually waived on Heritage Open Days.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Access is restricted by steps to the ground floor rooms and by a staircase to the first floor.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

Children are admitted free, and the Heritage Open Days listing mentions children's and family activities. A volunteer guide shows the Victorian schoolroom and Tudor rooms.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the grounds of St John the Baptist church, at Church Lane off Garstang Road.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit