Croome

About the museum

Croome Court was rebuilt from the 1750s for George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry, who engaged Lancelot "Capability" Brown. The commission was one of Brown's first complete landscapes and his first major work as an architect, and Robert Adam designed interiors from about 1760. The park, with its lake, temples and views to the Malvern Hills, shaped Brown's later career.

In the 20th century the house changed hands several times. During the Second World War it was requisitioned, and the secret RAF Defford radar testing base occupied part of the estate. The house later served as a Catholic special school from 1950 to 1979 and then as a college of the Hare Krishna movement, before more commercial uses left it in poor condition.

The Croome Heritage Trust bought the house in 2007 and the National Trust now cares for it. Visitors see restored rooms, the RAF Defford museum in the former wartime buildings, and the parkland and lake. The nearby walled gardens are privately owned and charge a separate admission.

Highlights

• Mid-18th-century Neo-Palladian mansion with Robert Adam interiors
• Parkland and lake by Capability Brown, one of his first major landscapes
• RAF Defford museum on the wartime radar testing base
• Natural play area and RAF-themed playground
• Changing Places facility and trampers for visitors with mobility needs

Permanent exhibitions

• Croome Court – The restored rooms of the mid-18th-century Neo-Palladian mansion, with Robert Adam designs and the story of its later uses.
• RAF Defford museum – A museum in the visitor centre about the secret wartime RAF Defford radar testing base on the Croome estate.

Founded

1760

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices are standard admission from 1 March 2026 without Gift Aid; with Gift Aid the adult price is £19.80, the child price £9.90 and the family price £49.50. National Trust members do not pay admission. Visitors who arrive by bicycle get free entry. The privately owned Croome Walled Gardens charge £7 per adult (children under 14 free with a paying adult) in addition to normal admission.

Accessibility

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

Designated Blue Badge parking is near the RAF visitor centre in the main car park, with a drop-off point beside it. The main house has stepped entrances, but a stair climber can take wheelchair users up to the main showroom level (it may not be usable in wet or icy weather). The RAF museum, the café and the shop are accessible by level or ramped routes. Accessible toilets are in the RAF visitor centre, with a portable accessible toilet on the South Lawn, and a Changing Places facility (radar key from Visitor Reception or the café) is open during site hours. Two standard wheelchairs can be borrowed, and trampers are available to book on 01905 370 002 for a suggested £5 donation. Induction loops are in the front-facing spaces. Parkland paths are gravel and grass with uneven ground. Dogs on leads are welcome in the parkland; only assistance dogs are allowed in the house, the RAF museum and the café.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Playground / play area

There is a natural play area and an RAF-themed playground, and hard-standing accessible paths cross the parkland. Under 5s are free.

Getting there & parking

From the M5, leave at junction 7 and follow the brown signs off the B4084 from Pershore or the A38 from Worcester or Upton. Visitors who arrive by bicycle get free entry.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museum shop

A restaurant, the RAF visitor centre café and a house tearoom serve food; the shop, a plant shop and a bookshop are on site. Cycle parking is available.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit