Finchingfield Guildhall Museum

About the museum

Finchingfield Guildhall was built around 1470 by the Guild of the Holy Trinity. It housed a priest who served the parish church, provided a meeting room for the guild and ground-floor workshops, and later became a schoolroom and almshouses. The village acquired it in the 17th century, and by 1954 a museum and library had been set up on the ground floor.

The building fell into disrepair, and 20th-century repairs with unsuitable materials hid many original details. In 2008 the Finchingfield Guildhall Trust was formed to save it, and National Lottery funding paid for a restoration that began in 2011 and was completed in 2013, using traditional craft methods and local materials. The work won recognition for its carpentry and pargeting.

Today the Grade I listed building is a community centre with a volunteer-led village library. The interactive museum shows local flints and fossils, Roman pottery, Victorian straw-plaiting equipment, everyday objects and displays on writers linked to the village, including Dodie Smith and Norman Lewis.

Highlights

• Grade I listed guildhall of about 1470
• Interactive museum on local history
• Roman pottery, flints and fossils from the area
• Victorian straw-plaiting equipment
• Scorch marks from priests' candles on the timbers

Permanent exhibition

• Guildhall Museum – An interactive display of local archaeology, village life, straw plaiting and writers linked to Finchingfield.

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Museum entry is free and donations are welcome. Guided tours for groups of at least ten can be booked in advance; the price is on application.

Accessibility

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

Visit Essex describes the Guildhall as fully accessible, with a ramp at the side of the building and a lift to the first floor. Disabled toilets are listed. Parking in Vicarage Road is advised for visitors who want to avoid the hill and steps, as a path runs through the churchyard to the Guildhall. Dogs are not accepted except guide dogs.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Children are welcome and baby-changing facilities are available.

Getting there & parking

The Guildhall is next to the church, opposite the Finchingfield Lion pub on Church Hill (B1053). From the village green, follow the road up the hill with the church on the right and take the first right just before the Three Tuns pub.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

There is a small gift shop. Coffee mornings are held in the Guildhall, and cafes, tea rooms and pubs are nearby in the village.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

The Guildroom can be hired for private events, conferences and wedding receptions.

Plan your visit