Kington Museum and History Centre

About the museum

Kington Museum opened in June 1986 in the former stables of the King's Head Inn, an inn that closed long ago. It was set up to record and show the history of the small Herefordshire border town and the villages around it, from prehistoric times to the recent past.

Over the years grants and fundraising have allowed the museum to grow from a small start into four rooms. It is a charity limited by guarantee, led by a chairman, a curator and a board of trustees, and it relies on volunteers to staff the rooms, change the displays and look after the building. It is working towards full museum accreditation.

The displays change often and mark local and national occasions. Recent themes include the First World War, farming, milling, Church Street through time, Lady Hawkins School, the 1950s and a collection of clocks. Longer-lasting displays include a room about the American army hospital that occupied the site in the Second World War, a working model of Kington as it was when the railway still ran, and the story of a circus elephant that died in 1932 and was found again in 1988 during house building.

Highlights

• Working model of Kington station as it was when the railway still ran
• Camp Room about the American army hospital of the Second World War
• Story of the circus elephant buried in 1932 and rediscovered in 1988
• Changing displays on farming, milling, schools and village life
• Free entry in a former inn stable

Permanent exhibitions

• Camp Room – A room about the American army hospital on the site during the Second World War, which treated injured soldiers brought by train from France.
• Kington railway model – A working model of Kington as it was before the railway closed as uneconomic.
• The Kington elephant – The story of a travelling circus elephant that died in 1932, was buried in a field and was found again in 1988 during house building.

Founded

1986

Operated by

Kington Museum and History Centre (charity limited by guarantee)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free and donations are welcome. The museum is run by volunteers and depends on donations and grants.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The museum is in Mill Street, opposite The Burton Hotel and the car parks, next to Kington Primary School.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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Plan your visit