Medieval Merchant's House

About the museum

The Medieval Merchant's House in French Street was begun around 1290 by John Fortin, a merchant who traded with Bordeaux. Like most medieval merchants' houses it combined a home, a workplace and a shop. The house stood on one of the most important streets of medieval Southampton, close to the town wall that defended the port against attacks from the sea.

It is one of the oldest surviving merchants' houses in England. During the 1980s the building was restored to its mid-14th-century appearance, and it has since been furnished with brightly coloured replica furniture and fittings. Visitors can see how a merchant's family lived and worked, and several of the furnishings, pottery pieces and medieval costumes may be handled.

The house is now cared for by English Heritage and admission is free. A small courtyard garden next to the house has tubs of herbs that may have been grown in medieval times. The house has a steep staircase to the first floor and an unlit undercroft, so torches are available on request.

Highlights

• House begun around 1290 by the Bordeaux wine merchant John Fortin
• Replica medieval furniture, pottery and costumes that can be handled
• Restored to its mid-14th-century appearance
• Courtyard garden with medieval herbs
• Free entry

Permanent exhibition

• The medieval merchant's house – A permanent display of replica medieval furniture and furnishings shows how a merchant's family lived and traded in the mid-14th century.

Operated by

English Heritage

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: not available
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: not available

The house is not suitable for wheelchairs: the main entrance has six steps and the alternative side entrance two high steps, and a narrow, steep wooden staircase with ten steps leads to the first floor. There are no ramps and no lift. Disabled visitors can be set down at the entrance. There is no specific disabled parking, only metered street parking, and double yellow lines outside the house. The single unisex toilet is also suitable for wheelchair users. Assistance dogs are welcome. Replica furniture, pottery and costumes can be handled, and torches are available for the dark undercroft; there are no induction loops, audio tours or large-print guides, and uneven surfaces and slippery steps in wet weather call for care.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

A child-friendly leaflet about the house is available on request, and visitors may handle replica furniture, pottery and costumes. The ground floor is suitable for pushchairs, but the steep steps to the first floor are not.

Getting there & parking

The house is at 58 French Street, a quarter of a mile south of the city centre, just off Castle Way between the High Street and Bugle Street. What3words: bulb.broken.cost.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available

There is a small courtyard garden where visitors may eat a picnic; there is no cafe.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit