Nantclwyd y Dre

About the museum

Nantclwyd y Dre is a timber-framed townhouse in the centre of Ruthin with more than 500 years of history. It began in 1435 as a weaver’s hall house, was turned into a lawyer’s townhouse in the seventeenth century, and later served as a Victorian school for girls.

The house has been restored and is now run by Denbighshire County Council as a museum. Its rooms show how the families who lived and worked here experienced the house in different periods, with soundscapes such as 1940s radio broadcasts and noise from the kitchen. Visitors can try on period clothing, sit in the parlour, play games on the lawn and use an audio guide that is included in the ticket.

Behind the house lies the walled Lord’s Garden, with views of the Clwydian Range and Ruthin Castle. The house also has a maternity roost of three bat species, which can be watched through a “bat cam”.

The house is open to individual visitors seasonally. Outside the season it can still be visited by groups and school classes, and it can be hired for events, civil ceremonies, filming and paranormal investigations.

Highlights

• Timber-framed house dating from 1435
• Rooms showing medieval, seventeenth-century, Victorian and 1940s life
• Period clothing to try on and games on the lawn
• Lord’s Garden with views of the Clwydian Range and Ruthin Castle
• “Bat cam” showing a bat maternity roost
• Audio guide included in the ticket

Permanent exhibition

• The house through the centuries – Rooms and interactive displays follow the house from its origins as a medieval weaver’s hall house through a lawyer’s home and a Victorian girls’ school to the 1940s.

Founded

1435

Operated by

Denbighshire County Council

Admission & discounts

General admission covers the house and the gardens. Garden-only tickets must be bought in the house.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• 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

There are steps at the front of the house, but a signposted step-free entrance leads in from the alley on the town square side; visitors may need to ring the bell. The ground floor and gardens are largely flat, and the garden path is covered with raked slate chippings. There is no lift because of the age of the building, and upstairs the floors are uneven and slope, with some very low doorways. The upstairs medieval room is dimly lit. Soundscapes play throughout the house. An accessible toilet is on site. Guide dogs and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome, with a water bowl near the entrance. Seats are available for visitors who are dropped off at the house. The house is registered with the Piws accessibility scheme for North Wales.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Trails and activities help younger visitors explore the house and gardens. Children and adults can dress in period clothing, sit in the parlour and play games on the lawn. The “bat cam” shows a bat roost.

Getting there & parking

Ruthin is reached by the A494 and A525, about 40 minutes from Chester and 1 to 1.5 hours from Liverpool and Manchester.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

The Parlour, the Coffee Corner and the gardens can be hired from £10 per hour, and some free spaces are offered on a donation basis at certain times. The house is also an approved venue for civil marriages and civil partnerships and can be used for paranormal investigations (£650) and filming.

Plan your visit