Oakhurst Cottage
Small 16th-century timber-framed labourer's cottage in Surrey, preserved by the National Trust and open only on pre-booked guided tours.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Oakhurst Cottage is a small timber-framed building in the village of Hambledon in Surrey. It dates from the 16th or 17th century and may originally have been a barn. For about four hundred years it was lived in by working families, and it remained a home until the 1980s.
The last tenants, Elsie and Ted Jeffrey, lived there until Ted died in 1983. The cottage had been given to the National Trust in 1954 by the Allfrey sisters, who owned it. The Trust later restored it as the simple home of a rural labourer, furnished with household objects and tools that show how people lived and worked there over the centuries.
The kitchen has a large brick hearth beneath an oak beam, with china and everyday utensils. Because the building is old and fragile, it can only be visited on a guided tour, and only a few people can go in at one time. The small cottage garden is planted with flowers and vegetables that were popular in Victorian times.
Oakhurst Cottage is looked after by the team at nearby Winkworth Arboretum, which is also where visitors find toilets and a tea room.
Highlights
- Timber-framed cottage from the 16th century
- Furnished as a labourer's home with objects from four centuries
- Brick hearth and oak beam in the kitchen
- Victorian-style cottage garden
- Small guided tours limited to six people
Permanent exhibition
- Oakhurst Cottage guided tour – A guided visit through a restored labourer's cottage, showing the kitchen hearth, furnishings and everyday objects of about four centuries of occupation, plus the cottage garden.
- Operated by
- National Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £10 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £5free up to age 4 · Children aged 5 to 17 pay £5; under-5s do not need a ticket. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · An essential companion or carer accompanying a visitor with disabilities is admitted free (up to two). |
| Groups | –Most ticket types can be booked in quantities of up to six; the cottage admits at most six visitors at a time. |
| Families | £25Two adults and up to three children. |
| Family ticket: one adult and up to three children | £15 |
National Trust members are admitted free; members of affiliated organisations and passholders are free with proof of eligibility. Prices apply from 1 March 2026.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The first-floor rooms are reached by stairs, and the cottage is small and old. A visitor guide states that prams and pushchairs cannot be taken in. There are no toilets at the cottage; toilets and a tea room are at Winkworth Arboretum. The garden has a separate entrance off the bridleway leading from Hambledon Cricket Ground.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £25 · Two adults and up to three children. |
- Stroller-friendly: not available
Family tickets are available (two adults and up to three children, or one adult and up to three children). Under-5s do not need a ticket.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
According to a visitor guide, visitors park outside Hambledon Village Shop.
The cottage is in Hambledon near Godalming and is looked after by the Winkworth Arboretum team.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
No café at the cottage; a tea room is at nearby Winkworth Arboretum. A guidebook is available at the cottage.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Visits are possible only on pre-booked guided tours of about one hour because of the age and fragility of the cottage. Groups are limited to six people. Book online or by phone (National Trust 0344 249 1895). |
