Rainham Hall

About the museum

Rainham Hall was built in 1729 for Captain John Harle, a sea merchant who had settled in London. It is a rare surviving example of Queen Anne style architecture and was designed as a home to be used and lived in. Nearly fifty families and residents have lived there since, among them merchants, artists, a cycling vicar, a day nursery and architectural historians.

The National Trust has owned the house since 1949. From 1954 to 2011 it was let to tenants and opened only one afternoon a week. After the last tenants left, a conservation project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and other funders repaired the stable block, created a community garden and researched the house’s history. The Hall opened fully to visitors on 7 October 2015.

Because the house changed hands many times, it has no furniture collection from any single period. Instead the rooms host changing exhibitions, called Layers of History, each telling the story of a different resident or era, such as Captain Harle, the Victorian vicar Nicholas Brady, the Vogue photographer Anthony Denney, who lived here from 1964 to 1969, and the Sturges family. The conservation work kept paint schemes from several periods rather than restoring one.

Highlights

• Queen Anne style house built in 1729
• Layers of History exhibitions on former residents
• The Denney Edition, on the Vogue photographer who lived here in the 1960s
• Community garden with an orchard, nature playground and honey bee display
• Stables Cafe

Permanent exhibition

• Layers of History – A programme of exhibitions in the Hall, each focused on a different resident or period, from Captain John Harle and a Victorian vicar to a Vogue photographer and the Sturges family.

Founded

2015

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices are for the Hall; the community garden is free and needs no booking. National Trust members enter free. People who live or work in postcode RM13 enter the Hall free, together with one guest.

Accessibility

• Partially 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

The Hall itself is not wheelchair accessible, with steps at the front and back doors, narrow corridors and steep staircases. The garden has step-free access from Wennington Road or The Broadway; paths are slightly sloping gravel on two levels. Accessible toilets and the only lift are in the stable block. The Coach House offers a 360-degree virtual tour, a subtitled exhibition film, large print and braille guides and a sensory tool bag. Assistance dogs are welcome in the Hall; other dogs are allowed in the garden on short leads.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

Families can try the Rainham Tag Trail Challenge in the Hall, with interactive displays such as old typewriters. The garden has a mud kitchen, nature explorer kits, a heritage quiz, bug hotels and a honey bee display. Young Rangers sessions for ages 6 to 12 run on the first Saturday of each month.

Getting there & parking

By car, use the A1306 or A13; sat nav postcode RM13 9YN. The Hall is on the London Loop walking route (Purfleet to Rainham section). Visitors should enter at the Wennington Gate.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Stables Cafe serves snacks, cakes and sandwiches Wednesday to Sunday. There is a second-hand bookshop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The Hall is available for functions; enquiries to the property by email or phone.

Plan your visit