Tudor Merchant’s House
National Trust house in Tenby, furnished with Tudor-style replicas to show how a prosperous merchant’s family lived around 1500.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Tudor Merchant’s House in Tenby is a narrow three-storey town house built around 1500, when Tenby was a thriving port in the late Middle Ages. It is typical of the homes of prosperous merchants that sprang up in the town, with a shop at the front opening onto the street, a hall chamber for family life and a kitchen at the back. It is built of lime and sandstone rubble and has a circular chimney stack and original exposed roof trusses.
In Tudor times Tenby was a hub for overseas trade. A merchant living here would have sold goods that came through the harbour, such as bay salt, French linen, painted cloths, Gascon wine, vinegar and sugar, as well as wool cloth and sea coal. Tenby exported coarse woollen cloth and anthracite, which was pressed into slow-burning culm balls and sent to Ireland.
Today the house is cared for by the National Trust and furnished with locally made reproductions of Tudor furniture, pewter, wall hangings and ceramics, copied from real pieces used in the area. Visitors can see the trading area, the open-fire kitchen with its kitchen garden of herbs, the brightly painted hall chamber and the bed chamber, where replica Tudor clothes can be tried on. A latrine tower with a cess pit shows an advanced feature for its day.
Highlights
- Merchant’s shop at the front of the house
- Open-fire Tudor kitchen with herb garden
- Hall chamber with painted replica furniture
- Bed chamber with replica clothes to try on and a swinging crib
- Original exposed roof trusses and circular chimney stack
Permanent exhibition
- Tudor merchant’s house interiors – Rooms furnished with reproduction Tudor pieces, including the merchant’s shop, kitchen, hall chamber and bed chamber.
- Operated by
- National Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £7 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £3.50free up to age 4 · Child ticket for ages 5 to 17; under 5s are free. |
| Groups (11+ people) | £6.65 per personGroup child ticket £3.33; 5% discount for groups of over 10. |
| Families | £17.502 adults and up to 3 children. |
| Family ticket (1 adult and up to 3 children) | £10.50 |
Free entry for National Trust members. Prices shown are without Gift Aid.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
Assistance dogs only. The house has steps and uneven terrain, and an induction loop and large-print and braille guides are listed. The National Trust points to an AccessAble access guide. There is no toilet at the house.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £17.50 · 2 adults and up to 3 children. |
- Hands-on stations
Replica Tudor clothes can be tried on in the bed chamber. A family ticket is available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Town walls bus drop-off
Local bus services from surrounding areas drop off at the town walls, about ¼ mile away. Tenby station is about ½ mile away.
On foot, follow the finger post from Tudor Square by the Lifeboat Tavern, or from Bridge Street or Crackwell Street.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
A small second-hand bookshop in the reception area accepts card and cash. No toilet at the property.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | The house is small and can be busy on wet days. Tudor Christmas events run on selected days in late November and December. |
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