Wollaton Village Dovecote Museum

About the museum

The dovecote was built around 1565 for Sir Francis Willoughby, some years before nearby Wollaton Hall was finished in 1588. It supplied the estate with fresh meat and eggs and was later converted into stables, which remained its use into the 1880s.

After the Wollaton estate was sold in 1925 the building fell into disrepair. By the 1970s it stood among new houses and was in danger of demolition. A local campaign saved it, and it reopened as a museum on 18 July 1987. The Grade II listed building is owned by Nottingham City Council and leased to the Wollaton Historical and Conservation Society, which runs the museum with volunteers and receives no funding.

Today the ground floor holds research material on old Wollaton families, census transcriptions, First World War servicemen, burial records for two local cemeteries and photographs from the village school and church. Volunteers can help visitors to look up items that are not on display. Upstairs, two rooms host an exhibition that changes every year.

Highlights

• Restored dovecote from around 1565, now a Grade II listed building
• Research materials on Wollaton families, servicemen and local burial records
• Annual upstairs exhibition on Wollaton’s history
• Free guided walk around the village on open days
• Free admission, run entirely by volunteers

Permanent exhibition

• Wollaton local history displays – Downstairs research displays about Wollaton families, First World War servicemen and local records, with a different themed exhibition in the two upstairs rooms each year.

Founded

1987

Operated by

Wollaton Historical and Conservation Society

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free and donations are welcome. The society receives no funding.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: not available
• 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 entrance has a step, the floors are uneven and the stairs to the upper floor are steep, with handrails on both sides. The museum asks visitors to take care. There are no toilets in the museum; facilities are available nearby.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum stands on Dovecote Drive in Wollaton village. Parking and public transport are not described on the museum’s website.

Amenities & dining

No toilets in the building; public facilities are nearby.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit