Harvington Hall
Moated Elizabethan manor near Kidderminster with seven priest hides and rare wall paintings, telling the story of Catholic persecution under Elizabeth I.
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Over het museum
Harvington Hall stands on an island inside a moat that was dug out around 1270, and parts of a medieval H-shaped hall survive inside the present building, hidden behind a layer of brick. The estate passed to the Earls of Warwick and was sold in 1529 to the lawyer Sir John Pakington. The Elizabethan manor was created after 1578 by his great-nephew Humphrey Pakington, a Catholic who refused to attend Church of England services and was fined heavily for it. Priests were banned from England from 1585, so Humphrey had a series of hiding places built into the house. Two of the original wings were demolished around 1700, and the Hall is now about half its original size.
Harvington has seven priest hides, the largest number in any house in England, and some of them are linked to the master hide builder Nicholas Owen. It also has a rare collection of Elizabethan wall paintings, original panelling and floorboards, and a complicated plan of staircases and passages. During the 19th and early 20th centuries most of the furnishings were removed and the house fell into a dilapidated state.
In 1923 a Catholic benefactor, Mrs Ellen Ryan Ferris, bought the Hall and gave it to the Archdiocese of Birmingham, which still owns it. The Hall is a Grade I listed building and the moated island is a Scheduled Monument. Today it is run as a heritage attraction with guided tours, events, a coffee shop in the former Malt House and gardens.
Hoogtepunten
- Seven priest hides, more than in any other house in England
- Rare Elizabethan wall paintings and original panelling
- Hides linked to the master builder Nicholas Owen
- Moated island, a Scheduled Monument, with gardens
- Candlelight tours and costumed events such as the Gunpowder Plot
- Free virtual tour on the website
- Beheerder
- Archdiocese of Birmingham
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | £ 13,50 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | £ 12,50Seniors aged 65 and over |
| Kinderen & jongeren | £ 7,50gratis t/m 4 jaar · Child ticket for ages 5 to 16; children under 5 are free. |
| Senioren | £ 12,50Aged 65 and over. |
| Groepen (vanaf 15 pers.) | £ 12 p.p.Groups of 15 or more must book directly with the Hall. |
| Gezinnen | £ 34,502 adults and 2 children; a ticket for 2 adults and 3 children costs 38.25 pounds. |
| Family ticket (2 adults and 3 children) | £ 38,25 |
| Art Pass member | £ 6,75 |
Prices are for guided or self-guided visits to the Hall in 2026. Entry to the coffee shop and gardens is free on non-event days. Historic Houses members and Blue Peter badge holders are admitted free, and Art Pass members pay 6.75 pounds. Event prices vary, and the Hall is open for self-guided visits only on event days.
Toegankelijkheid
- Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift: niet aanwezig
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
- Audiodescriptie: geen informatie
Wheelchair access is limited to the ground floor of the Hall and the gardens, because there are no lifts and the upper floors are uneven. Access to the Hall is over the front bridge, which has an uneven surface; access to the grounds is by the south bridge, along a closely mown and slightly uneven path. Visitors who cannot manage the stairs can see a small display in the buttery and use the free virtual tour on the website. There are two accessible toilets and accessible parking spaces at the front of the Hall. Only guide dogs are allowed on the site.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 4 jaar |
|---|---|
| Gezinsticket | £ 34,50 · 2 adults and 2 children; a ticket for 2 adults and 3 children costs 38.25 pounds. |
- Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
- Verschoonruimte
The Hall describes the visit as family fun, with a family ticket and an education programme for schools. There is a baby changing facility in the courtyard. Children under 5 are admitted free.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met de auto
Gratis parkeren
Free parking for visitors to the Hall and gardens, with accessible spaces at the front of the Hall.
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
The Hall is three miles south-east of Kidderminster, about half a mile east of the A450 Birmingham to Worcester road and half a mile north of the A448 from Kidderminster to Bromsgrove.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
The Malt House coffee shop in the gardens serves coffee, sandwiches, cakes, bread, picnics, ploughman's lunches and cream teas. Benches and picnic tables are provided in the grounds, and visitors may bring their own chairs. Stilettos and large rucksacks are discouraged inside the Hall.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
The Hall accepts filming and photography bookings.
Je bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja · duur ca. 75 min. |
|---|---|
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Goed om te weten | Guided tours last about 1 hour 15 minutes, and the Hall suggests allowing 3 to 4 hours for a visit. Booking is not required, but entry cannot be guaranteed without it because there is a daily limit on visitor numbers. Dogs other than guide dogs are not allowed because of the compact grounds and the resident ducks. The Hall offers an education programme on the Tudor period, including an experimental archaeology day, and guided group tours for up to 80 people. |
