The Merchant's House
The Abbey Lawn Cottages have provided living accommodation and business premises for Tewkesbury residents since they were first built in the early 15th century (circa 1410). Most of the houses in the row are still lived in but the Merchant’s House has been beautifully restored and furnished to show the construction of an early Tudor shop and home. Here you can explore the architecture of a timber framed building and discover what life was like for a 16th century family living and working in Tewkesbury. This small house contains a shop, bedchamber, living hall and workshop. Outside is a small, but charming, garden providing food and herbs for the family. For a virtual tour of our buildings CLICK here.
Interactive Interpretation
Thanks to a grant from the National Heritage Lottery Fund we have been able to add a range of resources to better explain the life and times of this former Merchant’s household.
A Tudor Merchant and his family: Four characters lead you on a tour of the house telling you stories and anecdotes about their daily lives. Each character has their own wooden chest filled with replica artefacts and educational resources for you and your family to explore.
Audio Guides: Listen to stories from days gone by and find out how life in the row of cottages has changed throughout the centuries. Our new, state of the art audio guides allow you to explore the house at your own pace and experience a true sense of life in a 16th century household.
Oral History Archive: We have compiled an archive of recorded interviews with people who have lived or worked in the row of cottages over the past few decades. Share their experiences and find out what role these cottages have played in shaping their lives. The recordings form part of the audio tour and are also available in the ‘Living Voices’ section of our website.
Living History
The Merchant’s House plays host to a wide range of living history days throughout the year, when costumed re-enactors transform our beautiful building into a living, breathing, Tudor household. Past events have included: A Tudor Christmas The Tudor Household: Toddlers, Trenchers & Toothworm The Barber Surgeon: Blood, guts & a little off the top! The Intimate Lives of the Tudors Living History Week.
For information about our next event, visit the events section of our website.
Dendrochronology
In 2015, the Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory visited 39 and 45 Church Street, Tewkesbury, to tree-ring date the timbers. As a result of this report, we were able to discover when the timbers were felled and where they originated from.
Click on the link below to read the full report: