Explore a 15th-century timber-framed house with period furnishings and a traditional cottage garden filled with medieval herbs and plants.

The Priest House is an early 15th-century timber-framed building nestled in the picturesque village of West Hoathly on the edge of Ashdown Forest. This historic house was once owned by Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, Anne of Cleves, Mary I and Elizabeth I, and is now furnished with authentic 17th and 18th-century country furniture and domestic objects. Visitors can explore the house's traditional cottage garden, which features over 170 culinary, medicinal and household herbs planted in period-appropriate arrangements. The resident curator offers fascinating guided tours of both the house and garden upon request, bringing the building's rich history to life. Children particularly enjoy discovering how the house was built and furnished, and learning what daily life was like before modern conveniences like electric lights, central heating and flushing toilets. The venue is ideal for family visits and school groups, with opportunities for cross-curricular learning in literacy and science. Guided tours include artefact handling experiences, and a loans box is available for groups to use for follow-up classroom work. The friendly and informal atmosphere makes The Priest House an excellent introduction to museum visiting for children of all ages.

Venue Details

What this place offers

Toilets

Public transport nearby

Accessible toilets

Free WiFi

Baby changing facilities

Food available

On-site parking

🐕Dog-friendly

Parking nearby

Pushchair friendly

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Jane

a month ago

Interesting 15th century museum.

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Deborah Thomas

3 months ago

Lovely old property with a fabulous Victorian collection of Nik-Naks, furniture, a suffragette memorabilia! Little gift selection… home made apple juice is wonderful

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Jo Best

4 months ago

A delightful afternoon spent wandering around The Priest House, the custodian was very friendly and so knowledgeable, its worthwhile visiting just to chat to him. Surrounded by a secluded garden in the charming village of West Hoathly. A good place to visit if you're interested in village history.

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Fatima Latif

11 months ago

Wonderful little cottage that was once a hall. Interesting selection of artefacts and architectural details. Custodian lives on site and has a wealth of knowledge about the place. Surrounded by a small but blooming garden. If you giftaid your entry, it is then valid for a year.

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Ruth Rosie

3 years ago

Great little museum of all sorts of social history and domestic items, from different periods. Plus a beautiful informal garden with many herbs.

Reviews last updated: 29 September 2026