The Old House
A 17th century house in the heart of Hereford preserved and transformed into a museum showcasing aspects of daily life of those who lived in it.
3/6/20251 min read
Nestled in the centre of Hereford and recently restored, the Old House - previously the Black and White House Museum - stands out with it's black timber framing; built in 1601 this wonderfully preserved piece of 17th century architectural history is now an immersive museum with rooms redressed in 700 year old furniture and faithfully recreated period clothing on display and available for children to try on.
Starting life as a butchers shop with living quarters on the upper floors this three-story building offers a nice little glimpse into what life in the 17th century might have been like for the merchant class. The ground floor contains a cute little museum shop and information room, which contains an overall history of the house as well as a diorama of the historic Hereford parish.
The upper floors of the building have been set up to re-create the living conditions of the original owners with both original furniture and dedicated historic re-constructions on display alongside comprehensive information boards. The final floor contains the re-created bedrooms including a bed that you can test out yourself! There is also a small section with a costume rail where you can handle and try on clothes from the period, made with historically accurate fabrics - you can really feel the difference between the quality of fabric in what they wore verses what we wear today...
This is an historic building protected by its listed status and as such the second and third floors are accessible only via stairs but there is a virtual tour available for those who cannot go beyond the first floor which is wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility
per Mobility Device
Stick / Crutches:
Walkers:
Wheelchairs:
Powerchairs:
Yes
Partially
Partially
Partially
