A trip to Strangers’ Hall is a perennial family favorite. With guides in period costume on hand to lead you through the exhibits, this museum gives a fun and immersive insight into the lifestyles of wealthy Norwich locals from the past. Travel through the ages as you visit rooms fully furnished with authentic Georgian, Stuart and Tudor items. And make sure you take the time to appreciate the building itself, which is one of the city’s oldest.
Parts of the museum are thought to date from the 13th century or earlier. The core of the building, however, is the Great Hall, and this was probably constructed in the 15th century. Its first resident was likely cloth merchant William Barley.
Over the centuries, the building passed from one affluent Norwich local to another, including a mayor of the city. Its unusual name is thought to come from the fact that asylum was offered here for Dutch, Walloon and Flemish Protestants, the “strangers,” fleeing persecution in their home countries. Visit nowadays and you will see how Strangers’ Hall has stayed true to this welcoming spirit.
Step into the Great Hall to learn how a sense of community once dominated life in houses such as this one. This grand room would have been where communal activities took place and was likely where residents spent much of their time.
Follow the various hallways that connect to the room and you will end up in various different spaces. Visit wood-panelled bedrooms, see a Georgian dining room, or head below ground to the storage areas. Make sure you don’t miss the grand bedrooms of Sir Joseph and Lady Emma Paine, who lived here in the 17th century.
Be aware that Strangers’ Hall is only open on certain days, and these vary depending on the season. Be sure to check ahead before you visit. There is an admission fee, though discounted and concession rates are available.
Find the museum in the center of the city, within easy walking distance of other attractions such as Norwich Castle and Norwich Cathedral.
