JOHN MOORE MUSEUM - OLD BAPTIST CHAPEL

Church Street, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, GL20 5SN

Admission to John Moore Museum, Merchant’s House & Old Baptist Chapel: adult - £6.00, concessions - £4.50 & child over 5 - £2.00; Admission to the Old Baptist Chapel only: adult - £3.00, concessions - £2.00 & child over 5 - £1.00

Tucked away off Church Street, the Old Baptist Chapel in Tewkesbury has a rich history, beginning as a fifteenth-century home for a wealthy family. By the mid-seventeenth century, it became a gathering place for Baptists, making it possibly the oldest surviving Baptist site. In the 1700s, it was transformed into a chapel, and after serving the congregation until 1805, it returned to domestic use.

Restored in the 1970s and renovated again in 2015-2016, the chapel now offers a welcoming space with modern amenities while preserving its historic charm. Visitors can enjoy an introductory talk followed by free-roam access to explore its fascinating history, enhanced by an audio tour, touchscreen, and replica items. Monthly events bring the chapel’s past to life.

Summer opening: 1 April to 31 October
Tuesdays & Saturdays plus bank holidays, 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm (last entry at 4.30pm)
Weds – Fri: If we have staff available we will happily open the Chapel for you, please ring before you visit.

Winter opening:
Most Saturdays + bank holidays, 10am - 1pm and 2pm - 5pm (last entry at 4.30pm)
If you are travelling a distance to see the chapel, we would recommend giving us a call before hand to confirm the opening times at 01684 297174. Thank you.

Visit our website

curator@johnmooremuseum.org

01684 297174

Reviews

We enjoyed our visit to this little museum. The exhibits are interesting, with a lot of examples of taxidermy (we were told that all animals/birds died naturally or were the victims of accidents, etc). Once you have looked round the museum, you can go next door to visit a merchant house set up to illustrate how the occupants would have lived in the 1400's - fascinating. There are quite a lot of uneven/steep stairs! The lady tour guide was excellent.

Jude

Fascinating social history and insight into how 15th century people lived. Nigel was a fantastic guide to the merchant’s house, and we loved hearing about his family connections to one of the houses and staying there as a boy. He was so knowledgeable and an inspiring communicator. Thank you!

Sally

My wife and I visited the John Moore Museum in Tewkesbury - which also gave access to the Merchant House and the Old Baptist Chapel. We were impressed by the enthusiasm and depth of knowledge of the volunteer staff. I was especially impressed by Nigel, who is a medieval reenactor and bowman, for his wealth of experience and patience in answering our questions. I learnt a lot - a very worthwhile afternoon!

John