Hollytrees Museum facts for kids

Hollytrees Museum in Colchester

Hollytrees Museum is a fun and interesting museum located right in the middle of Colchester, England. It's very close to the famous Colchester Castle. The museum is inside a beautiful old house that was built way back in the 1700s. For many years, it was a private home. Then, in 1929, it opened its doors as a museum for everyone to enjoy.

The land where Hollytrees Museum stands has a long history. The first house there was called "Symnells." Over time, the property changed hands many times. The current house was built starting in 1718 for a woman named Elizabeth Cornelisen. She bought the old house, which was in bad shape, and had it torn down to build the new one. Building the house cost a lot of money back then!

After Elizabeth Cornelisen passed away, the house went to her niece, Sarah Creffeild. Sarah then left it to her second husband, Charles Gray. He was an important person in Colchester. The house eventually returned to the Creffeild family and then passed through several generations of the Round family. Finally, in 1922, the Round family sold the house to the town of Colchester. A very generous couple, Viscount Cowdray and his wife, paid for it. Seven years later, in 1929, it officially became the museum we know today.

The museum gets its name, Hollytrees, from two special holly trees. These trees were planted in the garden by Charles Gray in 1729. Today, Hollytrees Museum is a great place to learn about the history of Colchester. It also has a Visitor Information Centre, which helps people find out what to do and see in the town. The house itself is very important historically, so it's called a grade I listed building. This means it's protected because of its special history and architecture.

Who Owned Hollytrees?

The beautiful Hollytrees house has been owned by several families throughout its history. After it was built in 1718, it was passed down through different family members.

Early Owners

The first owner of the current house was Elizabeth Cornelisen, who had it built. After she died, it went to her niece, Sarah Webster, who was married to Ralph Creffeild. When Sarah passed away, the house went to her second husband, Charles Gray. He was a well-known person in Colchester.

The Round Family

Later, the house came back to the Creffeild family through Thamer Creffeild. She then passed it to the Round family. Many members of the Round family owned Hollytrees over the years, including James Round, Charles Round, Charles Gray Round, and another James Round. The last member of the Round family to own it was Lt. Col. Charles Round. He was the one who sold the house to the town of Colchester in 1922.

This long history of ownership shows how important Hollytrees has been to the Colchester area for centuries.