Malvern Museum facts for kids
Abbey Gateway, Malvern town centre
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| Established | 1979 |
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| Location | Malvern, Worcestershire, England |
| Type | Local |
| Public transit access | Great Malvern railway station |
The Malvern Museum is a cool place to visit in Great Malvern, England. It's right in the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire. This museum is special because it's inside an old building called the Priory Gatehouse. This building used to be the main entrance to the Great Malvern Priory.
The museum first opened its doors in 1979. It is run by a group called the Malvern Museum Society Ltd, which is a charity. The Priory Gatehouse itself was given to the museum in 1980. Many friendly volunteers help run the museum every day. The building where the museum is located is actually one of its most important exhibits!
Inside the museum, you can see many interesting things from the local area. There are old tools and items found by archaeologists. Some of these date back to the Iron Age, from a hill fort called the British Camp. Other exhibits show more recent history.
The museum has different rooms, each showing a different time period. You can see lifelike displays and read information boards. Topics include nature, the history of Malvern Priory, and the old Malvern Forest. You can also learn about life in Victorian Malvern.
Famous People and Inventions
The museum also features famous people like Edward Elgar, a well-known composer. You can learn about the Malvern Festival, too. The museum shows how the local economy grew. In the 1800s, people used Malvern water for special health treatments called hydrotherapy. This helped Malvern grow from a small village into a big town.
You can also discover how radar was developed by the TRE in Malvern. And if you like cars, you'll enjoy seeing the history of Morgan Motor Company cars. The museum is open every day from March 25th to October 31st, from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
The Priory Gatehouse Building
The building where Malvern Museum is located is often called the Abbey Gateway, but its real name is the Priory Gatehouse. It was built in the late 1400s. This makes it the second oldest building in Great Malvern. Only the Norman Priory Church is older.
The Gatehouse was the main way to enter the Priory. It is one of the few buildings from the monastery that survived. Many monastic buildings were destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the monasteries. In 1544, the Gatehouse was sold to William Pynnocke. He sold it a year later to John Knotsford.
During the time of Queen Elizabeth I, the Gatehouse became part of the Savage family through marriage. They owned it until 1774. In the 1800s, the Gatehouse was used as offices for lawyers and architects. The top floor even served as a court for the Malvern Police.
