Marlipins Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marlipins Museum
The building from the southeast
Location	36 High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5DA, England
Built	late 12th century
Architectural style(s)	Norman
Governing body	Sussex Archaeological Society
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Marlipins House
Designated	8 May 1950
Reference no.	1353757
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Marlipins Museum is a super old building in Shoreham-by-Sea, England. It was built way back in the 12th or early 13th century! It's special because it's a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important historically. You can spot it easily by the cool checkerboard pattern of light and dark stones on its front.

This building is thought to be from the 1100s. Some new clues found during building work helped figure this out. The wall on the north side was first built between 1167 and 1197. It was then replaced with a new wall in the 1400s. Many people think it's the oldest complete non-religious building still standing in Britain!

Later, in the late 1200s or early 1300s, the front of the building was updated. It got a new look with special stone from Caen, France. The roof was fixed up in the 1400s, and new wooden beams were put inside during the 1500s.

What Was Marlipins Museum Originally?

People have many ideas about what this old building was used for. Some think it was a storage place for wool and animal hides. Others believed it might have been a hospital or even part of a Carmelite Priory. There's also a theory it was a meeting place for the Knights Templar. However, there isn't strong proof for it being a religious building.

It might have been a special court called a "Court of Piepowders." This court helped solve problems for people who visited the markets held right outside. The building might also have been built by the de Braose family. They lived at nearby Bramber Castle and could have used Marlipins as their town depot.

A Look at Marlipins Museum's History

We have old documents about Marlipins that go all the way back to 1347. These papers say it was an "Oat Market" on the corner of a street called Moderlove Street. This street is known as Middle Street today. Later, when a church leader from Lewes owned it, the building was called "his cellar."

In 1346, the documents show that Stephen Must sold the Marlipins building. It was described as a stone building called 'Malduppine' in the Oat Market.

A grant from 1488 mentions "John Sharpe the elder" giving a "cellar with a chamber or loft above it, called 'Malappynnys'." This was in New Shorham, between Moderlove Street and Procession Street.

The name "Marlipins" as we spell it today was first written down in 1703.

In 1922, the Sussex Archaeological Trust bought Marlipins. This group was set up by the Sussex Archaeological Society to look after old properties. The building was in bad shape, and local people helped pay for its repairs. Marlipins opened as a museum in 1928. It is one of several historic places managed by the Sussex Archaeological Society.

Marlipins Museum Today

Today, Marlipins Museum is open to everyone. It has exhibits that show Shoreham's important past as a port town. You can also learn about the local history of this part of Sussex. The Archaeology Gallery explores the Shoreham area from ancient times up to the Middle Ages. The museum also has a large art collection. Pictures from this collection are changed often and shown in two newer galleries.

The building was officially listed as a Grade II* building by English Heritage on May 8, 1950. This means it's considered "particularly important" and has "more than special interest." As of 2001, it was one of six Grade II* listed buildings in the Adur district. There were also 119 listed buildings of all grades in the area.