The Old House, Hereford facts for kids
The Old House is a special black and white building in Hereford, England. It was built a long time ago in 1621. This house is famous because it shows how people lived during the Jacobean period. That was a time in history when King James I ruled England. Today, it's a museum called the Black and White House Museum. It's a great place to learn about the past!
The building was renamed the Black and White House Museum in 2017. It is looked after by the Herefordshire Council's Museum Service.
A Look at Its Past
The Old House is a very well-kept building in the middle of Hereford. It was built in 1621. This house is a "half-timbered" building. This means its frame is made of wood, and the spaces between the wood are filled with other materials. It was once part of a street called Butchers' Row.
Over time, other buildings on Butchers' Row were taken down. By 1816, the Old House was the only one left from the original row. Throughout its history, the house was used by different people. It was home to butchers, people who sold metal goods (called ironmongers), and even bankers.
The Old House was fixed up in 1882. New designs were carved into the wood in 1883 by Robert Clarke. The ground floor was also changed in 1882 and 1883 by Edward Henry Lingen Barker.
Above the front door, you can see a special symbol called a coat of arms. This symbol belongs to the Worshipful Company of Butchers. Even though Hereford had its own butchers' group when the house was built, this symbol is from the larger London company.
Inside the house, one of the fireplaces in a room on the ground floor came from another house in the city. It is probably from the 1400s. There is also a decorated border on the second floor that is from the early 1700s. In 1931, experts said the Old House was the "best preserved example of a timber framed house in the city." This means it was the best-kept wooden-framed house in Hereford.
The Old House became a Grade 1 listed building in 1952. This means it is a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
What You'll See Inside
Since 1929, the Old House has been a museum. It shows what life was like during the Jacobean times. The house is filled with furniture and items from that period. You can see things like old baby walkers and special wall paintings. The beds in the museum include at least one from a place called Penrhyn Old Hall. In 2017, new embroidered bedspreads were put on the beds for visitors to see.
The museum has displays on three different floors. You can walk around the ground floor easily. To get to the upper floors, you need to use stairs.
In 2017, Herefordshire Council updated the Old House. They also changed its name to The Black and White House Museum.
