Tudor House and Garden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tudor House and Garden |
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Tudor House, from St. Michael's Square, Bugle Street
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| Type | Tudor House |
| Location | Bugle St, Southampton |
| OS grid reference | SU 41869 11290 |
| Area | Hampshire |
| Built | 1491 |
| Architectural style(s) | Tudor |
| Owner | Southampton City Council |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Tudor House Museum | |
| Designated | 14 July 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1339964 |
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Tudor House and Garden is a really old building in Southampton, England. It's a museum and a popular place to visit. It's so important that it's a 'Grade I listed building'. This means it's protected because of its special history. It first opened as a museum in 1912. It was closed for nine years, from 2002 to 2011, for a big makeover.
You can find Tudor House on Bugle Street, right across from St. Michael's Square. It's in the old part of Southampton.
Contents
A Journey Through Time
The Very Beginning (1180s - 1400s)
The oldest part of Tudor House was built way back in the 1180s. It was a home from the Norman times. Some people called it King John's Palace. But there's no proof that King John ever actually visited the house.
Later, in the 1300s, a rich merchant and mayor of Southampton, John Whytegod, lived here. After a French attack on Southampton in 1338, the town's walls were made much stronger. The house became part of these defensive walls. Its windows and doors were blocked up or changed into narrow openings for guns. This old part of the house is one of the best examples of Norman homes in England.
The Tudor Era (1400s - 1550)
The main part of the house was made bigger by Sir John Dawtrey. He was a very important person. He owned a lot of land and was a Member of Parliament. He also helped King Henry VIII. He got a lot of money from the King to buy food for the navy. He also helped build and prepare ships, including the famous Mary Rose.
During the Tudor period, the house was home to important people in Southampton. One of them was Sir Richard Lyster. He was a judge and a very high-ranking lawyer.
Merchant Life (1550 - 1700)
In the 1500s and 1600s, Tudor House was used by merchants. They made and sold cloth. During a big repair project in 2007, workers found something amazing. Many walls were covered in old drawings and writings! These 'graffiti' were made between 1570 and 1620.
The drawings show ships, funny pictures of people, and even exotic animals. At that time, ship owners owned Tudor House. It's likely that sailors and privateers (sailors who were allowed to attack enemy ships) stayed there. These drawings are now thought to be some of the best-preserved Tudor maritime graffiti in England.
Georgian Changes (1700s)
In the 1700s, an artist named George Rogers owned Tudor House. He made many changes to the building. He added a new part in the Georgian style. This new part had two big sash windows. By this time, the wooden front of the house was covered with plaster and painted.
Southampton was becoming a popular place to visit back then. People came because a special spring was found that had healthy water. The house's improvements happened at the same time the town became more popular.
A Busy Century (1800s)
For most of the 1800s, the house was split into smaller homes that were rented out. It was also used for different businesses. There was a place that dyed clothes, a bookbinder, and even a shop that made bonnets. An architect also had an office there.
By the end of the 1800s, the area around Tudor House had become a very poor part of the city. Homes had little running water, and people were often sick. Because of this, the whole area, including Tudor House, was planned to be torn down.
Saving History (1900s)
In 1886, when the house was going to be knocked down, a kind person named William Spranger bought it. He knew how important the house was. Spranger made some changes to the house. He added a 'minstrels' gallery' above the main hall. He also created new doors where there weren't any before.
For twelve years, he worked hard to turn the house into a museum. Finally, he succeeded! The house opened as a museum on July 31, 1912.
During the Second World War, Tudor House and Garden stayed open as a museum. The wine cellar was used as a bomb shelter. The museum's curator, Edward Judd, and his family hid there during the Southampton Blitz in 1940. Luckily, Tudor House was not damaged. However, a house just two doors away was destroyed.
In the 1970s, an old cannon was placed in the house garden. It had been found when the Itchen Bridge was being built.
By the end of the 1900s, the museum was getting quite old and worn out. A survey in 1999 found big problems with the building. It was "opening like the petals of a flower," which meant the walls were bowing outwards. A lot of work was needed to save it. Money was raised from the local council and other groups.
Modern Makeover (2000s)
The museum closed to visitors in 2002. It stayed closed for nine years. During this time, the walls were made stronger. New ways to explain the history were added. Experts also dug up parts of the ground to learn more about the past. A new building was added too, with a cafe and toilets. These new parts were designed to look like the old building.
In 2012, the museum celebrated 100 years since it first opened. To mark this, the entry price was just 6 pence. This was the same price as when it first opened its doors!
The Garden
The garden was first created in the 1500s. It was seen as a part of the house itself. The garden you see today is a copy of a Tudor knot garden. It was designed by a garden expert named Dr. Sylvia Landsberg.
The plants in the garden are like the ones that would have grown during the Tudor period. Many of them are herbs and plants that people could eat. The garden's design is based on old writings and other historical information. It has special features like raised areas, a fountain, a cozy seating area, and even special holes for bees called bee boles.
See also
In Spanish: Casa Museo Tudor para niños
