Visiting Townend

Inside an old farmhouse kitchen two people are chatting a volunteer in period costume about the food on display on the table. — Learning about the food cooked by Elizabeth Birkett on a Taste of Townend Tour | © Paul Harris

*PLEASE NOTE: TOWNEND IS CLOSED THROUGH NOVEMBER. IT REOPENS FOR CHRISTMAS 6-21 DECEMBER, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 11AM-3PM . THEN CLOSES FOR FOR WINTER 22 DECEMBER 2024 - 17 MARCH 2025* Arrive between 10am-2.30pm to enjoy a free-flow visit. Our guided tour runs between 3-4pm. All tours must be pre-booked online. Find out how to book your visit and what to do on arrival.

Christmas at Townend

We'll be opening our doors for Christmas. See the house decorated for the season and feel the warm cosy atmosphere as you explore by candlelight. Friday-Saturday from 6-21 December, 11am-3pm. No advance booking needed.

General admission

Arrive at any time between 10am and 2.30pm and you'll be able to explore the house at your own pace. We recommend leaving at least an hour so you can explore the rooms and objects in the farmhouse and enjoy the courtyard garden. From 3pm the house is only open to people on a tour.

We will be repainting the exterior of the house in the summer and scaffolding will be in place during the work. The house remains open as usual.

Tours

Discover more about Townend and the people who lived here on one of our guided tours. Running Tuesday - Friday at 3pm and lasting approximately 45 minutes you’ll get to experience the house in a small group of up to 15 people. Each tour includes general history, plus we have a special focus on food on Thursday and the collection of books on Friday.

Townend General History Tour - Tuesday and Wednesday
Taste of Townend Tour - Thursday
Books and Library Tour - Friday

How to book

Members can book for free, please remember to bring your membership card with you. Non-members will need to pay when booking £9.50 for an adult, £4.75 for children (5-17yrs), under 5s are free.

Book one ticket per person, except for children aged five or under because they don’t need a ticket.
Please arrive 10mins before the tour starts.
We'll send your booking confirmation by email.
Tickets are released every Thursday for the following two weeks tour dates.

Book tour

Changing your booking

If you set up an account when you made your booking, you will be able to amend the date/time of your booking online up to 24 hours before the date of your visit, or by calling 0344 249 1895

If you are a member and can no longer attend, please let us know by giving us a call on 0344 249 1895

When you arrive

When arriving at Townend please have your ticket ready to show our staff either on your phone or a printed copy. If you’re a member, you’ll also need to show your membership card. You'll be asked to show these at the visitor entrance to the house.

Please arrive 10 minutes before your guided experience to allow the tour to start promptly. Sadly, if you're late, we won’t be able to guarantee you entry.