- Normal opening hours -Saturdays 11:00am - 3:00pm
between April and October
Please confirm before travelling distance
Museum entrance is free, but some Special Events
may be chargedWEBSITE MAP
About The Museum
Set in the Medieval centre of Loughborough, The Old Rectory building represents a rare survival of a stone built 13th century manor house. Today it stands in its own grounds on Rectory Place on the edge of the modern town centre.
The building was home to the Rectors of All Saints Parish Church for most of its life and probably represents one of the oldest Rectories in the country. The Old Rectory now houses a museum run by the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society.
The Old Rectory Building
Through seven centuries, the original 13th century manor house has been modified and added to.
The original building was given to the church in 1228 to become a rectory, and the drawing to the right is a reconstruction of the rectory as it might have appeared in the 14th century.
The original building was given to the church in 1228 to become a rectory, and the drawing to the right is a reconstruction of the rectory as it might have appeared in the 14th century.
The remains of that early building were rescued when what seemed to be an eighteenth or early nineteenth century house was being demolished in the 1960s.
The pictures below show the building as it appeared in more recent years. The picture on the right is of the rectory as it was in about 1945. The one on the left is earlier.
The pictures below show the building as it appeared in more recent years. The picture on the right is of the rectory as it was in about 1945. The one on the left is earlier.
In the autumn of 1962 all but the essential medieval core was demolished, giving us the building we have today.
Click to see also: Rectory Layout: Changes to the building over the years
and Who Lived at the Rectory?
Museum Exhibitions
Sarah Johnson's Tombstone
A curious tombstone from the former Woodgate Baptist Burial Ground is now on display in the museum. It is from the grave of Sarah Johnson, who was buried in Woodgate in 1819. The stone has an inscription that begins:What sore afflictions in my life I’ve borne ...
Click here to read more about Sarah's tragic life
The Mystery House on Churchgate
Demolition of the old 'Irish Menswear' shop on Churchgate, prior to redevelopment, revealed a structure dating back possibly as far as the 14th Century. This was an opportunity not to be missed, as members of the Loughborough Archaeological and Historical Society were invited in to investigate.
Click here to read more about the Mystery House
Garendon Abbey
Garendon Abbey was a 12th century Cistercian religeous house near Loughborough.When the site was excavated, various artifacts were found that are now on display in the museum. These including floor tiles and fragments of decorated glass from the abbey windows.
Click here to read more about Garendon Abbey