The Merchant's House Marlborough
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Overview
The merchant in question is Thomas Bayly, a prosperous silk merchant whose 17th-century house graces Marlborough's picturesque High Street. Built following the Great Fire of Marlborough in 1653, the house is spacious and elegantly proportioned and, although home to a Puritan family, contains nationally acclaimed wall paintings and colourful decorative features. Some of the rooms that can be visited include the kitchen, panelled chamber, servant’s bedchamber and the grand staircase, all of which have been painstakingly restored to their 17th-century glory. Outside is a typical townhouse garden of the period, also carefully researched and restored, enclosed by a hornbeam hedge. The house is a venue for the performance of early music and there is a well-stocked shop located on the ground floor.
Features
- Opening Times
- Opening Times: Open Apr-Oct. Tours Mon 11.30 & 1.30, Tue, Fri-Sat 10.30, 12, 1.30 & 3, Group visits by arrangement throughout the year
- Facilities
- Parking nearby
- Children
- Suitable for children of all ages
About the area
Wiltshire’s charm lies in the beauty of its countryside, with expansive chalk landscapes of the Marlborough and Pewsey downs and miles of uninterrupted views deep into Dorset, Somerset and the Cotswolds. Stroll through quaint timbered and thatched villages in the southern Woodford and Avon valleys and explore the historic streets of the stone villages of Lacock, Castle Combe and Sherston.
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