ANCIENT HIGH HOUSE (Stafford) – official video review

This is the attraction of the city, located right in the middle of its high street. You’ll get to learn a bit about the city, both gossips and royal history. And it is also very casual. You can just walk in and wander around, no questions asked, no ticketing rituals.

The church bells nearby (and they ring a lot, day and night) help give off a more immersive experience as you stroll across these uneven floor and tilted beams.

Every room is period themed. So there you have the Civil War room, the Victorian room, and so on. And there’s no attempt in making a chronology out of the room sequence. You’ll have to figure out a visiting order yourself.

But if you’re really in need of an introduction to the house first, head all the way to the second floor for the “Castle Room”.

Museum of the Staffordshire Yeomanry, ANCIENT HIGH HOUSE (Stafford)

CONSERVATION. As with many other restoration houses (most visibly in London: our Pitzhanger Manor or the Whitehall Historic House), much of the period furnishing and décor is a recreation based on historical records. You can see how they decorate the rooms with an approximation of 18th-century wallpaper, but more interestingly you can also see the originals made from rags. You’ll have to walk to random places of the house for these torn samples, protected in frames.

Which has the added benefit of being protected from your greasy hands.


SCHOOL TOUR NOISE LEVEL. Curators in period costume will bring the kids from room to room with the doors closed. Which is very considerate to other visitors.


HERITAGE. The Ancient High House was built in 1595 for a wealthy merchant.


TOP FLOOR. The top floor houses the Museum of the Staffordshire Yeomanry (photo).

It features detailed descriptions and maps of the yeomanry’s involvement in every battle. And then the curator decided to restart the whole discussion with chronology from late 18th century to the present.

Clip: ANCIENT HIGH HOUSE (Stafford)

LOCATION. In the middle of Greengate Street – all you have to do is walk past all these chains and brand names until you see a wooden structure.

If you come from the train station, walk northeast through Victoria Road and persist all the way – along the foot paths and the churchyard of St. Mary’s and continue until you reach Greengate Street. The house is to your right.


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Time is asset: save it for better with 25-min museum tours. Or find yourself in my novel, check out the photo of the day and finish it off with a secret prize.

Date of visit: 2019.10

Tags - in_depth_tourism; museum; London_writer; London_travel; indie_writer; independent_blogger