Aldeburgh’s Moot Hall

The Grade I listed Moot Hall in Aldeburgh is one of the best-preserved Tudor public buildings in Britain.

Built around 1550, this timber framed brick building is now home to the Aldeburgh Museum, as well as still being used for local council meetings.

The architectural historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, described the building as "picturesque."

A moot hall is a meeting or assembly building, traditionally to decide local issues.

In 1645, the building was the location for a trial, under the direction of the witchfinder general, Matthew Hopkins.

He accused seven women of witchcraft, locked them up in the Town Hall, where guards watched and waited to see ‘the coming of the unfamiliar spirits’.

Cold, hungry and driven mad with a lack of sleep, they probably all eventually ‘confessed’.

In February 1646, all seven women were hanged.

In 1967, Queen Elizabeth II famously visited the building to see the structure when she attended the Aldburgh Festival.

Now a museum, you enter on the upper floor into a large room which is used as the council meeting room, with display cases and artefacts around the walls.

For such a small space, it packs an awful lot in, ranging from the prehistoric past, to the Romans, the infamous witch trials of the 1600s to war memorials for the two world wars.

The museum is a fascinating insight into the history of the area.

It’s well laid out with a lot of information, a wide variety of subject matter and plenty of hands-on activities to keep kids entertained, but it is the building itself which is the star of the show.

Today, this lovely building is Grade 1 listed, a building is listed when it is of special architectural or historic interest considered to be of national importance and therefore worth protecting.

The attraction has positive reviews on TripAdvisor.

One recent visitor said: “A fascinating, well laid out museum, housed in a beautiful building, that's well worth an hour of your time, and a bargain at £3.80!

”Volunteers are on hand to answer any questions you may have and provide extra information should a particular exhibit arouse your interest. Open daily from 1.00 to 4.00 p.m.”

Another person added: “I loved this small intimate museum which holds a lot of detail of local characters, history and stories of old Aldeburgh.

”The stewards, and museum curators, especially Steven, were particularly attentive, knowledgable and very helpful. Thoroughly enjoyed this visit.”

With an entry fee of less than £4, we absolutely recommend a visit here.

There are plenty of other historical sites to visit in the area too, including Orford Castle and the magnificent Sutton Hoo.

Orford Castle was built in between 1165 and 1173 by Henry II to consolidate his power in the region against East Anglian barons.

You can even stay in an original 1920s house, just a short walk away from the museum.

If you’d like to visit this museum, the address is: Market Cross Pl, Aldeburgh IP15 5DS.

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