The history of Southampton's Tudor House and Garden

This isn't just any old building, it's a real slice of history, a museum brimming with stories, a top spot for tourists, and an important piece of England's heritage – it even boasts a Grade I listing! 

In fact, Tudor House and Garden was Southampton's very first museum, opening its doors way back in 1912. After a big nine-year makeover between 2002 and 2011, it's now looking better than ever.

This historic gem can be found on Bugle Street in Southampton's Old Town, right across from St Michael's Square.

Believe it or not, parts of Tudor House date all the way back to the 1180s! 

The earliest bit was actually a Norman house. And while it's often called King John's Palace, there's no real proof he ever actually visited. 

Fast forward to the 14th century, and it was home to John Whytegod, a local merchant who later became the mayor of Southampton. 

After the French gave Southampton a shock in 1338 with a brutal raid, the house's walls were beefed up and became part of the town's defences. 

Windows and doors were filled in or replaced with arrow slits. It's actually considered one of the best examples of Norman domestic architecture still standing in England.

Moving into the 15th and early 16th centuries, the house really started to take shape. 

Sir John Dawtrey, a big landowner, MP, and Sheriff, extended and developed the main part of the house. 

He was a busy guy, getting money from Henry VIII to supply food for the navy and helping protect the town. 

He even had a hand in the ships, including the famous Mary Rose! 

During the Tudor period, the house became home to some of Southampton's most important people, like Sir Richard Lyster, who was a judge and Chief Justice.

The 16th and 17th centuries saw Tudor House become a hub for trade. 

It was used as a merchant house and even for making and selling cloth. 

During some restoration work in 2007, something amazing was discovered - graffiti! 

Hidden on the walls were drawings of ships, funny faces, and exotic animals, all dating back to between 1570 and 1620. 

At the time, the house was owned by ship owners, so it's thought that sailors and privateers probably stayed there. This graffiti is now considered some of the best-preserved Tudor maritime graffiti in England – a real treasure!

The 18th century brought another change. 

Artist George Rogers bought Tudor House and gave it a bit of a Georgian makeover. He added a whole new wing with those lovely big sash windows. 

By this time, the oak beams at the front had been plastered over and painted. 

Interestingly, Southampton itself was becoming quite the fashionable spa town thanks to the discovery of a special spring, and Tudor House seemed to be enjoying the good times too.

The 19th century saw the house split up into different rented properties. It also had a variety of businesses calling it home, from a dyeworks and bookbinders to a bonnet-maker and even an architect's office! 

But by the end of the century, the area around Tudor House had sadly become one of the city's worst slums, with poor sanitation and lots of disease. There was even talk of knocking the whole area down, including Tudor House.

Thankfully, in 1886, a local hero named William Spranger stepped in. 

Recognising the house's historical importance, he bought it just as it was facing demolition. Spranger made some big changes, like adding a 'minstrels' gallery and creating new doorways. 

For twelve years, he campaigned tirelessly to turn the house into a museum, and finally, on 31st July 1912, his dream came true!

Even during the Second World War, Tudor House and Garden stayed open as a museum. 

The wine cellar even served as an air raid shelter for the museum curator and his family during the Southampton Blitz in 1940. Luckily, Tudor House survived unscathed, although a nearby house was destroyed.

Later on, in the 1970s, an old cannon found during the construction of the Itchen Bridge was placed in the garden.

But by the end of the 20th century, time and some not-so-great renovation work had taken their toll. 

A survey in 1999 revealed some serious structural problems, with the house literally 'opening like the petals of a flower'! It was clear that major work was needed to save it. 

So, funds were sought from various sources, including the local council and the Heritage Lottery Fund. This led to the big nine-year closure in the 21st century. 

During this time, walls were strengthened, new exhibits were added, archaeological digs were carried out, and a new block with a café and toilets was built in a style that blended in with the original building. 

There's also talk of the building being haunted.

Police at one time would have to make regular stops at the building because locals were constantly reporting intruders after seeing lights on in the building and shadows passing by the windows. Every single time the police arrived to investigate they found no sign of a break-in, but lights were on when they should not have been.

Eventually, a medium was brought in and decided the culprit was a bored spirit. She left a ball which vanished, but the lights stayed off.

However, that was not the end of the paranormal activity at The Tudor House Museum which remains one of the most haunted buildings in Hampshire.

More recently modern technology was used to access the the level of paranormal activity when thermal imaging equipment picked up a man sitting in a chair.

Staff say there is one room which dogs refuse to enter and apparitions are regularly witnessed while many visitors have reported seeing figures crossing rooms and walking through bricked up doorways.

In 2012, the museum celebrated its centenary by charging just 6 pence for admission – the same price as when it first opened!

And let's not forget the garden! 

Originally developed in the 16th century as an outdoor extension of the house, the current garden is a beautiful recreation of a Tudor knot garden.

Designed by garden historian Dr Sylvia Landsberg, it's filled with plants that would have been common during Tudor times, especially herbs and edible plants. 

The design is based on old manuscripts and historical sources and features things like parapets, a fountain, a seat arbour, and even a bee bole (a little shelter for beehives). One could say it causes quite the buzz,