Ayscoughfee Hall Museum and Gardens, Spalding, Lincolnshire

Details

Accessibility

"Adequate lighting should be provided throughout the Museum, maintenance is carried out on a monthly basis.

All of the information within the Museum is available in other formats.

• Three disabled parking bays are situated in Chestnut Avenue to the left of the Museum, if standing facing the Hall with the River Welland behind.
• The Vista public pay and display car park is a short walk away from the Museum and also has several disabled parking bays. This car park is on the same side of the road as the Museum.
• Parking is also available along the riverbank across the road from the Museum but there are no specific bays. There is no designated pedestrian crossing.

Further information about the location of car parks in Spalding numbers of disabled bays and charges can be found on the car parks web page.

The entrance to the Museum is flat, with self-opening doors. Due to the historic nature of the building, the floor is not completely level. The flagstones are hard and uneven.

There are window seats situated in the Entrance Hall. As the Entrance Hall is an open space, it can become noisy. Please note that the Museum is often visited by school groups during term time, and can be noisier during these visits, or during other special events. Please contact us if you would prefer to plan a quieter time to visit.

We have an audio guide to the Museum, available to hire for £2, available in English and Russian, as well as in typed format.

Assistance dogs are very welcome. A bowl of water is available on request.

An accessible toilet is available behind the Reception Desk, on the same level as the Entrance Hall. There are also two toilets to the rear of the Hall, which are accessed via several stairs.

Due to the historical nature of the Hall and that it is a Grade I listed building several rooms are not accessible to wheelchair users. These are:

• Early History
• Medieval History
• The Medieval Hall (Tower) Room

All of the information and images within these rooms are available in alternative formats, please ask at the Reception Desk for further details.

The displays in Ayscoughfee Hall Museum contain a wide range of objects from our collections, as well as some loaned from elsewhere, particularly Spalding Gentlemen's Society. As with all museums, most of our collections are held in secure storage, as we do not have the space to display as much as we would like to. However, all of our collections are available to view by appointment. Please contact us to make an appointment by email at museum@sholland.gov.uk.

We hope that this guide provides all of the information that you need to make your visit to Ayscoughfee Hall Museum as enjoyable as possible! Please don't hesitate to telephone or email us if you have any further questions, or would like to discuss your specific requirements in more detail.

Ground floor

Geest Gallery:

• Our temporary exhibition room is accessible from the Entrance Hall. This room is on the same level as the Entrance Hall.
• Owing to the changing nature of the exhibitions in this room, we cannot guarantee that seating will be available. Please ask at the Reception Desk if you do require seating.
• The wooden floor is hard and slightly uneven.
• This room can sometimes be noisy due to its hard floor and lack of display cases. However, exhibited artworks often soften this noise.

Stair Hall:

• This is on the same level as the Entrance Hall.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require seating.

The Old Kitchen:

• This is on the same level as the Entrance Hall.
• The floor is hard and uneven.
• Several chairs are provided.
• Owing to the large size of this room and hard floor it can be noisy.
• Two steps lead out of the Kitchen into the Early/Medieval History rooms.

Display Area/Undercroft:

• This is on the same level as the Entrance Hall.
• Space is restricted.
• A single step leads out of this area onto a very uneven brick floor leading to the Early/Medieval History rooms.
• No seating is provided, please ask Reception Desk if you require seating.

Early/Medieval History rooms:

• These rooms are accessible via the Old Kitchen or Display Area/Undercroft. Steps lead to these rooms from both routes.
• These rooms have wooden floors and can be noisy.
• No seating is provided, please ask Reception Desk if you require seating.
• The interactive in the Early History room enables you to build a model bridge similar to those built by the Romans.
• The automaton in the Medieval History room features model ships sailing on a wool trade route, and costs 20p.

Rear Hall:

• This is on the same level as the Entrance Hall.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require seating.
• The floor is hard and uneven.
• This room can sometimes be noisy due to its hard floor and lack of display cases.

Spalding Gentlemen's Society room:

• This room is accessible via a small ramp from the level of the Entrance Hall.
• Some seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require an alternative.
• The floor is wooden parquet, and the room can be noisy.
• The interactive displays in this room feature several objects with options to choose whether they are natural or man-made.

Library:

• This room is on the same level as the Spalding Gentlemen's Society room.
• Space is quite restricted.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require seating.
• The floor is wooden, but the wooden panelling covering the walls soften noise, therefore this room is not very noisy.
• The interactive display in this room provides a brief insight into the life of a Victorian child, and features a chalkboard and chalk for drawing, Victorian pictures to trace and a textured surface to 'rub'.

South Holland Places room:

• This room is accessible via a small ramp up from the Library. This doorway is quite narrow, and certain access aids may not fit through the door.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require seating.
• This room is carpeted, therefore is not noisy.
• This room has two interactive displays: the first features a range of local place names with options for their origin. The lights surrounding the display flash when the correct answer is selected. The second display features several local buildings, and the century of their construction.

Garden room:

• This room is accessible via a very short corridor from the South Holland Places room. This corridor is narrow, and certain access aids may not fit through the door.
• Some seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require an alternative.
• This floor is wooden, and the high ceiling may amplify any noise.
• This room has three interactive displays: the first describes two plants, from which you have to identify the correct Latin name. The second has several drawers containing typical plants found in gardens inviting you to say which is harmful to humans, and which is not. The third shows plans of Ayscoughfee Gardens from three distinct time periods, enabling you to move sections and see how the Gardens have changed and developed over time.

First floor

• The first floor is accessible via two different sets of stairs- one is shallow and carpeted, the other is steep and stone-floored; both have hand rails.
• A lift is available to the first floor and is situated behind the Reception Desk. It is a platform lift therefore the button has to be held down until the required floor is reached. Please ask at the Reception Desk for further assistance, if required.

The Gallery:

• This space is carpeted, and provides a spacious focal point for the first floor of the Hall.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if seating is required.

Ayscoughfee Hall room:

• This room is on the same level as the Gallery.
• The room is carpeted, and as such is not noisy.
• Space is rather limited, due to the displays in the room.
• The interactive display in this room enables you to recreate several different carpenters' joints using pieces of wood and metal.

Stair Hall:

• This space is on the same level as the Gallery.
• The space is carpeted.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if seating is required.

Meeting room:

• Not usually accessible to visitors, this room can be booked for meetings for a small fee. Please contact the Reception Desk for further details.
• This room is on the same level as the Gallery.
• The space is carpeted.
• Seating is provided.

Social History room:

• This room is on the same level as the Gallery.
• This room contains the lift entrance/exit.
• The room is carpeted.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if seating is required.

Refuge:

• This room is on the same level as the Gallery.
• This area has been designated our Disabled Refuge, in case of emergency.
• The floor is stone, therefore hard, and the room can be noisy.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if seating is required.

The Fens room:

• This room is accessible via a long, shallow ramp to the right of the door.
• A temporary hand rail is in place, therefore care must be taken when using this ramp and hand rail.
• The room is carpeted.
• Some seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if you require an alternative.
• This room features an audio-visual presentation about life in the Fens, which lasts about five minutes. Seating is provided alongside. The information contained with the presentation is available in alternative formats if required; please ask at the Reception Desk for further details.
• This room contains several interactive displays: the first enables visitors to see the model steam engine in action; simply press the button under the display. The second shows how the Lincolnshire coastline has changed over time, with overlaying images of the coastline in Roman, Medieval and Modern times for comparison. The third enables you to listen to a farmer from South Holland, hearing the local accent and dialogue. The fourth is also about local dialect, and invites you to guess what certain locally-used words mean.

Famous Local People room:

• This room is accessible via a doorway from the Fens room. This doorway is quite narrow, and certain access aids may not fit through the door.
• The floor is carpeted.
• No seating is provided, please ask at the Reception Desk if seating is required.
• The interactive display in this room enables you to 'race' around the coast of Australia, following Matthew Flinders' journey, taking it in turns to push the buttons and see who finishes first.

The Medieval Hall (Tower) room:

• This room is accessible via the main stairs only, and is inaccessible from either the Entrance Hall or the Gallery. The information contained within the room is available from the Reception Desk, on request.
• This room has a wooden floor and can be noisy.
• No seating is provided, please ask Reception Desk if you require seating."

Brief description

2024: "Ayscoughfee Hall Museum is a Medieval hall dating back to 1451, an impressive Grade 1 listed building.  This fascinating building mirrors the changing tastes and times of its successive owners with architectural details from the Medieval, Georgian and Victorian periods. View information about the History of Ayscoughfee.

The Hall sits within five acres of unique public gardens. Among the attractions of the beautiful grounds are a late eighteenth century ice house, fine yew hedges dating back to the 1720s, an ornamental lake and a war memorial designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. View information about the Gardens.

For more information about Spalding, please see our Leisure section."

Address

 Ayscoughfee Hall, Churchgate, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2RA.

Email

museum@sholland.gov.uk

Phone

contact customer services on 01775 761161

Website

https://www.sholland.gov.uk/article/5262/Ayscoughfee-Hall-Museum-and-Gardens

https://www.facebook.com/ayscoughfee/

Directions

2024: "Ayscoughfee Hall is a few minutes walk from Spalding town centre. The address is: Ayscoughfee Hall, Churchgate, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2RA.

Entry to the Gardens and the rear of the Hall is in Chestnut Avenue (next to the Vista car park)

If you're travelling to Ayscoughfee by road, train, river or bus, please follow these helpful directions:

• By road - Ayscoughfee Hall is located on the B1173 in the heart of Spalding and a short drive from the A16 that links Peterborough to Boston. Follow the brown road signs to the Hall. For Sat Nav users, use postcode PE11 2RA.
  • Parking - although we don't have our own car park, there is free on-street parking in front of the hall. Some of the bays do have time limits, so please check when parking. See other car parks around Spalding.
• By coach or minibus - coaches and minibuses can drop off on the road in front of the hall, but will need to park elsewhere. The nearest coach parking is at Spalding bus station (PE11 1QB), which is about a 10 minute walk.
  • Please note, there is a high kerb on the road in front of the hall, so people are advised to take extra care when alighting from coaches."

Opening Times

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

2024: "Ayscoughfee Hall Museum 

We are open Wednesday to Sunday between 10.30am and 4pm. 

When we are closed we are unable to receive phone calls.  If you have any questions or need to get in touch with us, please contact us by email on museum@sholland.gov.uk or contact customer services on 01775 761161 who can pass a message on to us. If you require a call back, please include your phone number in your message."

Transport

2024: "

• By train - the nearest station is Spalding(opens new window) (opens new tab), with direct trains to/from Lincoln and Peterborough. The station is approximately ½ mile from the hall, about a 10 minute walk.
• By bus - you can travel direct to Spalding with buses to/from; Boston, Bourne, Kings Lynn, Market Deeping, Peterborough and Stamford. The bus station(opens new window) (opens new tab) is approximately ½ mile from the hall, about a 10 minute walk."

Amenities

2024: "Ayscoughfee Gardens are open from 8am, until 30 minutes before dusk. 

Entry to the Gardens is via Chestnut Avenue (next to the Vista car park). Entrance to the Gardens is free to all visitors.

Toilets - There are toilets outside in the Gardens. These are currently open Monday to Friday, between 8am and 3.30pm. These are located in the pavilion (next to the cafe), and include an accessible toilet as well as Changing Places facility that can both be accessed with a RADAR key.

Ayscoughfee Hall Café is open Tuesday to Sunday, between 10am and 3pm. See their website or Facebook for more details- please note that the Cafe is a separate business from the Hall & Gardens, and we ask that you direct enquiries relating to the Cafe to them."