Late medieval merchant's house, rescued from demolition, in Worcester city centre
The House (Fri & Sat), Garden and Old Oak Café are now open on selected days at Greyfriars. Read this article to find everything you need to know about what's open and what to expect from your visit. We've made some changes to our usual offer, to help keep everyone safe.
Greyfriars was built c.1490 by a wealthy merchant and was a home to wealthy families until the late 17th century. In 1699 a baker purchased the lease and divided the house into two. It then became a mixture of homes, shops and businesses for the next 200 years. Trade varied and included leather goods, hats, bread and umbrellas, and for a brief time it housed a kiddlywink called the Oak Oak Tavern.
Over the years, extensions have been added and its interior altered to accommodate the many families and individuals who've resided here. In the early 19th century, ten cottages were constructed in the back garden. By the 1930s, however, fortunes had declined and Greyfriars was faced with demolition. Fortunately, the house was rescued and carefully restored in the mid-20th century by a handful of dedicated individuals, most notably by siblings Elsie and Matley Moore.
The care of Greyfriars was transferred to the National Trust in 1966.
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
The garden and Old Oak Café, along with indoor seating, are now open on selected days, booking not necessary. The house currently remains closed, with tours bookable from June 2021.
