The Commandery
With a National Art Pass you get
Once the Royalist Headquarters during the English Civil War, The Commandery now offers a fun way for all the family to unearth Worcester's history.
In the heart of Worcester, this historic building is most famous for being the Royalist Headquarters during the Battle of Worcester in 1651, which was the deciding battle of the English Civil War. Built on the site of an early medieval chapel, the Grade I Listed building has also been a monastic hospital, a college for the blind and a printworks.
What to see
A great place to begin your journey through the history of The Commandery is the Great Hall which has many classic design features of a medieval open hall including a beautiful oriel window with 15th-century glass panels.
Civil War history
The interactive Civil War Story exhibition will take you back over 350 years into a conflicted 17th-century Worcester, where you can try your hand at battlefield strategy and uncover the stories of families torn apart by war. You could even find yourself face to face with Oliver Cromwell, well, an example of several plaster casts made of his features anyway.
What to do
How do you fancy dressing up as a soldier in the Civil War or trying on some Georgian outfits? Costumes and accessories are available for grown ups as well as children. Alternatively, kids may want to explore the Nature Play Area complete with mud kitchen, whilst older visitors stroll through the glorious walled gardens or nip into Commandery Coffee for a cuppa.
Look out for the Haunted Happenings room too, where ghost stories and spooky tales are told by staff, visitors and volunteers.
Visitor information
Address
Sidbury, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR1 2HU
01905 361821
Opening times
Tuesday to Saturday: 10am – 4pm. Sunday: 10am – 3pm. Mondays: Closed
Visitor information
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.