christchurch mansion

Today the Mansion houses period rooms illustrating changes in style from the 16th to the 19th century.  See Tudor state chambers, 18th century state rooms and the Victorian wing.  A must see gem is the Painted Closet above the porch. It is composed of panels originally from Hawstead Place, near Bury St Edmunds.  See our collection of British pottery and porcelain including Lowestoft porcelain, manufactured in the Suffolk coastal town from 1757 to 1799.  Find displays of dollshouses, and toys and games from the past.

Our art collection on display in the Wolsey Art Gallery includes oil paintings, water-colours, drawings and prints by Suffolk artists from the 17th century to Thomas Gainsborough and John Constable.  Other artists include George Frost, Tom and Edward Smythe, John Moore, Thomas Churchyard, Alfred Munnings F G Cotman and Philip Wilson Steer.