St John's House Trust

What it’s like

Free entry to a historic house that opens just twice a month, with forest school activities laid on for children.

This one's only open a couple of days a month, so it's worth pinning to the calendar rather than hoping to swing by. The second Sunday and the last Saturday of each month, doors open from 11am to 3pm, last entry at quarter to three, and there's no charge to get in.

On those open days there's forest school activities for children, which is a nice way to get them engaged with the building and grounds rather than just trailing round after you. It's an indoor venue, so a wet day won't spoil the visit.

There's no need to book for a normal visit, you just turn up on one of the open days. If you're bringing a group, they'll arrange to open at other times for you, though that comes with a small charge of £5 a head which includes tea and coffee.

Given how few days it's open, it's not really a fallback for a rainy Tuesday. Plan around one of those two dates a month and you'll have a straightforward, free morning or early afternoon out.

Need to know

Last entry

2:45pm

• It only opens two days a month, so check which weekend before you plan a visit
• Last entry is 2:45pm even though it closes at 3pm
• Groups can arrange a separate visit outside the usual open days for £5 a head

Plan your visit

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