Elizabethan House

Elizabethan House

Elizabethan House is open 12pm-4pm on Fridays and Saturdays until 26 September 2026.

Come and experience a rare surviving historic property that dates from the late 1500s. Built when Plymouth was a thriving port, Elizabethan House underwent a major restoration in 2020/2021 as part of Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 commemorations.

The experience

Get an insight into the history of Plymouth’s fascinating Barbican area, and meet some of the many people who’ve lived in Elizabethan House since it was built 400 years ago.

Look around each carefully restored room at your leisure on a self-guided tour. Audio-visual elements offer background sounds to enhance the props and scenes in each of the rooms. You'll have chance to get to know some of the people who lived here, like the first owner, a washerwoman and a wig maker. Get a glimpse at the House’s architecture and see what life was like for the rich and the poor.

Our staff and volunteers are around to chat to if you'd like more information about the history whilst you're here.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ So atmospheric! A series of small rooms demonstrate what live was like for the inhabitants of this house through time, using incredibly effective audio narration — I felt quite involved in all the drama! A brilliant surprise in the Georgian room too. We loved it.

Google review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I would highly recommend this to anyone with a love of history. It’s an enriching experience.

Google review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The staff were really warm and friendly. A hidden gem that is worth seeing this summer. I enjoyed hearing the stories and reading about the house through time and its restoration.

Google review

Plan Your Visit to Elizabethan House | The Box Plymouth

Plan Your Visit

Access | Elizabethan House

Access

Getting Here | Elizabethan House

Getting Here

Restoration | Elizabethan House | The Box Plymouth

Restoration