Lavenham Guildhall

Lavenham Guildhall was built in the 16th century by the Guild of Corpus Christi, when 'blew' cloth made Lavenham one of the wealthiest towns in Tudor England, and the timber-framed building has since served as guildhall, prison and workhouse over almost 500 years at the heart of the village; it passed to the National Trust in 1951. Rooms tell each period of the building's life, with a courtyard garden of traditional dye plants and a bug hotel, a tea-room serving cream teas indoors and out, and a second-hand bookshop; the tea-room and garden are free to enter. The village has more than 320 buildings of historic interest. Dogs on leads are welcome in the garden and tea-room but not in the museum. Reviewers praise the knowledgeable room guides and well-presented displays, and finish with a cream tea in the garden. Tips from visitors: parking is free around the village, a short walk from the Market Place; only the ground floor and parts of the garden are step-free, with a virtual tour of the upper floors.