About
Maison Dieu in Ospringe is the surviving part of a wayside hospital founded around 1234 by Henry III beside Watling Street, now the A2, which cared for the poor and sick and sheltered pilgrims bound for Canterbury. It also kept a royal chamber, the camera regis, for royal visits, and its estates passed to St John's College, Cambridge, in the early 16th century. The flint and timber-framed building on the corner of Water Lane now holds a small museum run by the Maison Dieu Museum Trust for English Heritage. Displays tell the story of the foundation and show finds from excavations at the hospital and at an important Roman cemetery nearby, from pottery to jewellery. Reviewers single out the friendly, knowledgeable volunteers and the range of Roman and medieval finds. Opening days are limited, so check before travelling. There is no car park, and the hall is reached by four steps, with more stairs to the undercroft and upper floor.
Check today’s timesFrom English Heritage's calendar
- See notice
Open April - October, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays from 2pm - 5pm
From English Heritage's published calendar, updated 1 October 2026, with dates up to 16 March 2027. Prices are without the optional donation.
Opening times may change at short notice.
Open April to October on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, 2pm to 5pm; no weekday or winter opening is published. The museum trust's website gives the season as Easter weekend to October.
Managed by the Maison Dieu Museum Trust on behalf of English Heritage; see maisondieumuseum.co.uk for events and opening times.
Standard admission is free for English Heritage members on showing a card, and for Faversham Society members, the Young Archaeologists' Club and the south east tourism scheme. Children go free with an adult.
Accessibility: no wheelchair access or lift. Four steps into the hall, steps into the dimly lit undercroft and stairs to the first floor; uneven floors and raised thresholds. Pushchairs are left in the hall. One unisex toilet; chairs in the museum and a bench in the small courtyard.
Parking: no car park; street parking and a public pay-and-display car park about 300 yards away.
Photo: Michael Dibb. CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/). Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ospringe_buildings_(2)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7057716.jpg. Resized for display.
PricingFree with English Heritage membershipEH memberFree entryNon-member£5
Free entry with English Heritage membership
Entry
Non-member prices
Adult£5.00
Child (with an adult)Free
Concession£3.00
Pricing details
Walk-up price is not listed separately; the English Heritage catalogue shows these standard advance prices without voluntary donation. Children go free when accompanied by an adult. Also free for Faversham Society members, Young Archaeologists' Club and the south east tourism scheme on showing a card.
ParkingNo car park
Arrive on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Parking details
No car park on site; use street parking or the public pay-and-display car park about 300 yards away. Visitors with limited mobility can be set down at the front door.
Driving arrival: the museum building on the A2 (Ospringe Street) at the west corner of Water Lane.
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