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Welcome to 15 Castle Hill, the home of Richard and Ann Thompson.

We join the cottage in the Year 1739, and George II is King of Great Britain and Ireland. Britain has just reopened hostilities with Spain, Dick Turpin the notorious Highwayman has just been hanged, and John Wesley has taken the Methodist message on the road across Britain.

Meanwhile, here in Lancaster, the City is growing rich off the profits from the West India Trade. Many of Lancaster’s wealthy merchants are, in some way, involved in the despicable trading of enslaved African men, women and children. The Thompsons are oblivious to their plight, however. Despite their simple possessions, they are moving up in the world and have bought a house and shop on Castle Hill - a prestigious address.

The Cottage Museum is an immersive and hands-on experience. Wear your 18^th century hat and sit in the old chairs, peep inside coffers, have a go on a spinning whorl and practise your cursive handwriting. Take a look inside the larder to discover what sort of goods might have been sold in the little shop next door, from sugar and spices to ironmongery, candles and cleaning products.

Extra Opening on Heritage Open Days 2026:

For two weekends this September, visit the Cottage Museum at 15 Castle Hill for FREE!  Open 1pm - 4pm each day.

• Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 September
• Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 September

Usual Opening Times:

1pm - 4pm every Saturday

• Summer Season only - April to September.
• Please note that our other museums each have different opening days and times.

How to Pay

Please note the Cottage does not have a card machine. You can pay for tickets and shop purchases in two ways:

• Cash
• Online with a smartphone - scan the QR code in the Cottage.

Ticket Prices

*Multipass Tickets offer unlimited entry to all three of our museums:

• Weekly Multipass  £8  -  Ideal for holidays!
• Annual Multipass  £10  -  Huge savings for regular visitors to the district!
• Please note that Lancaster district residents (LA1-LA6) and full-time students qualify for FREE admission to the Maritime and City Museums, so will not usually need a Multipass.

Important Notes

• DOGS:  Assistance dogs only. Other dogs are not permitted in the museum. Even well-behaved dogs are curious, and they sometimes need the loo. We can’t risk it for the sake of our fragile museum objects, which might get knocked over by a very waggy tail - and for other visitors who may be nervous around dogs.
• CHILDREN:  Must be accompanied by a responsible adult or obtain a Young Person's Pass (details above).

BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR: Heritage Open Days 2026

This autumn, as part of Heritage Open Days, drop into the Cottage Museum at 15 Castle Hill for FREE!

1pm - 4pm, Saturdays and Sundays 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 September 2026.

Discover everyday lives in 18th century Lancaster. Who lived here in the past? What was life like for ordinary people in the early 1700s?

More Museum Events & Exhibitions

From special events at the Cottage to a rolling programme of exhibitions, talks and more at our larger venues, you can find details of events and activities at all our museums here: 

• What's On

Or join our events mailing list for regular updates - just email historydetectives@lancaster.gov.uk to sign up.

AUDIO GUIDE 

• Listen during your visit or at home.

VIDEO (5 mins) 

• Find out more about the Cottage and its history. This is an audiovisual version of the printed information file that's available to visitors at the Cottage.

Getting here

Our Address

The Cottage Museum, 15 Castle Hill, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

• View on Google Maps

On Foot or by Public Transport

The Cottage Museum is on Castle Hill, directly downhill of the main gate to Lancaster Castle. It’s within easy walking distance of the bus and train stations. 

• Download a free visitor map of Lancaster city centre (PDF, 929KB).

By Bike 

The nearest cycle parking stands are across the road outside the Storey.

• Download a Cycling Map of Lancaster & Morecambe Bay (PDF, 6MB).

By Car

• To avoid congestion in the city centre, consider using Lancaster’s Park and Ride scheme to reach us from M6 Junction 34.
• Directions: If you drive to the museum you will usually pass through Lancaster's one-way system. Turn left off the northbound section of the A6 ring road onto Market Street, following the sign for the Railway Station. Immediately take the next right onto Castle Hill. The Cottage Museum is on the right after 100m.
• Parking: There is limited on-street pay & display parking opposite the Cottage. Many pay & display car parks are within walking distance.

Facilities & Accessibility

Physical accessibility at the Cottage is very limited. There are a number of historic features which impede physical access for all. This includes small, tight staircases, dark areas, and uneven floors.

We have NO toilets (or even running water!) at the Cottage. 

Please download our Access Statement (PDF, 153KB) for an in-depth look at our little museum.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call or email us for more details before your visit: 01524 64637, lancastercitymuseum@lancaster.gov.uk (The Cottage is managed by the team at the City Museum.)

Visit our Accessibility page for details on accessibility at all our museums.

Group & School Visits

If you plan to visit us with a group of 12 or more people, please look at our Group Visits page. 

If you’d like to bring a school group or other educational group, please look at our Learning page. 

Contact Us

Enquiries

The Cottage is managed by the team at the City Museum:

• lancastercitymuseum@lancaster.gov.uk
• 01524 64637 

Feedback

If you've visited any of our museums recently you can share your thoughts with us here:

• Visitor Experience Survey

Thank you!  Your input will help us to make the museums better places for everyone.