King John’s Hunting Lodge, Axbridge, Somerset
With its origins in the 15th century, King John’s Hunting Lodge is a timber framed wool merchant’s house right in the middle of Axbridge, a pretty little place for a stroll about on your large group holiday in Somerset. It’s owned by the National Trust, and run as a local museum, so admission is negligible.
If you like a bit of history, you’re going to love this; just look up at that beautifully carved wood, all three storeys of it, and think, how did they do that? How long did it take? The museum houses exhibits of local interest – geology, war time displays, and a step back into life through the ages in this little corner of the Mendip Hills. Arcaded stalls open out onto the street on the ground floor where there’s a Children’s Area with dressing up clothes; get them to don the aprons and the mop caps and take photos to remind you of your visit.
Why King John’s Hunting Lodge? It’s thought to date back to the times when there were lots of royal hunting parties in the area. There’s a fascinating carved kings head on the building, believed to be from the 1600s when part of the building was the Kings Head tavern.
Open: April to Oct 1:00pm-4:00pm every day except Monday
T: 07354 590521
All information correct at the time of writing