The Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre is based in grounds of Headstone Manor which is a grade 1 listed building and was, in the past, a principal residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury when they were visiting their estates in Middlesex and surrounding areas.
Restoration work is currently in progress at Headstone Manor. The Manor is the earliest standing timber-framed house yet discovered in Middlesex. It was built around 1310 and is surrounded by the only water-filled moat in Middlesex. The moat was probably built as a status symbol to demonstrate the wealth of the Manor owners the de la Hagge or de la Haye family.
As you approach the entrance to the museum there is a nice view across the moat to the Manor House which is little changed since the last century.
The main museum is in the Tithe Barn. This contains a fascinating history charting the story of how the timbers comprising the structure of the barn were examined to reveal the date of the building.
After years of decline this lovely old building was restored as a result of a campaign to provide Harrow with it’s own museum
Once you have examined some of the old newspaper cuttings on display in the Tithe Barn, you start to get a feel of how excited those involved with the project were when the site was opened on 5th May 1986 by The Mayor, Counsellor Peter Pitt.
The Tithe Barn contains an eclectic range of old artefacts and an interesting exhibition of glass produced by the Whitefriars glassworks located in Tudor Road, Wealdstone until its’ closure in 1980.
The 18th century Granary was originally located at Pinner Park Farm where it had fallen into a state of disrepair until it was moved timber by timber and reconstructed at Harrow Museum in 1991. The Granary contains a small exhibition of agricultural equipment, examples of Whitefriars glass paper-weights and a selection of brushes from Hamilton’s Brush Factory.
The small barn contains information on the restoration currently being carried at Headstone Manor.
Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre is a fascinating place to go for a couple of hours of discovery of the origins and events which have shaped this area of Middlesex.
It is located at:-
Headstone Manor,
Pinner View,
Middlesex
HA2 6PX
Tithe Barn 020 8861 2626
Fax 020 8861 4793
Museum offices: 020 8863 6720
Email: museum@harrowarts.com
Opening hours are:
Thursday & Friday 12.30-5pm
Weekends and Bank Holidays 10.30-5pm.
(The museum closes at Dusk in winter)
Tours of Headstone Manor take place at 2.30 every Sunday and can be arranged on request.
Admission to the Heritage Centre and Museum is free.
For further details, please visit the Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre website:
http://www.harrowarts.com/museum/index.htm
Kind Regards,
The Directory Administrator