Welcome to The Friends of The Priest House website.
The Priest House is owned and maintained by Sussex Past.
2026 Season
Sunday 1st March 2026
open every day except Monday until 31st October.
A fifteenth century house and garden open to the public, crammed full of artefacts, home to an eclectic collection including the iconic Suffragettes’ Handkerchief.
Antony, the resident Custodian, gives fascinating tours of the house and garden for groups upon request.
How to visit
Open Tuesday – Saturday 10.30am – 5.00pm, Sunday midday -5.00pm.
Find us in North Lane, West Hoathly, Sussex RH19 4PP.
No need to book, buy tickets on the door.
Tel. 01342 810479
Ticket details
w3w location redeeming.rural.tastings
Coffee Stop Talks 11am
A Custodian talk, coffee, cake and museum entry.
No need to book, just turn up.
Friday April 10th
Friday May 8th
Friday June 12th
Friday July 10th
Friday August 14th
Friday September 11th
The Friends of The Priest House
The Museum has an active Friends Group who organise regular events
The House
A Fifteenth Century timber-framed house, originally a hall house, The Priest House stands in a traditional cottage garden in the picturesque village of West Hoathly on the edge of Ashdown Forest.
The house was owned in turn by Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, Anne of Cleves, Mary I and Elizabeth I. It is now furnished with 17th & 18th Century country furniture and domestic objects collected by John Godwin-King, who gifted these and the house to The Sussex Archaeological Society.
Groups are welcomed. Please call 01342 810 479 to discuss arrangements.
The Garden
Over 170 culinary, medicinal & household herbs are planted in the garden.
The Suffragettes’ Handkerchief
One of our most treasured artefacts, embroidered with the names of suffragettes imprisoned for their part in demonstrations in London in March 1912.
Groups are welcome
Antony, the resident Custodian, gives fascinating tours of the house and garden upon prior request. The Friends can also supply teas for your group by arrangement.
Contact 01342 810 479
In June 2025 Irene and Nicki from Sussex National Gardens Scheme team visited to present Antony with an award for opening the museum garden for the NGS for 35 successive years. Lots of money raised across the decades for some really good causes. 
Recent support from The Museum Friends
John cutting the museum hedge in the run up to March’s reopening.
December 2025 – purchase of a new electric mower.