Lavenham Guildhall, Medieval guildhall and local history museum in Lavenham, England.
Lavenham Guildhall is a timber-framed building in the Market Place with overhanging gables and projecting upper floors dating from the 16th century. Inside are period rooms displaying how the structure served different purposes across five centuries.
The Guildhall was built in 1529 by the Guild of Corpus Christi when cloth-making brought wealth to the town. It later served as a workhouse and prison before becoming a museum in 1951.
The Guildhall displays how cloth-making shaped community life and social welfare through five centuries. Visitors can see how these trades connected the people of Lavenham to one another and to markets across Europe.
The building sits directly on the Market Place and is easy to spot. Expect narrow staircases and low doorways inside, so comfortable shoes and a willingness to duck are helpful.
A mummified cat called Rameses is permanently on display, a curious survivor from centuries past. This unusual specimen reflects an old practice of entombing animals in walls for good fortune.
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