Hollytrees Museum

Hollytrees Museum, set within an elegant Georgian townhouse overlooking Colchester’s Castle Park, offers an intimate look at the town’s domestic and social history. Built in 1718, the house was named after the holly trees that once lined its garden, and its architecture — tall sash windows, fine brickwork and graceful proportions — remains one of the best examples of early Georgian design in Essex. Inside, the museum focuses on everyday life across three centuries. One highlight is the collection of Colchester-made clocks, including fine longcase examples crafted by local horologists whose work was once renowned across the region. The toy gallery is another favourite, displaying dolls, games and childhood objects that trace how play has changed from the Victorian era to the 20th century. Domestic rooms reveal the rhythms of life in a prosperous Georgian household, with period furniture, textiles and household tools offering a tactile sense of the past. Exhibits on Colchester’s civic history include costumes, portraits and objects linked to notable local families. The museum also explores the story of Charles Gray, the philanthropist who preserved Colchester Castle and shaped much of the surrounding parkland.