Pevensey Court House Museum & Gaol

The building was built in 1541 and operated as a courthouse and gaol right up until 1886. This was during an era when the death penalty was still in force in England with the death sentence passed for a surprisingly large number of crimes.

At one stage the building was also used as England’s smallest town hall.

What to see at Pevensey Court House Museum & Gaol

The Pevensey Court House Museum and Gaol depicts the enforcement of law and order from the Tudor period to the Victorian era. Visitors can see the old courtroom as well as prison cells and the exercise yard. Part of the attraction of this small museum is being able to see inside the 16th-century building, with its Tudor beams still intact.

In keeping with its theme of crime and punishment, the museum has gruesome exhibits showing how the death penalty was enforced in Tudor, Jacobean, Georgian and Victorian times.

It also has exhibits on local history including a dinosaur footprint, artefacts dating back to Roman times, displays about the Norman Conquest and the Magna Carta, a costumed Beadle and an embroidered replica of the Pevensey scene from the Bayeux Tapestry.

Visiting Pevensey Court House Museum & Gaol

The museum is located on High Street in the village centre between the village’s two pubs. It is just a one-minute walk to the entrance to Pevensey Castle.

Entry to the museum is free of charge and it is well worth a visit. The historical displays, particularly those relating to local history, are a great introduction before visiting the castle.

The museum is open from May to December.

Access to the museum is via a steep staircase and it is not accessible to visitors with wheelchairs.

It is a very small museum, although there is quite a bit to see in such a small space and the volunteers who work here are very knowledgeable. Most visitors spend less than an hour in the museum.