God's House Tower Museum of Archaeology, Southampton

Museum of Archaeology
Winkle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2NY
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/history/museums-galleries/ghtower-museumofarchaeology

E-mail

museums@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone

023 8063 5904

Fax

023 8033 9601

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
venue representative image
Shop icon Study area icon Visual disability facilities icon Wheelchair access icon

Built in 1417, God’s House Tower is the first purpose built artillery fortification in England. Gunpowder, shot and guns were stored on the ground floor and the main firing platform was on the roof. The name comes from the neighbouring God’s House Hospital, founded in 1196.

The building had fallen into disrepair by 1600 but from 1786 to 1855 it was used as the town gaol.

In 1963 God’s House Tower opened as Southampton’s Museum of Archaeology and now displays finds from over fifty years of excavations in the city. The three main galleries tell the story of Southampton in the Roman, Saxon and Medieval periods.

Southampton’s archaeology collection is a Designated Collection of national importance.

Venue Type:

Museum

 Opening hours

Tues-Sat 10.00-16.00
Sun 13.00-16.00

Closed: Mondays

 Admission charges

Adults: £2.00
Children aged 7-16: £1.00
Children under 7: FREE
Concessions: £1.00
Family Ticket: £5.00

 General services and facilities
  • Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
  • CD-ROM guide available
  • Pre-booking service for groups
  • Shop
 Children and families
  • Activities for pre-school children
  • Events and resources for children and families
 Disability access
  • Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
  • Large print information and/or interpretation
  • Touch exhibits
  • Parking for disabled available
  • Wheelchair access to some public areas
 Schools services and facilities
  • Direct teaching services for schools
  • Member of staff available with responsibility for education
  • Primary school education service available
  • Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
  • Secondary school education service available
  • Education facilities available
 Research and adult learning
  • Academic publications and resources available
  • Adult lectures and courses held
  • Loan service
 Commercial and hire services
  • Facilities for private functions and events

Additional info

There are stairs to all exhibition floors, ground floor access to museum shop only. There are NO public lavatory facilities available.

Museum of Archaeology
Winkle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2NY
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/history/museums-galleries/ghtower-museumofarchaeology

E-mail

museums@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone

023 8063 5904

Fax

023 8033 9601

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

The God's House Tower Museum of Archaeology collections are Designated Collections of national importance.

They include spectacular medieval glass, imported pottery collections, and significant Roman, Saxon and medieval material. The size and range of the archaeology collections reflect the importance of Southampton in the past and at present, and the 50 years of systematic archaeological investigations in the City.

Collection details

Archaeology

Key artists and exhibits

  • Archaeological Collections
  • Prehistory
  • Roman
  • Saxon
  • Medieval
  • Designated Collection

Collections services

  • Object identification and/or written enquiry service
  • Specialist publications on collections available
  • Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)

Museum of Archaeology
Winkle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2NY
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/history/museums-galleries/ghtower-museumofarchaeology

E-mail

museums@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone

023 8063 5904

Fax

023 8033 9601

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Archaeology in Southampton: An Introduction

1 December 2005 — 30 December 2012 *on now

Find out how archaeological remains accumulate, what archaeologists do and how we understand the history of Southampton as a port and community.

When

10am-4pm

Where

Gods House Tower Museum of Archaeology

The Three Towns: Roman, Saxon and Medieval Galleries

1 December 2005 — 30 December 2012 *on now

The three permanent galleries display finds that tell the story of Southampton's development as a port from the first century BC to the end of the medieval period, a period of c.1500 years. The artefacts on display also show how people lived and worked in three distinct settlements: Roman Clausentum, Saxon Hamwic and Medieval Southampton.
The Roman Gallery shows the role of the port within Roman Britain and the Empire objects on display include a lead ingot from the Mendips, pots from Gaul and oil jars from the Mediterranean. The Roman way of life is illustrated by millstones, kitchen equipment and building materials.

Suitable for

  • All ages

When

10am-4pm

Where

Gods House Tower Museum of Archaeology

Admission

FREE

Museum of Archaeology
Winkle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2NY
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/history/museums-galleries/ghtower-museumofarchaeology

E-mail

museums@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone

023 8063 5904

Fax

023 8033 9601

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Boxes, objects and other kit

Handling Session at School or the Museum

Handle real museum artefacts with our Education Officer in School or at the Museum. Topics include Egyptians, Romans, Victorians and Titanic.

How to obtain

Contact the Education Officer at museums.education@southampton.gov.uk or telephone 023 8091 5730 for details.

Hands on activities using museum objects

Artefacts for use in the classroom. Loans boxes contain around twelve artefacts with accompanting notes and background information.
Themes: Introducing Archaeology, Medieval Life, Medieval People Cloths and Accessories, Medieval Crafts and Trade, Medieval Religion and Pastimes, Romans, Saxons and Titanic.

How to obtain

Contact the Administrative Assistant at museums@southampton.gov.uk or telephone 023 8063 5904 for hire conditions, bookings and cost.

 Digital and online resources

Archaeology On-line!

http://sccww1.southampton.gov.uk/archaeology

Explore Southampton's Archaeology Collection with the new Archaeology On-line database. Look at over 15,000 objects from the collection.
Use the database at the Museum of Archaeology.

Creator

  • Karen Wardley, Duncan Brown, Curators of Archaeology

Publisher

  • Southampton City Council
 Face to face resources

Teacher Training

INSET service to support use of artefacts in School

How to obtain

Contact the Education Officer at museums.education@southampton.gov.uk or telephone 023 8091 5730 for costs, details and booking.

Young Archaeologists' Club

http://www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/heritage/archaeology/community_archaeology/young_achaeologists_club.htm

Club for 9-16 year olds. Meeting on the first Saturday of every month (except January and August). Activities have included cave painting, designing an exhibition and taking part in the community excavation. For membership details phone Matt Garner on 023 8023 1381.

Museum of Archaeology
Winkle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2NY
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/history/museums-galleries/ghtower-museumofarchaeology

E-mail

museums@southampton.gov.uk

Telephone

023 8063 5904

Fax

023 8033 9601

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
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