• Welcome An historic Tudor building in Gloucester
Bishop Hooper’s House, 99-101 Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2PG
info@thefolkofgloucester.co.uk
• Please Help us to Protect this Building Love The Folk
The Folk of Gloucester, one of the city’s most historically significant buildings, is launching a crowdfunding appeal this Valentine’s Day to ensure vital restorations can go ahead.
Trustees of the Westgate Street venue, which dates back to 1506, need £20,000 to carry out sensitive repairs to its magnificent timber facade.
They are calling on Gloucester’s residents, visitors and businesses to rally behind and #LoveTheFolk by contributing donations which will enable long-term improvements to its frontage.
The full cost of the necessary work is £74,000, but volunteers from Gloucester Civic Trust who run and maintain the site have already raised £54,000 towards the total themselves.
The final £20,000 will complete the fundraising and it’s hoped the #LoveTheFolk crowdfunder will reach its goal within six to eight weeks.
Please help if you can, by donating
Discover Our Story
Gloucester Folk Museum (for the last couple of years called the “Gloucester Life Museum”) was one of the first Folk Museums to be established in the Country in 1935.
At the end of 2018 the Council closed the Museum and agreed a deal to transfer ownership to Gloucester Historic Buildings/Gloucester Civic Trust who will be re-opening it as an events, education and exhibitions space.
The building has been known for many years as Bishop Hooper House because some people believed that Bishop Hooper stayed here on the night before he was burnt at the stake in 1555. However there is no evidence that this actually happened!
The museum has what is claimed to be part of the burnt stake.
For a more detailed description of the building’s history. Please click the button below.
The building has an excellent café where visitors can take a break including a delightful “Tudor” garden area when the weather suits.
Also on site are a pair of excellent, state of the art, meeting rooms, called the “EdShed”, which are available for hire.
If you’d like to help us with this amazing place, please considering donating or volunteering.
The Ed Shed Two Meeting rooms available to hire
Courtyard View
Facilities Include
- Wifi
- Smart Board
- Disabled parking
- Disabled toilet and lift
- Flip chart
- Fridge
- Projector
- Sink & Worktop
- Tea and Coffee facilities
Tower View
Room Layouts
- Board Room
- Cabaret Style
- Classroom
- Clear Space
- U Shape
- Horeshoe chairs only
- Theatre
Events Events at The Folk
Dreaming the Summerlands
Chloë of the Midnight Storytellers celebrates 20+ years of fabulosity with a night of sparkling spoken word.
Her repertoire enchants with re-imagined traditional tales and original fantasy. Packed with poetic language, vivid with lived experience. From epic adventure to spicy romance, from a French chateau to a Cotswold village — with wild magic and UFOs on the way — this is unscripted, hot-off-the-tongue story for 21st century audiences. Genuine verbal jazz.
A Cheltenham LitFest favourite, Chloë has brought story cabaret to new audiences across the UK and beyond: literally from castles to cruise ships.
Joining Chloë tonight, either in person or virtually, will be artists whose words and music she loves.
A beautiful farewell, part of the Midnight Storytellers #LegacyProject.
We have limited numbers for Covid safety.
You’re invited to Pay What You Can. Profits from the event will be shared between Folk of Gloucester’s storytelling development project and the Cheltenham & Gloucester Hospitals Charity (CT Scanner Appeal).
To book tickets for this event, please click here. Booking for this event closes on Wednesday the 17th of August.
News Latest NEWS
Historic Gloucester in Lego!
Roman Stones Discovered at deCrypt
Gloucester City Archaeologist Andrew Armstrong talks about the important Roman stones found during excavation work in Southgate Street, Gloucester, near St Mary deCrypt Church.
Protecting St Oswalds
Gloucester City Conservation Officer Kate Biggs introduces the repair and conservation work currently being done on Aethelflaed’s St Oswald’s Priory. Followed by a detailed talk and demonstration of the works by historic building conservationist Jake Etherton
The River Twyver
Gloucester City Tour Guide Paul Drinkwater talks about the history of the River Twyver.