Preston Manor Museum, Brighton, Sussex
Details
Accessibility
There are a number of free visitor parking spaces available onsite, with one designated parking space for blue badge holders. Further pay and display parking is located nearby.
The museum requests for visitors using mobility scooters to leave them outside the accessible entrance and to use one of their manual wheelchairs. If you are not visiting with a companion, you can arrange some help by contacting the museum in advance.
Not all of the museum is accessible to wheelchair users due to narrow doorways and corridors, as well as tight turns. The first and second floors are not accessible at all for wheelchair users.
There is free admission for companions/carers who are accompanying a disabled visitor.
Leading up to Preston Manor the ground is tarmac with a gradual slope.
To reach the main entrance, there are 11 steps with handrails. To enter the building through the accessible entrance, you will need to contact the staff on reception.
The main entrance has two sets of double doors and a heavy duty mat which lies between them. Inside the inner doors are further rubber-backed floor mats.
There is one lift in the building which travels between the basement and ground floor.
There are stairs with a handrail leading to the first floor, the master bedroom and to the second floor attic rooms.
The museum is well lit (although some areas are darker for conservation purposes) and has polished wooden floors. There are some rugs and a carpeted staircase, and the basement has stone/brick flooring. The basement, first and second floors are uneven in places.
An induction loop is fitted in the shop and reception areas.
The museum advises that seating is available upon request to staff.
There are audio description listening posts and some tactile exhibitions.
Assistance dogs are welcome in the museum.
For a more comprehensive overview of accessibility please click here or contact the venue directly.
Brief description
Built in 1250, what was once the manor house of the ancient Sussex village of Preston (now part of Brighton and Hove), is now a museum and exhibition venue providing insight into the lives of the building's inhabitants during the Edwardian era.
Described as ‘one of the most haunted buildings in Britain’, the manor has many points of interest, including the story of the Stanford family, richly decorated rooms, an 18th-century walled garden, a ruinous wellhouse - and even a pet cemetery.
Address
Preston Drove, Brighton, BN1 6SD
visitor.services@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Phone
0300 029 0900
Website
https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/prestonmanor/
Directions
Brighton is approximately a 1.5-2 hour car journey from London.
If travelling from London, follow the A4 to M4, then take the M25 and M23 to the A23 in West Sussex. Continue along the A23 to Preston Drove in Brighton.
You will start to pick up brown arrow signs for the museum as you get closer.
OS TQ 303064
Opening Times
The museum is open from the 1st of April to the 30th of September as follows:
Tuesday-Saturday: 10.00-17.00
Sunday: 14.00-17.00
Closed Mondays including on Bank Holidays
From the 1st October to the 31st March the museum is closed to the public (apart from pre-booked groups, and special events).
Please check with the venue directly for up-to-date information, including opening times and admission charges, as they may be subject to change.
Transport
Train: Preston Manor is a 10-minute walk from Preston Park train station. When travelling by train, the Preston Park station is only one stop from Brighton mainline Station.
The journey time from London to Brighton is just under an hour, and there are regular services departing from London Bridge and London Victoria. Other train services from the east coast and west coast travel into the city.
Bus: Bus numbers 5, 5A, 17, 40, 40X and 273 travelling from Brighton city centre stop close to Preston Manor. For further information please click here.
Cycling: For city cycling routes, please click here.
Amenities
Public toilets are available inside Preston Manor, including accessible toilets, and Baby Changing Facilities.
The museum has a little shop selling gifts, cards and books located at the entrance of the building.
The colourful city of Brighton is a 30-40 minute walk away with its plethora of eateries, shops, museums and hotels. Click here to discover more about the city.
Travel Information
For further travel information please see: www.traveline.info
Or call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33
(Calls cost 12p per minute plus your phone company's access charge)