Following its annual winter conservation clean, Mr Straw’s House in Worksop will reopen to the public on Thursday 5 March.
While many National Trust places bring to mind grand mansions and sweeping estates, Mr Straw’s House offers something quietly different. Tucked away in a private cul-de-sac, this modest semi-detached home was the Trust’s first small domestic property, acquired in 1990, and remains one of its most intimate and evocative.
Built in the 1920s and virtually unchanged since the Straw family moved in in 1923, the house is a remarkable time capsule. More than 30,000 everyday objects remain in place; from furniture and furnishings to personal possessions, just as their owners left them. Visitors exploring the display rooms will uncover the story of a family who chose not to modernise, preserving a snapshot of ordinary domestic life across the 20th century.
House and Collections Officer Danielle Lander-Brown says:
“This year’s theme, ‘Bringing the outside in’, explores how the natural world shaped the Straw family’s lives. Visitors will see how floral and bird motifs influenced Florence’s décor, and discover how the outdoors inspired the family’s hobbies; from collecting cacti to growing their own fruit and vegetables. Nature wasn’t just something they admired, it was woven into their everyday lives.
That connection continues today, even inspiring the recent ‘Mr Straw’s Greenhouse’ wallpaper design created with Little Greene, based on Walter’s cacti collection. It’s wonderful to see how this modest home still sparks creativity beyond its walls.”
She adds:
“Our monthly volunteer-led walk around Worksop offers a chance to step beyond the house and into the places where the Straws worked, worshipped and wandered. It’s a wonderful way to connect their personal story with the wider history of the town.”
Mr Straw’s House is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 09.00 with last admission at 15.30. It will also open on Saturdays during September and October. Admission is by pre-booked, timed self-led tours, with visits limited to small groups of four to support the ongoing conservation of the house.
Bookings can be made up to 4 weeks in advance by calling 0344 249 1895 or via the Mr Straw’s House website at: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mrstrawshouse
Admission is £9 for adults, £4.50 for children and free for National Trust members and under 5s. Car parking is available in the orchard opposite the house.
Posted on 03 March 2026
