Building our future from the past

Ledbury Places exists to create a sustainable future for three of our town’s finest historic buildings:

  • The Old Grammar School – with the Heritage Centre on the ground floor and an upper hall available for meetings, workshops and exhibitions
  • The Barrett Browning Institute – also known as the Poetry House, home to the renowned Ledbury Poetry Festival
  • The Burgage Hall – a former Congregational Chapel, now an events venue managed by Ledbury & District Civic Society

Looking after Ledbury’s heritage buildings

Nestled in rural Herefordshire to the west of the Malvern Hills, Ledbury is a market town full of historic buildings. These range from a Norman Church, to a Tudor Grammar School, to an imposing Victorian clock tower, among many others. Ledbury Places is a charitable organisation and custodian to three of Ledbury’s heritage buildings. As such, our mission is:

  • to find a sustainable purpose for each building
  • to keep them in the ownership of and accessible to the people of Ledbury and the surrounding area

Our Buildings

The Heritage Centre in Ledbury

The Old Grammar School in Church Lane houses the Ledbury Heritage Centre. Head there to learn about the town’s history.

Built to commemorate the Ledbury-based poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the building is now home to the Ledbury Poetry Festival.

Built as a Congregational Chapel in 1852, the Burgage Hall is tucked away down Church Lane in the very centre of Ledbury.

Your first visit to Ledbury?

The Heritage Centre, housed in the Old Grammar School on Church Lane is an excellent first port of call for all visitors to Ledbury. Staffed by local volunteer stewards, the Heritage Centre is a lovingly curated museum of Ledbury’s rich and fascinating history.

The museum is well stocked with brochures and guides to other local attractions; there are activities, quizzes and costumes to entertain younger visitors; and we boast a fantastic gift shop full of unique locally produced items that you won’t find anywhere else. 

Inside the Heritage Centre, Ledbury Places

How to Support Ledbury Places

Local people have come together, offering their time, skills and energy to maintain these culturally and historically significant buildings which enrich this town and all who live or visit here. We can only carry on this vital work with your support, whether that be in the form of volunteering, donations or through visiting the Heritage Centre where there are maps, guides, postcards and gifts for sale. If you would like to know more about supporting Ledbury Places or the work we do, please click the buttons below.

We are supported by:

We are grateful to the following organisations for their continuing support to Ledbury Places.