The Bedworth Society

The Parsonage Project

The Parsonage is a Grade II listed building built in 1840 and forms part of the magnificent Nicholas Chamberlaine Almshouses complex in the centre of Bedworth. The building was traditionally the home of the curates of All Saints Church, which is approximately 100 yards away at the other end of All Saints Square.

The Parsonage has always had its entrance directly off Market Place (now All Saints Square) via a cellar underneath the curates living accommodation.

During the past thirty to forty years, the Parsonage and its cellar became unused and quickly became dilapidated. The parsonage was saved from demolition in 1981 (see About Bedworth Society) but the cellar remained in a state of disrepair.

In January 1999, the Trustees of the Almshouses offered the Bedworth Society the cellar of the Parsonage for use as a Heritage Centre/Museum. The Society was very happy to accept their kind offer and a local architect prepared plans for the restoration of the cellar. The cellar was modernised and prepared to close to museum standard, the cost very generously being born by the Nicholas Chamberlaine Trust.

The setting up and opening of The Parsonage Project has given a public face to the work of The Bedworth Society. It has facilitated a permanent public display of aspects of Bedworth’s Past, Present and Future.

Through pictorial displays The Parsonage helps to reveal the stories of Nicholas Chamberlaine and his Charity.

• Bedworth’s famous men and women.
• Important events in Bedworth’s history.
• The area's cultural, industrial and agricultural past.
• The area's natural landscape.

The Parsonage is in a prime town centre site, adjacent to the main Almshouse complex with its attractive landscaped gardens and the pedestrianised shopping area.

All buses from the outlying parts of Bedworth, and those from Coventry, Nuneaton, Hinckley and Leicester stop within 10-50 yards of the Parsonage entrance.

Bedworth is situated close to junction 3 of the M6 motorway and the railway station is within 5 minutes walk.

For those visiting the area by canal, moorings are available on The Coventry Canal adjacent to the Navigation public house which is 15 to 20 minutes walk from the town centre.

The Parsonage Project is open on market days, Tuesdays and Fridays from 10.30m to 1.00pm. and Saturday from 10.30am till 3.30pm.

Special visits for schools, clubs and societies can be arranged on request,in addition to normal opening times.

The project is totally run by voluntary stewards so the opening hours are limited, but to date have proved satisfactory.

The Parsonage was officially opened on 4th February 2000 by The Mayor of Nuneaton and Bedworth, Coun. Mary Bauemont.

In the fours years since opening we have had over 17,000 visitors and average about 30 for every opening. There have been visitors from every part of the British Isles and from thirty different countries.

There is no charge for admittance to the Parsonage, but a donation box is available as donations are our only income.

The space available for exhibitions is in three rooms of varying sizes.

1. The Nicholas Chamberlaine Room – tells the story of Bedworth’s major benefactor, his life, times and legacy. It features permanent display boards, a high quality mannequin of Nicholas Chamberlaine and Abe’n Ada, models of Almshouses residents, dressed in their traditional uniforms, which were worn until the early 1950s.
2. The Main Display Room, formally the kitchen of the parsonage, features exhibitions which reflect the history and life and times of the town.
3. Multimedia room with touch screen interactive presentations / extension to main display room.

The main exhibition normally changes three times each year, these have included:

• Bedworth in Bloom – Nuneaton and Bedworth regularly win national awards for floral displays. The Miners Welfare Park in Bedworth was voted the best park in Britain in 2000.
• Our Boys - was based on the men and boys of Bedworth who were engaged in the First World War. Research had been done to give a glimpse into the life of the family left back home in the small mining town of Bedworth.
• Toys and Games – 1900-1950
• Celebrations – Coronations, Jubilees, Carnivals, Bun Days, Whit Walks etc.
• Christmas Past