The Shell Museum

The Shell Museum stands in the quiet village of Glandford in North Norfolk. It occupies a single-storey building surrounded by cottage gardens and a narrow lane. The museum began in the 19th century when Alfred Jodrell started to gather shells in boxes at his home. After years of growth the collection moved into its present home, making it the oldest museum in the county. The museum holds one of Britain’s largest sea-shell collections alongside shells carved into ornaments and inlaid boxes. Fossils, bird eggs and local archaeological finds add to the displays. A separate room is given over to works by John Craske, a fisherman-turned-artist whose embroideries record coastal life. Visitors walk through small rooms where glass cases line the walls. Labels explain each shell’s name and where it was found. A single corridor leads to the Craske room, its walls covered with framed embroideries. Outside, the cottage garden offers benches and a quiet place to rest after the visit.