Somerset Cricket Museum

The Somerset Cricket Museum stands in Taunton, Somerset, inside the County Ground. It occupies the Old Priory Barn, a Grade II* listed building from the late 15th or early 16th century. The barn is the only surviving structure of the Augustinian Taunton Priory, founded around 1115. Its walls mix local stone rubble with red brick repairs and a tiled tie-beam roof. Some windows and doors use Bishops Lydeard stone, and earlier 13th- or 14th-century fabric may still be present. The building once served as a chapel for French prisoners during the French Revolutionary or Napoleonic Wars. The museum is worth visiting for its cricket heritage displays. It focuses on Somerset County Cricket Club’s history, featuring items linked to Test players such as Ian Botham and Marcus Trescothick. A section honours the England women’s team, whose headquarters is the County Ground. The collection also includes memorabilia from I Zingari, a club connected to the current chairman’s family. The Supporters Club bought the barn in 1979 and restored it over a decade before opening the museum in 1989. The Willow Yard outside houses cricket bat makers Millichamp and Hall, who lease workshop space from the museum. Inside, visitors find exhibits tracing the club’s past through photographs, equipment and personal items. The displays highlight key matches, tours and players who shaped Somerset cricket. A small area recognises the England women’s team, reflecting the ground’s dual role. The barn’s historic fabric and quiet atmosphere contrast with the modern pitch nearby. Outside, the Willow Yard offers a glimpse of traditional bat-making workshops. The museum remains a quiet corner where cricket history is preserved and shared.