History

 THE MERCHANT'S HOUSE

• The House of Thomas Bayly, Silk Merchant, was built following the Great Fire of Marlborough in 1653.
• Over the years 1653 to 1700 a fine timber and brick building was constructed, its interior brilliant with wall paintings, panelling and a commanding oak staircase. A substantial amount of this fabric survives and previously hidden painted decoration is still being revealed.
• The facade and rooms fronting the High Street are timber-framed with tile hanging. The rear is a wing of brick construction.
• Thomas Bayly was a prosperous silk mercer whose lifestyle is reflected in the spacious and elegant rooms. Contrary to populist literature, the typical Puritan 'middling' household enjoyed music, alcohol and bright and cheerful clothes and surroundings. Recent researches have shown that domestic life was lived to the full, although religion was a central and guiding influence on all.
• Click on each room to view special features:
  • Panelled Chamber
  • Dining room
  • Kitchen Bedchamber
  • The Great Staircase
  • Study of Thomas Bayly
  • Second floor Bedchamber
  • Servants' Bedchambers
  • Servants' Staircase

THE MERCHANT'S HOUSE TRUST

• The freehold of the western two-thirds of  the House was purchased by the Marlborough Town Council and leased to the Merchant's House Trust, a registered charity, in March 1991.
• A "peppercorn rent" (a bag of peppercorns plus £1) is the yearly rent paid for the lease by the Trust.
• The Merchant's House Trust has undertaken to restore the House as a representative 17th century merchant's town house.
• Many thousands of pounds have already been raised and spent on restoring and refurnishing the building but many more will be needed to complete the task.  The time scale depends on the flow of donations and grants, funds raised by the Friends of the Trust through events, and profits of the Shop which is a subsidiary company of the Trust.
• The freehold of the eastern one-third of the building was purchased by the Trust in 1999 but is currently let out. It will eventually be integrated with the remainder of the House.
• The freehold of the free-standing building to the rear of the House known as The Old Printworks together with the upper part of the garden was purchased by the Trust in 2002.  The building was restored with the aid of an interest-free loan (since repaid) from the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust.  It now comprises ground floor offices (one occupied by the Trust, the other let to the Marlborough Jazz Festival) and a first floor flat which is currently let but will in due course house the Trust's Library and Archives as well as a meeting room for the Friends of the Trust.

 ©copyright The Merchant's House 2010