St John's House Museum is a historic house located in Warwick, just east of the town centre, in Warwickshire, England. It is now a museum, run by Warwickshire County Council, and has had a varied history spanning almost 400 years. To the side of the house is a small garden belonging to St John's and to the rear is the large St. Nicholas' Park.
The existing building is not the first on the site. The first recorded one was a hospital dedicated to St John the Baptist which was founded at some time during the 12th century the reign of Henry II of England. John was a popular choice of dedication during this period and served the double purpose of giving casual overnight boarding and foods to poor travellers, and for ongoing help for the local poor and ill.[1]
After changing hands during the monastic dissolution the building was altered almost beyond recognition in 1626 and transformed into the current building.[2] In 1788, George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick purchased the property and it stayed in the family until1960.[3] During this period, in 1815 it was turned from a family residence into a private school.[4]
In the 1960s, the property was passed from the Earls of Warwick to Warwickshire County Council who turned it into a museum which it still remains. The ground floor is composed of social history exihibits and a re-creation of the school that occupied the building.[5] The first floor contains rooms dedicated to the history of the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers.[6] To the rear of the building is a large terrapin classroom the school children can use for lessons.
Recently (2011) the county museum service established a themed outdoor space, St John's Brook Gardens, between St John's House Museum and St Nicholas' Park. This features woodcarving and information on natural history.