House, Gardens & Cafe Open Tuesday - Sunday 10.30 - 17.00

Heritage Open Days: Gilbert White’s Brew House

Thursday 16th September

10:30-19:00 (late opening!)

Visit Gilbert White’s home for free, we will be opening Gilbert White’s Brew house built in 1765 by White himself and recently refitted with an nanobrewery. Meet the brewers who have been using local hops to create various beers inspired by Gilbert White including one based on White’s own recipe, taste the beer and learn more about brewing and see Gilbert White’s brewing notes inside the museum.

This event will run in line with local & national government guidelines at the time of the festival. We be monitoring numbers in the house and around the brewery. You may be asked to walk around the grounds and return a little later. Any alcohol will be served according to restrictions at the time. All brewery tastings and meeting the brewers will take place outside (under a gazebo if it is wet). Depending on restrictions at the time, you will either be able to see inside the brewhouse from outside, or be allowed in in very small groups, wearing face coverings.

    Gilbert Whites House

    Gilbert White was aged 7 or 8 when the White family moved from the Vicarage on Selborne’s Plestor, to this house, called ‘The Wakes’ (named after the Wake family who had lived here previously). At that time the property would have been no more than a ‘two up, two down’  but over the subsequent years lots of extensions and additions have been made, creating the long sizeable house you see today.

    The rooms have been restored following descriptions in White’s own correspondence and include a chair he used at Oriel College, Oxford (loaned from the College), items of contemporary furniture, family portraits and bed hangings embroidered for him by his aunts.

    On display is the original manuscript of his book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, which was purchased with generous help from English Heritage and others.

    Learn more