Forty Hall Museum: planning a visit from Enfield

Forty Hall Museum is a local history museum set inside a Jacobean manor house in Enfield. The hall is Grade I listed and owned and managed by Enfield Council.

Sir Nicholas Rainton built Forty Hall between 1629 and 1632 as his country residence. It became a public museum in 1951, after the local authority purchased it. The permanent exhibition follows the story of the hall and estate through the families who lived there, including the Raintons and the Parker-Bowles family.

Rather than focusing on one kind of display, the exhibition brings together text panels, audio, period furniture, archaeological finds and architectural discoveries. Children can also try hands-on activities, making the house’s history accessible to different ages.

Forty Hall combines rooms with historic details and a 273-acre estate of parkland, gardens and water. You can begin inside the house, then set aside time to walk among the grounds.

In the Great Hall, look for the original fireplace and screen. Its painted decoration recreates finishes chosen by Sir Nicholas Rainton, giving a sense of how the room was designed for his residence.

Outside, the estate includes historic parkland, gardens, an ornamental lake, medieval fishing ponds, streams, meadows and a walled garden. Nearby parks in Enfield offer another outdoor stop; archaeological remains of Elsyng Palace are also part of the grounds. The medieval house later served as a Tudor palace.

A visit to the house and gardens could take 2–3 hours or all day. If you have less time, the house and a walk through part of the grounds make a manageable combination; with a longer visit, there is more of the estate to explore.

The parkland is dog-friendly, but dogs must stay on a lead in the Walled Garden and are not allowed inside the museum, except for guide dogs. Barbecues, gazebos, furniture and drones are not allowed in the grounds.

Forty Hall is about a 27-minute walk or an 8-minute drive from Six Bells. The estate address is Forty Hall, Forty Hill, Enfield, EN2 9HA.

By train, the estate is approximately a 20-minute walk from Turkey Street, Gordon Hill and Enfield Town stations.

If you’re arriving via Enfield Town, bus routes 191 or W10 go to the roundabout at Myddleton Avenue, followed by a 10-minute walk up Forty Hill. The estate also lists the 191 bus from Enfield Town as a route to Forty Hall.

If you’re travelling by car, Forty Hall has a car park. Disabled parking bays are in the main car park on the right as you enter.

Admission to the house and garden is free, and the estate welcomes donations. Check the official site for regular opening hours before you go.

Opening hours

• Thursday to Sunday: 11:00–17:00
• Monday to Wednesday: closed

Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.

Plan to enter the house at least 30 minutes before closing; last entry is 15 minutes before closing. Guided house tours are available during public opening hours for groups of 10 people, at £5.00 per person, and last approximately 45 minutes–1 hour. Tours outside core opening hours cost £8.00 per person.

Wheelchair access is available throughout Forty Hall. The museum has a disability-friendly toilet and baby-changing facilities, and there are toilets in the park. Guide dogs are welcome in the museum and at events.

Bikes and wheelchairs can be hired free, subject to availability and advance booking. Bike and scooter hire is offered from April to September, also subject to availability and advance booking.