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West Berkshire Museum
Shaw House
‘..a child friendly and inviting environment’
West Berkshire Museum – ‘We visited the museum yesterday with our 4 year old grandson and we really appreciated the effort that had been put into making it a child friendly and inviting environment. He loved the old phones and dressing up. Especially trying on the pikeman’s helmet and armour. Great experience and welcome refuge from winter’s blast!’
March 2022
‘Very special and beautiful’
Shaw House – ‘Shaw House has a really great atmosphere and there is lots to see and enjoy. The tearoom and gift shop were an added bonus at the end . Keep up the good work there (Shaw House) is very special and beautiful.’
February 2022
West Berkshire Museum – ‘Thank you, very interesting. We visited Shaw and Newbury just before lockdown and enjoyed the museum, but did not have time to concentrate on the building containing the exhibits – this virtual tour allowed us to do this.’
Heritage Open Day Virtual Tour September 2020
‘Thank you for a great day out’
Shaw House – ‘Thank you for a great day out and all the hard work you have put in with the Covid measures’
July 2020
‘Great museum’
West Berkshire Museum – Great museum, tie in with a trip to the library for a great way to spend a morning without spending anything!
February 2020
‘We thoroughly enjoyed the property, exhibits and grounds’
Shaw House – On a short break in Newbury and looking for places of interest on a wet day we found Shaw House on the internet. We thoroughly enjoyed the property, exhibits, grounds and the staff were friendly and helpful. The tea room was good too.
October 2019
‘Thank you for all your effort it really shows’
West Berkshire Museum – I came today along with my wife & 2 grandchildren for a visit I’m in a wheelchair id like to say one very massive thank you to everyone all the exhibits were fascinating both our grandsons found it very interesting I myself found the Greenham common exhibit very interesting as used to work there, Having a lift each end of the museum was so helpful to me access was easy to all the displays even to the tea room thank you for all your effort it really shows.
August 2018
‘We spent a wonderful day at Shaw House for our 2nd family reunion’
Shaw House – You deserve every one of your 5 star rating and more. You have surely cornered the market with your staff all of whom are lovely and can’t do enough to help. The setting is glorious and plenty of room for the children to run around and play games. Free parking and free entry to the House is an added bonus. All ended with a coffee and ice-cream in the café. Well done Shaw House we’ll be back.
Summer Fair, July 2018
‘..the children all wanted to come back and have another go another day’
West Berkshire Museum – Children really enjoyed the day; all came back with a very positive attitude and were very proud of themselves for participating in the tour guide activity in the afternoon. Both ladies who ran the session were fantastic, and the children all wanted to come back and have another go another day.
“Best trip we have ever been on” – Year 4 boy
“Can we go there and do it again?” – Year 4 boy
“I wish we could do this every week for History” – Year 4 girl
Museum Take Over Day 2017
‘..a credit to the curator and museum team’
West Berkshire Museum – Treat yourself to Newbury’s rich history. The museum has been newly refurbished and is a credit to the curator and museum team. A lot of effort has been given to the well presented subjects. Children can dress up and hunt for key museum items and tick them off on their discovery sheet…Well worth a visit.
Trip Advisor Review, September 2017
‘friendly, helpful and informative’
Shaw House – This is a lovely place to visit – the house is really interesting and entrance is free. The team of volunteers are friendly, helpful and informative. But what I like the best is the outside performances and events they organise. Last Friday we went to see The Importance of Being Ernest by the New Era Players. The surrounds were perfect, the weather was perfect and the performance was great – what more can you ask for on a beautiful summer evening? There are lots of yummy things in the Coffee Shop including delicious ice cream.
Visited July 2017
‘Shaw House is a first class venue’
Shaw House – I found the whole experience of using Shaw House as a venue very smooth and very easy. From dealing with Heather and Adam beforehand for the booking and any questions I had, through to the lovely welcome we received on Friday, the setting up of the room just how we wanted, refreshments, technical assistance, etc. All of it was excellent which is just what you want when you are trying to concentrate on running an event. Thank you so much – I think Shaw House is a first class venue and I am grateful to all the staff who made it so hassle free for us.
Transport Policy Team Leader, May 2017
‘It is amazing just how much you have on display and how many topics you covered..’
West Berkshire Museum – I visited the re-vamped museum this week with my grand children in tow. They are seasoned museum visitors as their parents are an archaeologist and museum exhibition designer respectively and all of us absolutely loved it. After several decades when museum revamps usually meant lots of display boards and no artifacts, it was really nice to have so much to see, all well presented and labelled. It is amazing just how much you have on display and how many topics you covered in what is a fairly limited space. I couldn’t take it all in in one visit so will be back again, probably several times, to make the most of it.
Visitor feedback, April 2017
..every one of my delegates commented on the beautiful building and surroundings.’
Shaw House – Everything about the booking was excellent; great communication from start to finish. You were very helpful with all my questions, and I very much appreciated the re-tweets when I was promoting the event! The room itself was perfect for what I needed – every one of my delegates commented on the beautiful building and surroundings.
Corporate event booking. February 2017
‘Thank you..for taking the time to share your knowledge and enthusiasm to promote heritage and the historic Berkshire environment’
Local Heritage – Thank you very much for taking the time to share your knowledge and enthusiasm to promote heritage and the historic Berkshire environment with the Inkpen residents. They were very interested to learn of the various aspects where heritage is an important and a material consideration in planning terms – every village needs to manage its heritage so that the historic environment is not destroyed. Thank you for the presentations, which you delivered with obvious enthusiasm and displayed your wide knowledge, experience and appreciation of the subject.
Gloria Keene, Clerk to Inkpen Parish Council. Talk given to Inkpen Parish Council, Jan 2017
‘Our speaker said it was the best venue he has given his presentation in’
We were delighted with the arrangements at Shaw House and our speaker said it was the best venue he has given his presentation in. We were made to feel very welcome and the refreshments etc. were just fine. All the arrangements right from day one made us feel that we were really ‘wanted’, thank you.
Friends of Newtown Road Cemetery, Oct 2016
‘Facilities were excellent’
We were delighted with how our day went on Friday at Shaw House. The facilities were excellent, ease of parking, equipment available etc. Added to this, the ease of booking and the ability to discuss the variations that we wanted were all super. I have no criticism.
A. Davidson from the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, Sept 2016
‘Museum of West Berkshire’
I visited this quaint little museum recently on a visit to Newbury and found it to be one of the best small town museums I have visited. The staff are friendly and helpful and the displays are accessible. Understandably, it focuses on the Civil War, there having been two battles fought here, but there’s a good balance between explanation and things to look at, with opportunity also to try things out first-hand eg armour. Upstairs, there are displays of local arts and crafts, with a display about the history of the museum itself. it’s all in two joined – together refurbished historical buildings. Deffo worth a visit.
Trip Advisor, August 2016
‘Wonderful venue for a family gathering’
Shaw House was the venue for a large summer family gathering of relatives from London and the South West. It has spacious grounds with picnic tables and the staff couldn’t be more helpful or friendly. They even brought out giant Jenga, Connect 4 etc. games for us to play on the lawn. The house itself is beautiful and its hard to believe this venue is free to use. Everyone was very impressed and we are planning to return again next summer.
Trip Advisor, 13 July 2016
‘An interesting place to visit’
West Berkshire Museum – We visited with a three year old and 11 year old and found the museum accessible for both. It had family friendly features and was interesting for the adults too. Well worth a visit!
Trip Advisor, July 2016
‘Thank you very much indeed for being a very informative guide’
Local Heritage – My wife and I were very interested and enthused by the walk, and the history that can be seen and interpreted, on our doorstep (well, a few miles from home), if one takes the time to look and wonder at what really happened, and why things are the way they are. Thanks again for a very worthwhile and informative evening!
Email, July 2016
‘Interesting and educational’
We visited Shaw House as two couples we wandered around the property for two very enjoyable hours. It gives an excellent incite into English history. The staff were very friendly, full of interesting facts and helpful hints on getting the best from our FREE visit and NO there are no catches. We could have spent longer but sadly ran out of time. We had a quick drink and cake in the café very enjoyable. Thanks for a very enjoyable few hours.
Trip Advisor, June 2016
‘Great history/archaeology walk and talk’
Local Heritage – Thanks to Alex for doing a great history/archaeology walk and talk up on Walbury Hill Fort/Combe Gibbet yesterday evening. My wife who isn’t particularly interested in history really enjoyed it and can’t stop singing his praises.
Email, June 2016
‘Worth a visit’
West Berkshire Museum – Despite living in Berkshire (albeit the eastern end!) all my life I’ve never visited this museum so as we were in the Newbury area decided to call in & I’m glad we did. No admission charge, just give a donation if you wish. The displays are housed in well lit rooms & the descriptive labels are clearly printed. I normally need reading glasses to read such labels but not here. Also in some museums there is so much displayed in a small area that you cannot really take it in but here you don’t feel you’ve missed anything.
Trip Advisor, June 2016
‘Beautiful, interesting house and grounds’
Shaw House – Just a lovely place to visit. Very quiet – much more so than I thought it should be but gives you the feeling of having the place to yourself. Stuart gave a really interesting talk at the beginning summing-up the history of the house and the restoration. Fascinating but not overbearing. Staff were so friendly and helpful and there’s a lovely wee café which has tables inside and out if you are lucky enough to visit on a sunny day like I did! There are also activity rooms for kids as well as puzzles/activities in each room. I just thought it was so well thought out and run. Thanks for a brilliant afternoon out.
Trip Advisor, May 2016
‘Lovely building’
West Berkshire Museum – Interesting for all ages, free, not too much stuff so not overwhelming. Loved the artists sketchbooks in the research room.
Trip Advisor, May 2016
‘Hidden historical gem’
Shaw House – A hidden gem with a fascinating history from Civil War times, and very friendly and informative staff.
Trip Advisor, March 2016
‘Lovely old building’
Shaw House – I am currently visiting once a month on a training course, this building is being well utilised for conferences, courses and wedding. Has lots of pleasant rooms with period charms. I have only had coffee and buffett sandwiches of which there was plenty of variety and all very fresh.
Trip Advisor, Jan 2016