What are the opening hours?

Wednesday 11am - 4pm Thursday 11am - 4pm Friday 11am - 4pm Saturday 11am - 4pm Sunday 11am - 4pm

John Clare Cottage

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John Clare Cottage

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The historic home of John Clare, poet and early environmentalist. Visit our beautiful museum, gardens and café in Helpston, PE6 7ED.

Find our opening hours on our website, linked below. Tucked away between Stamford and Peterborough lies the village of Helpston and the home of the renowned poet, John Clare. Enjoy Clare's poetry as you spend time in our beautiful grounds, redesigned with assistance from Cambridge Botanic Gardens, which contain varieties of plants which would have been seen in Clare’s time. Or try our relaxed cafe where the team will welcome you with coffee, cake, sandwiches, jacket potatoes etc. Come along and see what we have to offer.

28/10/2026

Plan your visit to John Clare Cottage🍂

Come explore the home of poet and early environmentalist John Clare and experience the quiet turning of the season: walk in Clare's footsteps with an audio tour of the historic cottage and charming village of Helpston, or visit our café where our volunteers and staff are always ready to welcome you with a smile.

🎫£8.80 Museum Entry with Gift Aid (£8 Standard)
🆓FREE Admission for Under 25s

📆Wednesdays - Sundays
🕚10:30am-3:30pm

📍Woodgate, Helpston PE6 7ED

28/10/2026

FREE FUN this half term at Clare Cottage! 🍂

Not only are we looking forward to welcoming visitors for some spooktacular fun this Saturday afternoon 👻 - we've also rolled out the garden games ALL WEEK for families looking for some fun this October half term!

Under 25s can enjoy free admission to the museum, and with lots of fun activities we're sure you'll have a wonderful time.

📖Don't forget to pop along for our spooky story-time with Peterborough's Poet Laureate, 4pm on Saturday 31st October!

🎫£8.80 Museum entry with Gift Aid (£8 Standard)
🆓 FREE for Under 25s

📆Wednesdays - Sundays
🕚10:30am-3:30pm
🎃Spooky Saturday, 3pm-5pm

📍Woodgate, Helpston PE6 7ED

26/10/2026

Calling all little ghosts and goblins! Come and try our ghoulish games this Halloween! 🎃

From apple bobbing to scary skittles, we'll have all sorts of activities for some free half term fun this Saturday 31st October.

Featuring a spooky story-time with Peterborough's Poet Laureate Hilary Steele in the Cottage at 4pm! 📖👻

Refreshments and scrummy treats will be available for purchase in the café.

📆Saturday 31st October
🕒3pm - 5pm
📍Clare Cottage, Helpston

*Our museum and café will also be open for usual business hours 10:30am-3:30pm*

23/10/2026

Pop in for a pot of tea and a slice of something delicious this week 🍂

Our amazing café staff and volunteer bakers have some wonderful treats in store!

Museum entry is not required to relax in our café and beautiful gardens.

🎫£8.80 Museum entry with Gift Aid (£8 Standard)
🆓 FREE for Under 25s

📆Wednesdays - Sundays
🕚10:30am-3:30pm

📍Woodgate, Helpston PE6 7ED

21/10/2026

We are experiencing some challenges with our website and email functionality.

Please note we are open as usual this week and look forward to welcoming you:

🕙10.30 - 3.30
📆Wednesday-Sunday

Thank you for your patience. We hope to be back up and firing shortly.

Team at John Clare 🌿

14/10/2026

10/10/2026

We're on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire! 🎙

John Clare Trust's CEO Keira Harvey speaks to BBC Cambridgeshire about John Clare's life and legacy as a rural, working class poet in an era of great socioeconomic change.

Listen on BBC Sounds at timestamp 2:14:30:
🔗 www. bbc. co. uk/sounds/play/m0032c4m

The link can also be found through the linktree in our bio.

Address

Woodgate
Helpston
PE67ED

Opening Hours

Wednesday	11am - 4pm
Thursday	11am - 4pm
Friday	11am - 4pm
Saturday	11am - 4pm
Sunday	11am - 4pm

Telephone

01733 253330

Website

http://www.clarecottage.org/, https://linktr.ee/johnclarecottage

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