Bruce Castle Museum & Archive

25/10/2026

Sarah Alston, the Dowager Duchess of Somerset and Lady of the manor at Bruce Castle, died on this day.
Is it coincidence that the 'Tottenham Museum' - now Bruce Castle Museum & Archive - opened on this day on 25 October 1906?

Her legacy lives on with the Tottenham Grammar School Foundation whose good work still benefits young people in Haringey. A room at Bruce Castle is now called Sarah's Room, dedicated to the communities of Haringey.

Sarah Seymour, Duchess of Somerset died on this day in 1692 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. In her Will she left money to provide free education for poor children of Tottenham. This was used to help Tottenham Grammar School, which was already over 200 years old. Every year children from the school would go and lay flowers on her tomb at Westminster Abbey until the school closed in 1967. Sarah’s bequest has been transformed into the Tottenham Grammar School Foundation,which continues to support education in what is now the London Borough of Haringey.
If you had family in Tottenham you can find out more about which records are available and where they are using out Parish Guide, available here: https://genfair.co.uk/search/?s_id=391&pc_id=&county=&is_download=&q=tottenham&sort=
Pic: Sarah, Duchess of Somerset. Public domain via Wikimedia

25/10/2026

🎂Happy Birthday to us!🎁

in 1906, the museum at Bruce Castle first opened its doors to the public. 120 years later, we remain committed to telling of stories of innovation, migration, radicalism and resilience in Haringey.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years - we only exist because of our wonderful communities!

for some special events over the next year to mark our birthday, including an exhibition dedicated to exploring the past, present and future of Bruce Castle Museum & Archive! More details soon...

As part of our celebrations, we would love to hear from you, so please do send us your favourite memories of Bruce Castle Museum & Archive. Comment on this post, or pop us an email with the subject line ‘Bruce Castle 120’ at:
[email protected]

Haringey Council Friends of Bruce Castle

24/10/2026

Here's a reminder - we get an extra hour asleep this weekend!

Remember to change your clocks ...... British Winter Time begins on Sunday 25 October at 2 am, when the clocks go back one hour to 1 am across the UK.

This early 19th century grisaille painting by the artist 'Miss J. Thirkhill' shows the large clock dated 1790 that once told the time on William Salte's big house in Tottenham. Salte's house was situated on the west side of the High Road, between Lordship Lane and Church Road, now the site of Criterion Buildings.

Salte's clock was positioned on the stables at his house, and was much admired. When Salte died, it was difficult to find a buyer for the property, and it was broken into lots. Most of it was bought by Miss Deborah Dermer, who lived at Coleraine House in Stamford Hill. She also bought the clock and she had it fixed on her own residence. From 1817 her house became known as the Clock House.

It isn't particularly clear whether this painting shows the clock on its old position of the stables at Salte's House, or in its new location on Miss Dermer's house.

From the collections and © Bruce Castle Museum & Archive

23/10/2026

Coming up @ The Castle: Halloween Crafts

Spooky Spiders 🕷
🗓Wednesday 28 October
🕘1.30 to 3.30pm
📍Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, Lordship Lane, N17 8NU
🎫FREE - no booking required

Step into a world of spooky fun with our Spider Web Halloween Craft! Crafters can weave their very own creepy web and add a sneaky spider hiding in the shadows.

Halloween Prints 🎃
🗓Thursday 29 October
🕘1.30 to 3.30pm
📍Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, Lordship Lane, N17 8NU
🎫FREE - no booking required

Create a beautiful Halloween masterpiece with our Halloween Silhouette Printing Craft! Children can explore printing techniques to create eerie silhouettes of bats, pumpkins, and spooky trees.

Please note: both activities are suitable for families with children aged 5+ years.

For any queries, please email [email protected].

Haringey Council Kids in Museums Friends of Bruce Castle

22/10/2026

📣Calling women 65+!

Have you ever lived and/or worked in Haringey or any of its neighbouring boroughs?

Add your voice to a growing collection of stories of women’s experiences of work, told in women’s own words. This , we are especially interested to hear from women of colour, so that the resource will accurately represent the diversity of North London to future generations. If this sounds like something you or someone you know would be interested in, email: [email protected] for more information or to request an obligation-free phone call.

We hope to hear from you!

This callout for stories is part of a wider AHRC funded collaborative project with Dr Lyndsey Jenkins and Bruce Castle Museum & Archive: 'The National Woman's MP: Joyce Butler, women's rights and women's liberation from the 1950s to the 1970s'. To find out more, please visit:


College, Oxford Haringey CounciliArts and Humanities Research Council - AHRCngey Council Arts and Humanities Research Council - AHRC

22/10/2026

🚨Still time to book!🚨

👻 After Dark @ The Castle 👻

‘Bruce Castle is haunted, as everybody knows…If Bruce Castle is not haunted, then who stalks about in the turret class room when mortals are a-bed? And who…leaves nought behind him but a heavy feeling of presence in the darkness?’
The Brucian, 15 August, 1856

🗓Wed 28, Thurs 29 & Fri 30 October
🕘Tours at 6.30pm and 8.30pm
📍Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, N17 8NU
🎫Tickets £17.50 (including a drink)
🔗www.brucecastle.org/whats-on/special-events
Strictly for those aged 18 and over

🕯Visit the Candlelit Castle and be transported back to the Victorian age of ghost stories by costumed guides. They will share the sinister secrets and eerie experiences hidden inside the walls of one of London’s most haunted buildings.

🍷All tickets will include your choice of twilight tipple: either a glass of w**e or a warming hot chocolate.

🎃Each tour will run for an hour, with time afterwards to enjoy your refreshment. Costumes are very welcome, but not mandatory!

🚨These tours are strictly for adults 18 and over only.

🧐How to book:
To book your tickets please email us at [email protected] and provide us with the following information:
✏️Your name (and the names of other guests)
🔢The number of tickets you would like to buy
🗓The date (either 28 Oct, 29 Oct, or 30 Oct) and time (either 6.30pm or 8.30pm) of the tour you would like to attend
🔗We will then send you a payment link. Please ensure you that you pay for your ticket(s) within 48 hours of receiving the payment link

Haringey Council Friends of Bruce Castle

20/10/2026

Coming Up @ The Castle!

Harringay's Speedway Heroes: Bill Rust Memorial Lecture
🗓Sunday 8 November
🕘2pm
📍Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, Lordship Lane, N17 8NU
🎫FREE
🔗Booking essential via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/harringays-speedway-heroes-tickets-2003595398773?

Join Peter Lush of London League Publications Ltd for a special talk celebrating Harringay's Speedway heritage. A much loved pastime, many local people still recall going to Harringay Stadium (long since closed) to watch the great speedway riders. As well as being home to one of London's greatest speedway venues, some of the best racers also competed for the local team: Jack Parker, Vic Duggan and Split Waterman. Come along to the Museum to revisit some of your favourite memories, or to learn something new about the area's history.

Tea and Tottenham Cake will be served afterwards! You will also have the chance to purchase books about Harringay Speedway, published by London League Publications.

This talk will be commemorating a dear late Friend of our museum, Bill Rust, who so generously and kindly bought and got restored our 1937 speedway bike, proudly now on display at Bruce Castle Museum.

For any queries, please email [email protected]

Haringey Council

19/10/2026

SAVE THE DATE
⭐Festive Tottenham Flea @ Designers Fair @ The Castle⭐

🗓Saturday 28 November
🕘10.30am to 4.30pm
📌Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, N17 8NU
FREE entry
🫖Vintage cafe open all day

The much loved Festive Tottenham Flea & Designers Fair returns to Bruce Castle this November!

Make sure to in your calendars to come along to the Castle for vintage goods, artworks, retro collectibles and more! The perfect chance for you to do your Christmas shopping 🎁

📧For enquiries about having your own stall at the Fair (£40 per 6ft table), please contact [email protected]

10/10/2026

24/09/2026

👻 After Dark @ The Castle 👻

‘Bruce Castle is haunted, as everybody knows…If Bruce Castle is not haunted, then who stalks about in the turret class room when mortals are a-bed? And who…leaves nought behind him but a heavy feeling of presence in the darkness?’
The Brucian, 15 August, 1856

🗓Wed 28, Thurs 29 & Fri 30 October
🕘Tours at 6.30pm and 8.30pm
📍Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, N17 8NU
🎫Tickets £17.50 (including a drink)
🔗www.brucecastle.org/whats-on/special-events
Strictly for those aged 18 and over

🕯Visit the Candlelit Castle and be transported back to the Victorian age of ghost stories by costumed guides. They will share the sinister secrets and eerie experiences hidden inside the walls of one of London’s most haunted buildings.

🍷All tickets will include your choice of twilight tipple: either a glass of w**e or a warming hot chocolate.

🎃Each tour will run for an hour, with time afterwards to enjoy your refreshment. Costumes are very welcome, but not mandatory!

🚨These tours are strictly for adults 18 and over only.

🧐How to book:
To book your tickets please email us at [email protected] and provide us with the following information:
✏️Your name (and the names of other guests)
🔢The number of tickets you would like to buy
🗓The date (either 28 Oct, 29 Oct, or 30 Oct) and time (either 6.30pm or 8.30pm) of the tour you would like to attend
🔗We will then send you a payment link. Please ensure you that you pay for your ticket(s) within 48 hours of receiving the payment link

Haringey Council Friends of Bruce Castle