Glastonbury Tribunal

The late medieval courthouse that dominates Glastonbury's High Street is one of those buildings that actually stops you in your tracks. Built around 1480, this timber-framed structure with its jettied upper storey tells you immediately this is proper Somerset vernacular architecture. Inside, you're walking through rooms that have watched centuries of local justice play out - magistrates' courts, councils, administrative business. The ground floor was originally an open market hall; upstairs is where the real power sat.

It's a compact visit, maybe 45 minutes to an hour if you're thorough. The museum displays cover Glastonbury's medieval importance as an abbey town and the Tribunal's role in local governance, with period furnishings and explanatory panels. You'll get far more from it if you're into social history or architecture than if you're just ticking off tourist spots. Families with younger kids might find it a bit dry - there's limited interactive content.

English Heritage runs it, so standard admission applies (check their website for current pricing and opening hours). Street is just a mile away, which makes it easy to combine with a market town wander. If you're based at one of the nearby campsites like Old Oaks Touring or Bobsfield, it's an effortless rainy-day option. The real draw here is seeing how ordinary townspeople lived and governed themselves in medieval times, not grand spectacle. Worth an hour on your way through.