Wool House, Southampton

Wool House is a well-preserved medieval building whose history stretches back to the late 14th century. As its name suggests, it was originally built to store wool before it was shipped overseas, particularly to Italian trading cities such as Venice and Genoa. At the time, wool was one of England’s most valuable exports, and Southampton was a busy trading port, with large merchant ships regularly arriving and departing.

Over the centuries, however, the Wool House served several very different purposes. During the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century, it was used as a prison for French prisoners of war. Some of them carved their names into the wooden beams, leaving behind traces of their time here.

In the early 20th century, the building became home to the Moonbeam Engineering Company, which manufactured motor launches and marine equipment. It was also here that Edwin Moon, an early aviation pioneer, worked on designing and building an aircraft. In 1910, he successfully flew his plane from a site that would later become Southampton International Airport.

The Wool House took on another role in 1966, when, following restoration by Southampton City Corporation, it opened as the Southampton Maritime Museum. For nearly five decades, the museum told the story of the city's seafaring past, including its connections to famous ocean liners and the RMS Titanic. The museum eventually closed in 2012, when its collections were transferred to the new SeaCity Museum.

The following year, the Wool House briefly became an arts venue, hosting exhibitions, workshops, and live performances. Then, in 2015, it found yet another purpose, reopening as the Dancing Man Brewery, a brewpub and restaurant that brought new life to this historic building.

With more than six centuries of change under its belt, this medieval structure now has a commemorative plaque on its exterior, recalling its long and varied record. In recognition of its exceptional importance, today the Wool House is protected as a listed site.