Hollytrees Museum

Hollytrees Museum is a publicly owned museum in the centre of Colchester and close to Colchester Castle. It is situated in an eighteenth-century house, which was used as a private residence until 1929, when it became a museum.

The first house on the site, known as "Symnells" after its owner, was later bought by the Shaw family, and passed from John Shaw to John Shaw III and John Shaw IV. When he died a minor, the house passed into chancery; his mother Jane Lessingham bought it but soon died. The modern house was constructed in for Elizabeth Cornelisen, who had bought the site from Lessingham's executors and promptly tore down the existing structure in poor condition.