Dover's Gothic Revival: The Mayor's Parlour Open Days

Explore the latest Landmark Trust property in Dover's historic town centre, completed in spring 2025. 

The Mayor’s Parlour is located inside Dover’s revived Medieval town hall Maison Dieu. Following a multi-million pound restoration, Maison Dieu is now a vibrant visitor attraction and cultural hub for Dover. The Maison Dieu was conceived by architect and designer William Burges, arch-proponent of the High Victorian Dream at its most dazzling.

Entry to Mayor's Parlour and Maison Dieu is free. Information on the building's history and children’s activity sheets will be available. Pre-booking is preferred, but drop-in's on the day are welcome. 

About the Mayor's Parlour

The Maison Dieu (meaning House of God) began as a monastery around 1200, offering 'hospitality for all strangers', chiefly pilgrims travelling to Canterbury Cathedral to visit the shrine of Thomas Becket. The site has passed through many uses over the centuries, until 1834 when it was bought by Dover Corporation to be Dover's Town Hall. The Corporation set about converting Maison Dieu for public and civic use, and in 1859 brought in architects Ambrose Poynter to restore the ancient fabric and convert it for its new role. The young William Burges was his assistant.

Following a period of decline for Maison Dieu, Dover District Council (DDC) undertook an ambitious £8.5m project at Maison Dieu, including support from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, to restore the whole complex and bring it back into vibrant use. Working with DCC and architects Haverstock LLP, we are delighted to have brought the Mayor’s Parlour Block suite of rooms back to life, set in one corner of the upper ground floor with a private staircase to further rooms above.

Getting there

Address: Maison Dieu, Biggin Street, Dover, CT16 1DL

By car: There is no parking at this Landmark. Visitors arriving by car should use the town's public car parks. Pencester Car Park is around a 6-minute walk. There is no parking available at Maison Dieu. 

By train: Dover Priory railway station is just under half a mile from the Maison Dieu.

By bus: The local buses are run by Stagecoach, www.stagecoach.com, and there is a stop in Ladywell Street.

Please note: 'Maison Dieu Guest House' nearby should not be confused with the Mayor's Parlour at Maison Dieu and is not connected to this event. 

Accessibility

Most of the Maison Dieu is accessible however, regrettably there is no wheelchair access to the Mayor's Parlour, due to the narrowness of the historic door openings which are part of its listed building status. Images of the Mayor's Parlour will be available on a big screen as an alternative for those unable to view it on the day.

The Mayor's Parlour is set over three floors and there is no lift access in this area of the building. 

Registered assistance dogs only will be admitted. Public toilet facilities are available in the Maison Dieu. 

We do all we can to enable access wherever possible; for further information or if you have any access concerns that you’d like to discuss before visiting, please contact our Booking Enquiries team on 01628 825925 or [email protected]. The Booking Office is open Mon to Fri - 9am to 5pm.

Open Day entry

Due to the historic nature of our buildings we have a limited capacity for our Open Day events. You may therefore be asked to wait a short time while other visitors finish their visit. Whilst booking is not essential, priority will be given to those who have booked in advance. Thank you for your co-operation.

Donating to Landmark as part of your visit

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to visit a Landmark for free as part of our Open Day programme, and as such we’re pleased to continue to offer free entry at all our Open Days in 2026. 

The Landmark Trust is a building conservation charity that relies on donations to support its work. Over the past 60 years, public support has helped us rescue over 200 historic buildings and make them available for all to experience and enjoy. Your support by attending our events, booking a workshop, and making a donation allows us to continue to save buildings at risk and continue to maintain those already in our care. Your donation could help train the craftspeople needed to restore a future Landmark, offer opportunities for young people to experience history first-hand, or provide a charity with free Landmark stay for their service users through our 50 for Free scheme.

Donations can be made when you book your Eventbrite ticket, at the event via contactless donation points, or after your visit via our website under Support.