• A Historic Building
• Delicious Home-made Lunches and Teas

Tymperleys is over 500 years old

Started in the 1490s by John Tymperley, steward to the Duke of Norfolk, Tymperleys is a timber-framed Tudor merchant house in the heart of pedestrianised Colchester. In the second half of the 16th century William Gilberd, founding father of electricity and physician to Elizabeth I lived at Tymperleys. Bernard Mason bought Tymperleys in the 1950s and undertook substantial renovations. An avid clock collector, he donated both the building his clock collection to the people of Colchester on his death. Tymperleys was a Clock Museum until October 2010 when it closed. The Charringtons of Layer Marney Tower bought a 125 year lease in December 2013 from the Colchester Borough Council and opened Tymperleys as a Restaurant Tearoom in May 2014.

Delicious Home-made Food

If you just need to take the weight off your feet and relax with a cup of coffee we're here for you. However, Tymperleys is also open for breakfast, lunch and tea and throughout the day we have our Quick Menu. It is more than just eggs! Patés, soups, quiches, burgers and sandwiches... There is something for everyone.

With the wake-me-up cappuccino Tymperleys can also provide a cheeky pastry or a hearty start of Eggs Benedict. Open from 9am-3.30pm, our range of delicious options will make it hard to choose whether to go sweet or savoury – perhaps you'll just have to go for both and one for the road...

From 10.30am-3.30pm our ever-changing, seasonal, locally sourced, home-cooked menu is served. It's a very short menu but it is of a quality that can be seen, smelt and tasted. Our Head Chef, Adam Tapia, has concentrated his considerable skills in creating something special and unique that will leave you wondering what will be on the menu next week and regretting you couldn't try everything today.

Recovering after yoga? Soothe those aching muscles with a revitalising herbal tea.

Our cakes and treats are all handmade on the premises. Elske Rowse, our Chief Cake Maker, makes both traditional cakes and cakes with a twist. Tymperleys has all flavours of your classic tearoom while also constantly producing modern, exciting items that will satisfy everyone's taste buds. Tarts, Cakes, Scones are just a few the many delights on offer.

Our Afternoon Tea is a real treat! The traditional 3 tiers with a selection of sandwiches on the bottom, miniature cakes and petit fours in the middle and mini scones served with clotted cream and Tiptree jam on the top. We do require 48 hours notice as we make this specially for you. Please call 01206 765034 to book your indulgent afternoon.

Celebrating a special occasion? Formal Afternoon Tea with Champagne – book at least 48 hours in advance and we will have everything ready for your arrival.

Venue Hire

Catering for private lunches or dinner parties of up to 50 people our chef creates menus that suit any occasion. Whether you are looking drinks and canapés, four course high-dining, finger food or a buffet it would be our pleasure to help make your event unique. No matter the time of day or night the first floor is exclusively yours and the garden too from 5pm.

An anniversary or a special birthday with just a few too many guests to fit into your own home? Come and take over Tymperleys for the afternoon or evening and we'll take all the stress of organising the event off your shoulders. With our private events room on the first floor and our staff dedicated to making you feel extremely welcome, you'll be returning year on year. For more information please contact us.

Are you looking for a small intimate affair for your wedding? Drinks in the garden it is, followed by an evening reception for up to 50 people. Please contact us for more information.

Looking for a centrally located venue in the centre of Colchester to hold your meeting or presentation that will set you apart from the crowd? Our private first floor rooms will really help you to make an impression. Whether you are looking for a full-on corporate lunch dressed to impress or a simple meeting space with tea and coffee provided, nowhere else will be able to provide you with such a relaxed atmosphere in such a brilliant location. Please contact us with any enquiries you have.

Booking Deposit Information

If you are interested in holding any kind of event at Tymperleys please do contact us at info@tymperleys.co.uk We will be happy to talk with you about what you are looking for. Our prices for an evening event start from £28 per person for a minimum of 15 people. We have sample menus we would be happy to send you or alternatively we can work out a menu unique to you and your evening here at Tymperleys. Venue hire, which secures the whole of Tymperleys and the garden after 5pm, is £300 and we ask for this as a deposit to secure your event. We keep it simple and we keep it clear with no hidden costs. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you create an event to be remembered.

For daytime events (9am-5pm), there is no venue hire fee and our menus start from £20 per person for a minimum of 10 people. Alternatively please look at our Meet and Eat Promotion. The first floor room, which can seat up to 30 people, is yours for 2 hours simply for a minimum spend of £60 from our everyday menu. If you have any questions or would like further information, please call us on 01206 765034 or email info@tymperleys.co.uk

Come and relax in our beautiful walled garden

What makes Tymperleys truly unique is the beautiful, large walled garden it is set in. This hidden patch of green, right in the heart of pedestrianized Colchester, is reminiscent of the Secret Garden. Whether you are visiting the historic town, doing a quick bit of shopping or needing a break in your busy day, as soon as you step through the archway, you leave the hustle and bustle of a busy town centre and find yourself in a different world.

Come and explore our traditional English walled garden filled with scented herbs and climbing roses and our famous Mulberry tree. Whether it's an ice cream you need with your children in the sun or a much needed glass of rosé with your lunch on a warm day, this garden is a hidden gem just waiting for you to find. Hot chocolate is at the ready for the hardy folk on a clear winter's day too!

Trading Since

May 2014

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