The historic Cranbrook Museum is a late 15th-century timber-framed building with a fascinating past. Originally, it is believed to have served as the residence of the bailiff for the Rectory Farm, which was owned by the Archbishops of Canterbury. Inside, you can still admire some remarkable original features, such as a dragon beam and a moulded corner post, though the building has seen numerous changes and additions over the years.

In the late 16th century, it was inhabited by Richard Taylor, a member of a wealthy clothier family in Cranbrook. In the 1620s, the medieval hall underwent a transformation with the addition of two new brick chimney stacks, complete with inglenook fireplaces that remain intact today. By the 17th century, the building served as the Rectory, and in 1683, Charles Buck, the vicar of Cranbrook, added brick facing to the north and west walls, as evident in the external plasterwork.

After 1995, the entire building was conserved and refurbished by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council to accommodate the growing museum collections and archives. The historical significance of the structure was officially recognized with a Grade II listing in 1967.