Uncovering the history of an ancient village
Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre (EMHC) was established in 2021. Our aims are: to showcase some of the wonderful objects that bring to life Eynsham’s long and distinguished history; nurture pride in the community for its roots; and provide inspiration for future generations.
In March 2023, Eynsham Parish Council granted EMHC a lease on the Bartholomew Room in the Market Square. In autumn 2023, we held our first exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, which was so popular that it needed an extended run.
Our next exhibition, Rural Eynsham, ran from 13 July to 27 October 2024, and was very well-received by villagers and visitors to Eynsham alike. Alongside this, our popular photographic exhibition, Eynsham Past and Present, gave a fascinating glimpse into the changing face of the village. We reopened both exhibitions on 5 April 2025, and they ran until the end of August 2025.
At the end of September 2025, we opened our permanent exhibition in the upstairs gallery, Eynsham from Prehistory to the 20th Century (see below). This is running alongside our permanent photographic exhibition, Eynsham Past and Present, in the downstairs gallery.
The museum’s opening hours are weekends and bank holidays from 11am to 4pm. Entry is free; donations are very welcome.
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News
OCTOBER 2025
We are delighted to have reopened our doors after refurbishment of the museum. Our permanent exhibition, Eynsham from Prehistory to the 20th Century, and photographic exhibition, Eynsham Past and Present, are now open until Sunday 26 October at the usual weekend opening times of 11am–4pm.
In the upstairs gallery, come and see a mammoth tooth and a Bronze Age spearhead (and, all being well, a 130,000-year-old handaxe, too), alongside stones and tiles ((including one with graffiti) from Eynsham Abbey. Pottery, coins and brooches from Roman times, and cannon and musket shots from the 17th-century Civil War are also on display, alongside distinctive bottles from Eynsham soft drinks manufacturer, Blake & Co, which started production in 1877. The ever-popular working model of Eynsham railway station will be part of the exhibition, supported by a selection of railway memorabilia.
In the downstairs gallery, old photos and prints of Eynsham are displayed alongside their modern equivalents. Can you see your own property or properties you are familiar with? Visitors really enjoy seeing how the village has changed over the years!
On 26 September, we were honoured by a visit from The Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Mrs Marjorie Glasgow BEM. The visit went very well, and Mrs Glasgow was very interested and enthusiastic about the exhibition, calling it inspirational. Her words in the visitor’s book are:
Such a brilliant example of dedicated local people working to create a gift for all. Congratulations.
M.N. Glasgow H.M. Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
We have recently uploaded two videos to the Exhibitions page of the website, which have been available for visitors to see in the museum. The first video, kindly provided by John Richards, is a ride on the last passenger train to run through Eynsham (in 1963). The second video, with thanks to Martin Flatman, is a walk around the village pointing out which building used to be farms. They are both really fascinating to watch, and each is just a few minutes long.
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** For previous news items, please go to the News archive. **
Object of the month
For more about Object of the Month, click on the next link (date heading).
- October 2025After the introduction of tobacco by Sir Walter Raleigh in the 16th century, and prior to the growth of the popularity of cigarettes during the First World… Read more: October 2025
