Uncovering the history of an ancient village
Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre (EMHC) is a registered charity that was established in 2021 in order 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. Our aim is to involve the whole community, especially children and young people, in planning, designing and running a new Museum in the heart of the village.
We hope to be able to fully open the Museum in Spring 2024.
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News
November 2023
Our hugely successful temporary exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, is now closed. But watch this space, as we may be able to open the doors to the exhibition again in Spring 2024! For now, we thank all of you who visited, and who gave your wonderful and helpful feedback. Thanks, too, to the EMHC volunteers who made it possible to open the Museum doors and, of course, to everyone involved with putting together the exhibition itself.
In November 2023, Eynsham Day Centre invited Steve Parrinder of EMHC to give a talk to senior citizens during one of their regular Monday Clubs. The event was held at the Village Hall and the subject was Eynsham’s Lost Railway.
October 2023
We are delighted to say that, due to the popularity of our temporary exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, we are going to keep the exhibition open for longer. So do come along at weekends, between 11am and 4pm, throughout the rest of October and to the end of November 2023 to read about the history of the railway and to see the detailed working model of the station and its surroundings. We look forward to welcoming you.
September 2023
Our temporary exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, is proving to be a great success. In the first four weekends of opening, we had 780 visitors!
Comments left in the Visitor Book indicate that people were very impressed, particularly with the model railway. Local residents were especially interested and grateful, but we also had people come from far and wide, from Havant to Manchester — and even a couple from San Antonio, Texas! The exhibition seems to appeal to all ages, too, from teenagers to retirees, to families with young children. For those who might find the stairs challenging, we have put together a video of the display, which can be viewed downstairs.
We have learned a lot from people who can remember the railway and its station, and some railway buffs have been able to correct some of our labelling. We have also had offers of artefacts for the Museum, and a number of people have signed up to become Friends of Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre, providing us with some financial security.
If the model railway maker is agreeable to the idea, we may extend the exhibition.
August 2023
Eynsham Museum’s first temporary exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, is now open! We look forward to welcoming you at weekends until the end of October, and also on the August Bank Holiday.
Four different postcards of the model railway are available to purchase at the Museum. You can see them by clicking on Visit.
July 2023
We are delighted to announce a temporary exhibition, Eynsham’s Lost Railway, which will be open for visitors at weekends and on the August bank holiday, during August to October 2023. Come and see an accurate working model of Eynsham’s railway, which was closed down in the 1960s.
May 2023
The Eynsham Museum project has been a long time in the planning, but it is at last coming to fruition!
For some time, we have been fundraising and searching for a suitable home. We have had enthusiastic support from Eynsham History Group and the Eynsham Society, as well as donations from individuals and members of the public. The Oxfordshire Museum Resources Centre have helped enormously, too – not least the fantastic Heritage Day in March 2022, for which we jointly won an award.
All we lacked was a home for the Museum. The perfect location – the Bartholomew Room in the Square – became available last year. There have been a few unexpected hitches, but we now have the keys!
We are greatly indebted to Eynsham Parish Council for all their support and encouragement, and for granting us the lease. Having a building for Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre will mean that we can start to apply for the grant funding we need to design, plan and fit it out. We can then properly celebrate and enjoy our local heritage!
We will be looking to involve the community soon in the creation of the Museum. Watch this space!
September 2022
In September 2022, Eynsham’s Heritage Day won a National Award for an ‘Engagement and/or Collaboration Project’ from the Society for Museum Archaeology. It was received by Steve Parrinder at Nottingham University.
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Object of the month
For more about Object of the Month, click on the next link (date heading).
- December 2023This handaxe is about 130,000 years old, dating from the so-called Eemian period. It was found in a gravel pit near Eynsham Station in 1924 and donated… Read more: December 2023
