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. This runs alongside our permanent photographic exhibition, Eynsham Past and Present, in the downstairs gallery. Read more about our current and past exhibitions here.
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
JUNE 2026
The museum’s permanent exhibition, Eynsham from Prehistory to the 20th Century, is proving very popular. Delivery of the final cabinet for the display should happen by the end of June. Once it in place, we will consider a Grand Opening ceremony for the museum, possibly in September.
The Trustees have been busy, and have now approved the museum’s Annual Report (2025–26) to the Charities Commission. We are looking into having a new sign for the museum, which will require listed buildings approval and permission from West Oxfordshire District Council planners.
We would very much like to recruit more volunteer stewards to supervise the exhibits. If you are over 18 and can spare a couple of hours occasionally at weekends, we would be happy to show you how you can help. It is far from arduous and you get to meet interesting people. It is not necessary to know anything about Eynsham’s history! If you think you could help, please contact Steve Parrinder on info@eynshammuseum.org.uk.
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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).
- June 2026The Gibbons family were important property and business owners in Eynsham in Victorian times. They were involved in brewing, and were wine and spirits merchandisers, as well… Read more: June 2026
