Museums & Galleries · Bourton-on-the-Water
Tolsey Museum
📍 OX18 4QR
Photo: Colin Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- Keble leaded-bronze mortar cast by Edward Neale in 1659
- Vellum roll of burgesses' rules from 1605
- Decorated charter from Henry VII granting a fair
- Doll's house modelled on the Great House, Witney Street
- Displays on bell-founding, quarrying, roofing, brewing and rope-making crafts
The Tolsey Museum occupies the historic Tolsey building on Burford's High Street, built in the early 1500s as the town's market house and home to the Borough Court. Inside, themed cabinets display items with a strong Burford connection, including a 1659 bronze mortar, a 1605 vellum roll of burgesses' rules, a Henry VII charter, samplers, and a doll's house modelled on a local Great House, alongside trade and craft displays. It suits anyone curious about local history. Admission is free, though the museum is upstairs with no lift and no toilets on site, and opening is seasonal. Located in Burford, West Oxfordshire, within the Museums & Galleries category, it's a short stop near Shipton station and close to 36 nearby places to stay.
Practical details
- Open
- Daily 2–5pm, April to end of October
- Booking
- Closed January to March
- Accessibility
- First floor, accessible only by stairs, no on-site toilets
- Best for
- Visitors interested in local history and heritage
From the attraction's own website on 22 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Disabled Access
- ✓ Guided Tours
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Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
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🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Tolsey Museum into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
🚆 Or come by train
- Shipton 4.5 miles
- Ascott-Under-Wychwood 5.2 miles
- Kingham 6.6 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page