Burford's history timeline

See how Burford has developed since medieval times

The Burford Tolsey Museum is situated in the Tolsey which is located at 126 High St, Burford OX18 4QJ. It was built in the early 1500’s as the market house where traders came to pay tolls for the use of market facilities, and where the Borough Court met.

The Museum is open every day from April until the end of October 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. In November and December open at weekends only 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. or by prior arrangement. Closed January to March. Admission is free; donations are invited.

The museum is staffed by volunteers, so very occasionally we are unable to open because of volunteer shortage or illness.

The Burford Tolsey Archive in nearby Swan Lane opened in November 2022 to preserve Burford’s written and oral stories and images. These include a wealth of material ranging from medieval times to the present, plus fascinating accounts of human experiences over the centuries. For enquiries, or to arrange a visit, contact David Cohen on 07899 837482 or cohen4sp@btinternet.com

With the Self Guided Walking Tour of Burford you can discover the fascinating history of some of our historical buildings. Our circular, self paced walk, costs £4.99 and can be used on your browser or as an app on your mobile device – see the Self Guided Walk page under the Discover Burford menu.

Enjoy the local history Tolsey Talks which are exclusively delivered by Zoom every month starting in August 2022. For full details go to the What's On page. The talks can be purchased individually for £5 each or as a complete series at a discounted price.