Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre
Registered Charity No. 1197006
Email- info@eynshammuseum.org.uk
Eynsham Museum and Heritage Centre Trustees Report to the Charities Commission for 16 May 2025 to 15 May 2026
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to the charity’s objectives. The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission.
Our second temporary exhibition, Rural Eynsham, was extended to mid-August 2025, after which we curated our permanent exhibition on Eynsham’s Story from Prehistory to the 21[st] Century .
A professionally printed timeline on five large boards was installed above the stairs and in the upstairs room.
Part of the Timeline
We acquired seven new display cabinets and plinths to display artefacts from each period.
Roman artefacts found in Eynsham
Central plinth with stones from Eynsham’s Lost Abbey
The working model railway of Eynsham Station and its environs was retained as part of the display for the 19[th] century, but also because of the popularity of the model with residents who remembered the railway with affection, with model and railway enthusiasts from far and wide, and with young people.
We have negotiated loans from:
Oxford University Natural History Museum – Eynsham’s oldest human artefact, a 200,000-year-old ‘handaxe’
Oxfordshire Museums Resources Centre – stones and artefacts from Eynsham Abbey, and a Steppe Mammoth tooth, also 200,000 years old.
Additional details of objectives and activities.
Fundraising included: a special performance of Under Wytham Wood by the Eynsham Poetry Group which raised £500 and a weekend book and cake sale which raised over £800. Sales of books, cards, and jewellery every day we are open and donations to the museum from visitors.
We expanded our ‘Friends’ group and put on talks of historic Eynsham and a ‘Friends’ social and special viewing of our new permanent exhibition
We received grants from the Garfield Weston Foundation (£2,500), the Doris Field Trust (£500) and Eynsham Parish Council (£250)
Donations from local residents and businesses amounted to nearly £2,000 Website and social media accounts added to and maintained
We installed a new lighting system and wall sockets to enable displays to be better highlighted.
Window locks on all 25 windows and extra locks fitted to the main door as extra security measures.
Outreach included :
-
Talk to South Stoke History Group and invitation to the museum.
-
East Hanney History Group visited the museum.
-
In October we opened during the week for six groups from the local primary school. The children were learning about Eynsham’s History and the old railway in particular.
-
Articles in the Eynsham News and the Eynsham Record. A regular newsletter to all our supporters who were happy to receive by email.
-
An interview with Witney radio (WRFM) to publicise the new exhibition.
-
We registered with the Cotswold Tourist Board
-
We had a stall at the annual flower festival in July and at the annual Parish Meeting in March 2026
-
Collaboration with the Flintlock Theatre to record people’s memories of Eynsham past and establish a history trail around the village with scannable QR codes at important sites.
-
Visits from: the CEO and Directors at West Oxfordshire District Council; Callum Miller M.P. and Marjorie Glasgow, the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
Marjorie Glasgow, Lord Lieutenant
Callum Miller M.P.
Acquisitions included:
A ‘modified’ 1797 ‘cartwheel’ penny; a piece of 19[th] century horse harness with the name of the harness maker in Eynsham; a builder’s Specification for the building of a Primitive Methodist Chapel in 1861;
fragments of ‘Railway Inn’ pottery from the 1880s; a medieval stone fishing net weight; cannon balls, probably 17[th] century; a 1889 oil painting of Eynsham Wharf Stream ; an early 14[th] century horse harness pendant; a Roman coin of Emperor Valens (4[th]
century); 17[th] century lead shot; 13[th] century Eynsham Abbey floor tile and tile fragments, and a metal plate, inscribed T.T. Florey GWR Eynsham. All Catalogued.
Plans for 2026/7:
-
Install a professionally shot video on the permanent exhibition to be shown in the downstairs room for visitors with mobility issues.
-
Plan temporary exhibitions for the downstairs room.
-
Recruit more stewards
-
Fundraising
-
Investigate the establishment of a regular local history research facility.
-
Encourage younger people to become involved in the administration and organisation of the museum.
Summary of main Achievements of the charity for the period.
We have set up the permanent exhibition on Eynsham’s Story
Our exhibitions continued to attract interest not just from the local community but from many parts of the Home Counties and even further afield. Comments in the visitor’s book and to stewards were 100% positive and congratulatory.
We have successfully managed the building leased from the parish council, remaining financially viable.
RECONaLIATION 16 May 2025 to 15 Wy 2026 IY0512026 FRIENDS tsONAllON5 SALE5 HIRER FEES GRANT>ind £276foretth3 FUND RWSING GIFfAIO TALKS, EVENTS.EXH181Th)NS OTHER Total IwThe FVNDW114G EXPEN5E5 HIRE INSUWI 6&91 I539$ S79. 9732 1675.50 505n7 766.52 1112. 28AQ 167.50 15997.35 OFHCE & OThER fAPENSES WIIFIVEP4M Cf EQUIPMENT MAINTENAN(E ( 8VILoINGILots£x0i (IEANING 5326D) 1116.35 124531 MUSEUfil0ut. PRINTING & PUBLIC4710NS 12721ts1 21317J)8 Income Expendknre 12ni.61 21317J 379S.65 ius(hequeslDD undeared 3796.65 9454 •Y5A7 Peitygsh Onplw cw¥ia•l•n 8alanceB/Ffram 15105125 balanceof lncomelexpend•1Qr Baknceat TJtsl LessFUNDS& RESERI 394LIY 2W. 1941.19 4595A7 Sl6ned byth•lrof Triw••%- 0•1tr4Jw EN F PARRINQER C014Tr181moNTO FLINDS fWtT¢M4 kn AJNDS& RESERVES Iprvlo ars1 9321.IXI I. Mu5eum&fltUni 0. Grnnts & 2. Major Rwlr5 &Q•corntlnyvJLthJ&OKU RESERVES 3.Genernl Reserntr£510transfvrtdt0Fu 1 TOTAL ts997m om 350J 8102 sio.{ 17373 19]. 3Y).QQ 11271. P4oteon thtAC£ts83lartr The PalJrKe Lrf£3911 ovallabfr Sp&C0ur tharltat4e purposeL Wearea new museurn and our biiexpenseshbtwtrfbtt1ref IhE Musewn ublnet¥ Wlngetrfor pernanent Co1n$and chèTrOn8 exhlbltlons. Wehaye recekd50Irants Fu# payforthefft rortof theM&eUm so funds¥Rerevsed from Fund 3 General fteser4. We needapFwty ÉaxKJtQ to FWKI I forth2 lathWtyia5e. whlth 15 on L¥thr, ILYother dIsp¥ materlalsand to kndAdeotwsOfiWemh1knlx)rtsffi the¢kn7thvs PcforYt¢StrJ(w¥)t ThTrathe st& We plan fund ra151ni Spenton newexhlbl1ns To pay InZ026127:. Exhlbttlon Pllnths-Wer pLxed Film5. ¥ideotourn etCforVtfiOorPC Othef Dtsplty rTraterfa Totals
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusta nwmber4 of On accounts for tho y•ar ondod Period 16 May 2025 to 15 May 2026 Charity no (If any) 1197006 Set out on pages Income for the year £12.721.61 Exwmjilure for the year £21.317.08 I report to the trust888 on my examination of the accounts of th8 above chanty (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 1510512026. Rospon8lbllftles and A8 the charity truees of the Tru6t. you are respsible for the preparatlon ba818 of roport of the accounts in accordance wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Acr). I report in resp of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Ad and in Carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission urKler seclion 145(5){b) of the Aix. I have completed my examination. I confim that materlal matter8 have Come to my attention (other than that di8¢losed below") in connection with the examination which gives me Cause lo believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with 88ction 130 of the Act or the accourrts do not accord with the accounting rec4xd8 Ind•p•nd•nt examln•r's $tat•m•nt I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a oper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Ple&8e delete the 4MYds in the brnLets rfttsy do not apply. Signod: Date: 2710712026 Nam•: Jennrfer Clarke Relevant profos8ion•l qualiflcation(s> or body (If any): ACA (ICAEW) Address: 22 Falstaff Close Eynsham OX29 4QA IER October 2018