Oundle Museum

About the museum

Oundle Museum grew out of a group of friends who met in 1981 on a course about the history of Oundle and went on to found the Oundle Historical Society. A small exhibition held in the town led to the idea of a permanent museum, which the Town Council backed. The museum was officially opened on 28 May 1994 in an upstairs room of the Old Drill Hall on Benfield Road.

In 2000, with a Heritage Lottery grant, it moved to the former Courthouse on Mill Road, which gave it a larger display area as well as office and storage space. The museum gained Accredited status in 2007. A former police station yard attached to the Courthouse was refurbished in 2009 and now shows farm and carpenters’ tools, mostly from the early twentieth century.

The permanent gallery covers the story of the town from the Iron Age through Roman, Saxon and medieval times to the modern day, and an original remand cell from the Courthouse can be visited upstairs. Each year the volunteers change the theme of the main exhibition room; the 2026 theme looks at the villages around Oundle. The museum is run entirely by volunteers under the Oundle Museum Trust, a registered charity, and has won regional heritage awards for its exhibitions and volunteer work.

Highlights

• Permanent gallery on Oundle from prehistory to modern times
• Original prisoner’s remand cell in the former Courthouse
• The Barn with farm and carpenters’ tools
• Interactive timeline of Oundle’s history
• Children’s Activity Room with dressing up and crafts

Permanent exhibitions

• Oundle’s history gallery – A permanent display on the story of Oundle from prehistoric times to the present, with Roman, Saxon and medieval finds.
• The Prisoner – An original remand cell preserved from the days when the building was Oundle’s Courthouse.
• The Barn – A refurbished former police station yard showing farm tools, agricultural implements and restored carpenters’ tools.

Founded

1994

Operated by

Oundle Museum Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free; as the museum is self-funded, donations are welcome.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

There is disabled access at both the front and the rear of the building, and a lift serves the first floor.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

The Activity Room is a special area for children of all ages, with dressing-up, craft and drawing activities that change each year to match the exhibition.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in the former Courthouse on Mill Road in the centre of Oundle.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum sells books and leaflets on local history; all profits go back into the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit