Museum of Rural Life at Waterperry Gardens

About the museum

The Museum of Rural Life is part of the Waterperry Gardens estate near Wheatley in Oxfordshire. It occupies an eighteenth-century granary building and is staffed mostly by volunteers, who help visitors find their way around the displays.

The museum holds a large collection of old horticultural and agricultural tools that show how people lived and worked in earlier times. There is a strong group of horse equipment, including brasses, terrets, swingers, horse bells, shoes and bits, among them harsh types that were banned in the early twentieth century. Veterinary instruments and household kitchen items add to the picture of country life.

Some objects are unusual. A rare set of brass stamps came from the Purton workhouse, and a nineteenth-century clockwork crow scarer fired blank 12-bore cartridges. There are also traps and alarm guns, about seventy brass beer-barrel bushes, decorative meat skewers and medieval pottery found on the Waterperry Estate. The collection is updated regularly and has an online catalogue.

Highlights

• Horse brasses, bells, shoes and bits, including bits banned in the early 20th century
• A rare set of brass stamps from the Purton workhouse
• A unique 19th-century clockwork crow scarer that fired blank cartridges
• About 70 brass beer-barrel bushes and decorative meat skewers
• Medieval pottery found on the Waterperry Estate

Permanent exhibition

• Museum of Rural Life – Horticultural and agricultural tools, horse equipment, veterinary instruments, household items and local finds in an 18th-century granary.

Operated by

Waterperry Gardens

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

The website says the only charge at Waterperry is for the ornamental gardens (adults £12.95 February to October and £9.00 November to January in 2026; children aged 16 and under free). No separate museum admission is stated. The plant centre, garden shop, gallery, gift barn and tea shop are also free to enter.

Accessibility

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

The estate website says all buildings are wheelchair accessible, and most paths are wide and compacted gravel. A unisex accessible toilet is in the main toilet block in the main car park. Push wheelchairs are free and motorised scooters can be borrowed; telephone 01844 339226 beforehand to book. Assistance animals are welcome. One carer or companion is admitted free per wheelchair user or visitor whose disability requires a carer (garden admission). The page gives no museum-specific access details.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Playground / play area

The estate has an outdoor children's play area and children's trails during the school holidays, and children aged 16 and under enter the gardens free (not if taking part in a trail). Child-friendly open-air theatre and opera are held in summer. Children should be supervised closely because the gardens have deep water.

Getting there & parking

Waterperry is about 7.5 miles from Oxford city centre. Leave the A40 at Wheatley and follow the brown signs. The satnav postcode given on the website is OX33 1LA.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Tea Shop serves homemade food, seasonal hot lunches and afternoon teas indoors and outdoors. A garden shop and gift barn are on the estate.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit