Chipping Norton Museum (also known as Chipping Norton Museum of Local History) is an independent local museum located on the High Street in the town of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, England. The museum is situated on the first floor of the Chipping Norton Co-operative Society Hall, a building dating from the 1880s.
History
The museum first opened in March 1986 in the old schoolroom of the Baptist Chapel on New Street. It moved to its current location in 1995. The museum's collection began with a large donation of agricultural tools from Mr. Tom Pitt of Chadlington, many of which remain on display.
Exhibits
The museum's exhibits present Chipping Norton's development from Saxon times, including its role as a market town involved in the wool trade. Displays include:
- Prehistoric and Roman artefacts excavated from the local area
- "From Saxon Manor to Market Town" — a pictorial history
- A display of farming equipment
- Local industries, including Bliss Tweed Mill and Hitchmans Brewery
- "Chippy at War" — covering the Home Front during wartime
- "Granny's Kitchen" — a hands-on replica of a historic kitchen
- An exhibition on Chipping Norton Baseball Club, former All England Champions
- Law and order in Chipping Norton
- A reference section for family history research, including copies of parish records
- A collection of more than two thousand postcards of local places and events
Operations
The museum is independent and volunteer-run. It is operated by the local history society. The museum's collections policy limits acquisitions to items associated with Chipping Norton or within a five-mile radius of the town.
