Winchcombe Museum

16/08/2026

On the left below is a section of the mosaic pavement in Spoonley Wood. On the right are two pictures made by visitors to Winchcombe Museum. The one at the top is an attempt to copy the guilloche (intertwined ribbons) design. If you are looking for things for children to do in the holidays, why not bring them to the museum to have a go?
We are open from 10:00 until 4:00 every day except Monday.

11/08/2026

Yesterday, our local MP, Cameron Thomas, visited Winchcombe Museum to meet our volunteers. The museum is run entirely by volunteers, and we are always eager to welcome new recruits to our team. If you have a little time to spare, want to meet people and learn about the history of the town, come and chat to one of our volunteers or contact us on [email protected].

11/08/2026

🌘 Watching Wednesday’s Eclipse Safely – No Special Glasses Needed! 🌘

If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can still enjoy Wednesday’s eclipse safely using a simple projection method. All you need is a pair of binoculars and a plain white piece of paper.

⚠️ Important:
DO NOT look at the sun directly.
DO NOT look at the sun through binoculars.
Even a quick glance can cause permanent eye damage.

✨ Safe Viewing Method: Binocular Projection
You can project the eclipse onto a sheet of paper instead of looking at the sun.

Here’s how:

1. Hold your binoculars so the eyepiece end is pointing toward the paper.

2. Keep the binoculars a short distance above the paper.

3. Move them slowly until the image comes into focus.

4. You’ll see a bright circle of light appear — during the eclipse, this will show the moon moving across the sun.

5. Enjoy watching the eclipse safely as it’s projected onto the paper.

This simple setup turns your binoculars into a mini solar projector, letting you experience the eclipse without risking your eyesight.

Stay safe and enjoy the show in the sky this Wednesday 🌖✨

27/07/2026

The next FREE guided Winchcombe walk is 2nd August, see below for more details

What's On - Free Town Walks - Winchcombe Guided Town Walks are back

08/07/2026

Lots of local memories of this little alley round the corner.

🖤 Murder Alley, Winchcombe

Hidden away in the heart of Winchcombe is this tiny passageway known as Murder Alley.

The name has been part of the town for generations, although historians aren’t certain exactly how it got it. Like so many old places, it has become wrapped in local folklore and mystery. 🏡✨

What makes this place even more special to me is the family connection.

My mum always told me that my great nan lived in the house directly opposite and witnessed the murder that supposedly gave the alley its name. I’ve never been able to prove whether that’s true, but it’s one of those stories that has been passed down through my family for years.

As a little girl, I remember visiting that very house, so every time I walk through here, it brings back childhood memories as well as a sense of curiosity. ❤️

I absolutely love finding hidden places like this—where history, mystery and personal memories all seem to meet.

📍Have you ever walked through Murder Alley?

03/07/2026

We are celebrating Winchcombe Pottery's Centenary with a display of pots by people who trained at the museum and then moved on to establish their own studios.
Of course, we still have some beautiful pots on display by Winchcombe's master potters - Michael Cardew, Ray Finch and Sid Tustin.
It is free to visit the museum, although we do appreciate donations as we have no external funding. Open from 10:00a.m. until 4:00p.m. every day except Monday.

02/07/2026

Winchcombe Museum volunteers, including me of course, are being briefed on the new exhibition to celebrate the Centenary of Winchcombe Pottery. As you can see, I am not very interested; I know that Anne has treats in her pocket!
Do come and visit! As you can see, well-behaved dogs are welcome in the museum, and there are activities for children.
The museum is open from 10:00 until 4:00 every day except Monday.

16/04/2026

This marvellous photo is The Marquis of Granby: one of Winchcombe's Lost Pubs, part of an exciting new exhibition at Winchcombe Museum. It was named after Lieutenant John Manners, who became Commander in Chief of the British Army in 1766. He was known to be incredibly loyal to his men, often helping them when they were invalided out of the army by setting them up as republicans. They often returned the favour by naming their pub after him, and The Marquis of Granby still remains one of the most popular pub names today.

Our Marquis of Granby was on North Street and was a pub until 1915 when the licensing authorites closed many pubs in an attempt to increase the war effort.

You can find out all about the many old pubs in town by popping into the Museum - entry is free (with an optional donation) and we are open 10am - 4pm everyday except Monday. Huge thanks to Alistair, Anne and the Museum team for all their research on this project.

14/04/2026

Do you have a favourite Winchcombe Pub? Here at Winchcombe Museum we have a fascinating new exhibition - Winchcombe's Lost Pubs, looking at the many famous (infamous?) hostelries that have graced our town over the years. Here are a few photos to err wet your whistle. It would be great to hear some of your favourites - whether they are pubs of yesteryear or some of the fabulous ones still welcoming visitors today.

Winchcombe Museum is open 10am - 4pm everyday except Monday. Entry is free (with an option donation), there is a lift and dogs are allowed.

Pub Photos - (all of these are sadly former pubs and some are now residential houses so please don't pop in for a pint)
The Harvest Home, Greet
The Bell Inn, Greet Road
The Unicorn, Gloucester Street
The Grape Vine, North Street
The Old Pack Horse, Gloucester Street



Please note - the Museum will be CLOSED from 2pm on Sunday 26th April, re-opening at 10am on Friday 1st May to allow for a new exhibition space to be installed. Apologies for any inconvenience.