Why Bicester Deserves it's Own Museum

For decades, local residents have expressed their wish for Bicester to have it's own museum; and yet, despite some occasional false hope, we are yet to see this proposal even considered.

When companies such as Bicester Heritage bought up land in the area, it was implied that they would include some sort of museum or exhibition, focusing on the history of the town and surrounding villages. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case (although to be fair to them, they did do a magnificent job of restoring the old RAF buildings).

When approached over the years, various councillors have stated that 'Bicester doesn't have enough history to warrant a museum'... Well, I beg to differ!

From straddling the ancient borderland between warring Iron Age tribes, being a place of profound strategic importance during the Roman period, and being caught in the crossfire during the English Civil War, our little corner of Oxfordshire is full to the brim with history - some of which is arguably of national importance. A monarch was even born just a few miles up the road, in Islip!

During the First and Second World Wars, Bicester played a massive role, training countless military personnel and organising the distribution of vital supplies.

Bicester has provided the museums in nearby Oxford (as well as some in London) with a plethora of archaeological discoveries, including many artefacts which show just how important this area was in days gone by.

Obviously, setting up a town museum would involve a lot of time and money (not to mention an entire army of dedicated volunteers)... But I genuinely believe that doing so would have many benefits.

As well as being a hub for local people to learn about Bicester's past, and to bring the objects found in and around the town back where they belong, a museum would be a fantastic place for schools to bring their students. It could also encourage tourists to venture into the town itself, after visiting Bicester Village designer outlet.

If funds and volunteer numbers allowed, activities could be arranged for children, like at the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock.

If a suitable building were to be found, it could even let out rooms within it to local organisations, such as youth or support groups. The local family and history societies could operate from the museum, and young people could complete work experience placements there, too.

I am convinced that we have enough history here to fill a modest building to the brim, and keep people of all generations amused.

All too often, Bicester is overlooked; it is high time that we reclaimed our place in Oxfordshire's story, as well as the story of the British Isles as a whole!

I am not naive - I am well aware that this would be a huge undertaking, and that there are a great many hurdles to get through. I am by no means an expert on how these things are done, either. I am simply a local person whose family has lived here for at least 450 years, if not even longer, and who wholeheartedly believes that the pros of such a project would vastly outweigh the cons.

If a museum were to be set up eventually, I would be more than happy to assist on a voluntary basis.

During my time at primary and secondary school, we learned hardly anything of the history of our own backyard - I would like to play a part in rectifying this for future generations.

#PreserveBicestersPast