Anglo-Saxon Stonework: A New Acquisition
A recently donated fragment offers fresh insight into the carving traditions of the tenth-century mason's workshop.
Regulated by the Charity Commission
Custodians of the Anglo-Saxon legacy
Volunteer-led, community-focused
Our mission
A living record of an extraordinary English village
Earls Barton Museum Trust exists to collect, conserve, interpret and share the material and documentary heritage of Earls Barton — a village whose tenth-century Anglo-Saxon church tower remains one of the most important surviving examples in Europe.
We work in partnership with schools, researchers, local government and heritage funders to make our collections accessible to all, regardless of background or means. Admission to the museum is free.
1,200+
Artefacts in collection
35
Years serving the community
8,400
Annual visitors
52
Active volunteers
What we do
Three pillars of our work
Heritage preservation
Conservation of artefacts, archives and architectural fragments belonging to the village.
Learn moreEducation & research
School programmes, public lectures and research access for historians and students.
Learn moreCommunity engagement
Volunteer-led exhibitions, oral-history projects and events that bring the village together.
Learn moreFrom the collection
A thousand years of Northamptonshire life
From Anglo-Saxon stonework fragments to the tools of Earls Barton's renowned shoemaking trade, our collections trace the working life and faith of a single parish across ten centuries.
- · Anglo-Saxon & medieval ecclesiastical objects
- · Industrial-era shoemaking tools and records
- · Photographic archive of the village (c. 1860–present)
- · Parish documents, deeds and oral histories
Education & outreach
Inspiring the next generation of historians
Each year we welcome more than 2,000 schoolchildren through our doors. Our curriculum-aligned programmes are delivered free of charge to primary and secondary schools across Northamptonshire, supported by trained volunteer educators and visiting researchers.
Heritage at risk
Guardians of All Saints' Church and the Anglo-Saxon tower
The Trust works alongside the parish and Historic England to support the long-term conservation of one of the finest surviving Anglo-Saxon towers in Europe — a monument central to the village's identity and to early English history.
Our preservation work"An indispensable resource for anyone researching Anglo-Saxon Northamptonshire. The trustees and volunteers are exemplary stewards."
Dr. Margaret Holloway
Senior Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Leicester
"Our pupils talk about their visit for weeks afterwards. The Trust makes history feel real and immediate."
James Whitcombe
Headteacher, Earls Barton Primary School
"Decades of careful, unglamorous work have built something the whole village trusts and cherishes."
Cllr. Rosalind Pearce
Earls Barton Parish Council
Working in partnership with
Arts Council England
Historic England
Heritage Fund
Northamptonshire ACRE
Museums Association
Latest news & events
From the museum
Annual Report 2024–2025 Published
Read about a year of growth, conservation milestones and our continued service to the community.
Heritage Lottery Grant Awarded
Funding secured to digitise the village photographic archive and make it freely available online.
Every donation conserves a piece of our shared history
As a small, volunteer-run charity, we rely on the generosity of individuals, trusts and grant-making bodies to keep our doors open and our collections cared for.
About the Trust
A small charity with an enduring purpose
Founded in 1989 by a group of local historians and parishioners, Earls Barton Museum Trust exists to safeguard the village's documentary and material heritage for everyone, now and in the future.
Who we are
Earls Barton Museum Trust (charity number 800531) is an independent UK registered charity governed by a voluntary board of trustees and supported by a dedicated team of more than fifty volunteers. We operate the village museum on Harrowick Lane and steward an archive of more than 1,200 catalogued artefacts.
What we do
Our charitable objects, as registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, are: the advancement of education and the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage and science — specifically the preservation and interpretation of the history of Earls Barton and the surrounding parish.
Our values
- Accessibility — admission and educational programmes are free.
- Integrity — we operate openly and account for every donation we receive.
- Stewardship — we treat the collections as a public trust, not as our property.
- Community — the village is our reason for existing and our principal partner.
Recognition
The Trust is an Accredited Museum under the UK Museum Accreditation Scheme administered by Arts Council England, and a member of the Museums Association and the South East Midlands Museums Group.
Discover the people who lead the Trust and the policies that guide our work.
Our story
Three decades of stewardship
From a card index in a parish hall cupboard to an accredited village museum — the history of the Trust mirrors the broader recovery of local heritage in England.
1989
The Trust is founded
A working group of parishioners and historians establish the Trust to safeguard documents and artefacts then held privately.
1991
Registered as a charity
The Trust is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under number 800531.
1996
Museum opens to the public
The collection finds its permanent home on Harrowick Lane. Free admission is established as a founding principle.
2004
Accreditation awarded
The museum is accepted into the UK Museum Accreditation Scheme administered by Arts Council England.
2011
Education programme launched
Curriculum-aligned schools programme begins; partnerships established with primary and secondary schools across the county.
2018
Archive digitisation begins
First phase of digitising the village photographic and parish archive, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
2024
35th anniversary
More than 200,000 visitors welcomed since opening; collection now exceeds 1,200 catalogued objects.
Governance
Governance & Trustees
The Trust is governed by a board of seven volunteer trustees who meet at least quarterly. Trustees serve renewable terms of three years.
Dr. Eleanor Whitcombe
Chair of Trustees
Retired Reader in Medieval History, University of Northampton. Trustee since 2017.
Mr. Dillon Wood
Trustee & Curator
Museums Association AMA. Responsible for collections care and public programme.
Mrs. Margaret Holloway
Honorary Treasurer
Chartered Accountant (FCA). Oversees financial management and audit.
Rev. Thomas Brackenbury
Trustee
Rector, All Saints' Earls Barton. Liaison for built heritage and ecclesiastical matters.
Cllr. Rosalind Pearce
Trustee
Earls Barton Parish Council representative. Community engagement lead.
Mr. Andrew Fenwick
Trustee
Retired primary head teacher. Safeguarding lead.
Ms. Priya Sharma
Trustee
Solicitor (non-practising). Governance and compliance.
Structure
The Trust is a charitable trust governed by a Declaration of Trust dated 14 March 1989 and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under number 800531.
Sub-committees
- Audit & Risk Committee — meets twice yearly; chaired by the Honorary Treasurer.
- Collections Committee — reviews acquisitions, disposals and loans against published policy.
- Safeguarding Panel — reviews safeguarding incidents and policy at each meeting.
Conflicts of interest
All trustees complete an annual declaration of interests. The register is held by the Honorary Treasurer and available for public inspection by prior arrangement.
Accountability
Transparency & Financials
As a UK registered charity, we publish audited accounts annually and submit them to the Charity Commission. We are committed to openness about how funds are raised and spent.
Where your money goes
Charitable activities72%
Collections care & conservation14%
Fundraising costs6%
Governance & administration8%
Figures from the audited Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Income sources
- Charitable donations and Gift Aid
- Grants from charitable trusts and statutory funders
- Membership and Friends scheme
- Modest income from publications and merchandise
- Legacies and in-memoriam gifts
External review
Our accounts are independently examined annually by Hartwell Mason & Co., Chartered Accountants, Northampton.
Public inspection
Our latest accounts and Trustees' Annual Report are filed with the Charity Commission and available on our Annual Reports page.
Public record
Annual Reports
Our Trustees' Annual Report and audited financial statements, filed each year with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Annual Report 2024–2025
PDF · 1.4 MB
Annual Report 2023–2024
PDF · 1.3 MB
Annual Report 2022–2023
PDF · 1.2 MB
Annual Report 2021–2022
PDF · 1.1 MB
Earlier reports are available on request — please contact the Honorary Treasurer at the museum.
The collection
A thousand years of Northamptonshire life
Our collections are held in public trust and catalogued to Spectrum 5.0 standards. Researchers are welcome by appointment.
Collection scope
The collections fall under six principal groupings, each developed in line with our published Collections Development Policy.
Anglo-Saxon & Medieval
Architectural fragments, ecclesiastical objects and documentary evidence relating to the tenth-century tower of All Saints' Church and the early parish.
Industrial Heritage
Tools, lasts, patterns and ledgers from the village's renowned cottage shoemaking industry of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Photographic Archive
More than 4,000 photographs spanning c. 1860 to the present, including the Wood Collection and the Pearce Bequest.
Parish Documents
Vestry minutes, churchwardens' accounts, school log books, deeds and a continuing series of oral histories.
Domestic & Agricultural
Everyday objects from the homes, smallholdings and trades of Earls Barton villagers across two centuries.
Wartime Earls Barton
Letters, ration books and memorabilia from both World Wars, including material from the wartime aerodrome.
Access for researchers
Academic and family-history researchers may consult the archive by prior appointment. Please contact the curator at dillon.wood@earlsbartonmuseum.org outlining your research question and proposed visit dates.
Exhibitions
Current & upcoming exhibitions
Admission to all exhibitions is free. The museum is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10:00–16:00.
On display now
On display until 30 June 2026
Stones of the Tower: Anglo-Saxon Carving at Earls Barton
A landmark exhibition bringing together stone fragments, drawings and historic photographs to tell the story of the village's most famous monument.
On display until 14 September 2026
By Hand: The Cottage Shoemakers
Tools, ledgers and oral histories from the families who built Northamptonshire's shoe trade.
Coming soon
Opens 12 October 2026
Earls Barton at War (1939–1945)
Personal letters, ration books and aerial photography from the wartime parish.
Opens 8 February 2027
Faces of the Parish: 165 Years of Village Photography
Highlights from the museum's newly digitised photographic archive.
Learn with us
Education & Research
Free, curriculum-aligned programmes for schools and structured research access for historians, students and family-history enquirers.
Schools
We host more than 2,000 schoolchildren each year, free of charge, with sessions aligned to Key Stage 1, 2 and 3 history. Bespoke sessions can be developed in partnership with teachers.
Researchers
The archive is accessible to academic and family-history researchers by appointment. We hold catalogued material on parish administration, the shoemaking industry, wartime Earls Barton and ecclesiastical history.
Families
Drop-in family activities run on the first Saturday of every month. Children's heritage trails are available at reception.
Publications
The Trust periodically publishes scholarly notes and short monographs through its in-house imprint, the Harrowick Press.
Community
Heritage that belongs to everyone
The museum exists for the village. Our community programmes are co-designed with residents, schools and partner organisations.
Oral History Project
Recording the recollections of older villagers in partnership with the Parish Council.
Memory Café
Monthly sessions for people living with dementia and their carers, using museum objects as prompts.
Intergenerational Heritage
Pairing pupils with older residents to research a family object together.
Village Walks
Free guided heritage walks each spring and autumn, led by trained volunteer historians.
Annual Heritage Open Day
Free public event each September with talks, displays and conservation demonstrations.
Local History Society Collaboration
Co-hosted lecture series with the Earls Barton & District Local History Society.
Volunteers
The heart of the Trust
The museum is run almost entirely by volunteers. Whether you can offer two hours a month or two days a week, we will find a role to suit you.
Why volunteer with us?
Our volunteers tell us they value the camaraderie, the chance to learn new skills and the satisfaction of caring for objects that matter to the village. Full training is given, and travel costs are reimbursed.
Safeguarding
All volunteers complete an induction including our Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct. Roles involving direct work with young people or vulnerable adults require an Enhanced DBS check, arranged and paid for by the Trust.
Current opportunities
- Welcome desk & visitor support
- Cataloguing & collections assistance
- Schools programme support
- Photographic archive digitisation
- Events and exhibitions
- Gardening and grounds
Preservation
Heritage Preservation
The Trust's preservation work spans collections care, conservation funding and stewardship advocacy for the village's historic environment.
Collections care
All objects in our care are kept in conditions consistent with PAS 198:2012 — temperature, humidity and lighting are continuously monitored and recorded.
Conservation
Treatment of fragile material is carried out exclusively by ICON-accredited conservators. We do not undertake invasive treatment in-house.
Built heritage advocacy
The Trust works alongside the Parochial Church Council and Historic England in support of the long-term conservation of All Saints' Church, including the Anglo-Saxon tower (Listed Grade I).
Disaster preparedness
The museum maintains an emergency salvage plan, reviewed annually, in cooperation with Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue and the local Heritage Emergencies Network.
Get in touch
Contact us
We welcome enquiries from visitors, researchers, schools, prospective volunteers and the press.
Visit
27 Harrowick Lane
Earls Barton
Northampton NN6 0HD
United Kingdom
Earls Barton
Northampton NN6 0HD
United Kingdom
Opening hours
Wednesday – Saturday
10:00 – 16:00
Closed Sunday – Tuesday
Admission free
10:00 – 16:00
Closed Sunday – Tuesday
Admission free
Charity registration
UK Registered Charity No. 800531
Support our mission
Every gift conserves a piece of our shared history
As an independent UK charity, we rely on individual donations, memberships and grant funding. Donations of all sizes are gratefully received and carefully stewarded.
£15
Friend
Funds conservation-grade packaging for a single fragile object in our archive.
£50
Supporter
Provides a free schools session for a class of thirty Key Stage 2 pupils.
£250
Patron
Sponsors a month of climate monitoring in our principal collections store.
£1,000
Benefactor
Underwrites the digitisation of one volume of the photographic archive.
Gift Aid
UK taxpayers can add 25% to their donation at no extra cost through Gift Aid.
Corporate giving
Match-funding, payroll giving and corporate sponsorship — please contact the Trust.
Legacies
Remembering the Trust in your will helps secure the museum for future generations.
In-kind donations
Object and archive donations are considered against our Collections Development Policy.
How your donation is used
We are committed to keeping administrative costs below 10%. A full breakdown is published each year in our audited financial statements. See our Transparency & Financials page.
Compliance
Policies & Compliance
Our published policies reflect our commitments to good governance, safeguarding, ethical practice and legal compliance. All policies are reviewed annually by the trustees.
Legal
Privacy Policy
This policy explains how Earls Barton Museum Trust collects and uses personal data, in line with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Effective date: 1 March 2026.
Who we are
Earls Barton Museum Trust (UK Registered Charity No. 800531) is the data controller for personal information collected through this website and through our administrative activities. Our registered address is 27 Harrowick Lane, Earls Barton, Northampton NN6 0HD, United Kingdom.
What we collect
- Contact details you provide via forms (name, email, postal address).
- Donation records and Gift Aid declarations.
- Volunteer application data and, where relevant, DBS check details.
- Limited technical data: IP address, browser type and pages visited (aggregated).
Lawful basis
We rely on (a) consent for marketing communications, (b) contract for processing donations and volunteer arrangements, (c) legal obligation for Gift Aid and accounting records, and (d) legitimate interests for analytics and the administration of the charity.
How long we keep data
Financial records: 7 years. Volunteer files: 6 years from cessation. Marketing contacts: until you withdraw consent.
Your rights
You have the right to access, correct, delete or restrict our processing of your data, and to object or withdraw consent at any time. Please email dillon.wood@earlsbartonmuseum.org. You may also lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Third parties
We do not sell or share your personal data. We use a limited number of carefully chosen processors (email provider, donation platform) bound by data-processing agreements.
Security
We apply organisational and technical safeguards appropriate to the nature of the data we hold.
Legal
Cookie Policy
We use a small number of cookies to make this website work and to understand how it is used.
Strictly necessary
These cookies make the website usable. They include the cookie that remembers your cookie preferences. They cannot be disabled.
Analytics (optional)
If you consent, we use privacy-respecting, aggregate analytics to understand which pages are most useful. We do not use cross-site tracking, advertising or fingerprinting cookies.
Managing cookies
You can change your choice at any time using the cookie banner. You can also clear cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse third-party cookies by default.
Changes
This policy may change as we refine the website. Material changes will be announced via the cookie banner.
Legal
Terms & Conditions
By using this website you accept the following terms. If you do not accept them, please do not use the website.
Intellectual property
Unless otherwise indicated, the content of this website is © Earls Barton Museum Trust. Personal, non-commercial use is permitted; reuse for any other purpose requires written consent.
Images and archive material
Some images and documents on the site are reproduced under licence from third parties or remain in copyright. Please contact us before any reuse.
Accuracy
We take reasonable care that information is accurate at the time of publication, but we cannot guarantee that it is free of errors or up to date at all times.
External links
Links to third-party sites are provided for convenience. We are not responsible for the content of external sites.
Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Contact
Questions about these terms may be sent to dillon.wood@earlsbartonmuseum.org.
Inclusion
Accessibility Statement
We are committed to making the museum and this website accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of ability or technology.
Last reviewed: 1 March 2026.
The museum building
- Step-free access to the ground floor.
- Accessible WC located adjacent to the entrance.
- Large-print object labels available at reception.
- Portable seating throughout the galleries.
- Assistance dogs are welcome.
This website
We aim to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Specifically the site:
- Uses semantic HTML and a single main landmark per page.
- Maintains a minimum 4.5:1 colour-contrast ratio for body text.
- Supports keyboard-only navigation across all interactive elements.
- Provides descriptive alternative text for informative images.
- Allows text resizing up to 200% without loss of content.
Known limitations
A small number of historic documents in our online archive are scans without OCR text. We are working to remediate these as resources permit.
Feedback
If you encounter an access barrier, please contact us at dillon.wood@earlsbartonmuseum.org. We aim to respond within five working days.
Enforcement
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).