The Bampton Archive
To record, preserve and share the social history of this unique village in Oxfordshire.
Learn about the
history of Bampton
The publicly accessible archive database contains thousands of records relating to life in the village past and present.
These include photographs, documents, newspaper cuttings, sound and video files and much more. Each one of them is an important part of the telling of the story of the village: from photographs of the restoration of the church bells; to a stone age hand axe; to the history of the WWII airfields around the village; and to the documenting of the filming of Downton Abbey in Bampton.
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Architecture, Housing and Buildings
The buildings of Bampton tell the story of the village through centuries of change. From grand houses and historic inns to cottages, farms, schools and shops, the architecture of Bampton reflects the lives of the people who built, lived and worked here.
Explore the database to discover historic properties, street scenes, building projects, local landmarks and the changing character of the village across the years. Whether you are researching a family home, tracing local history, or simply interested in Bampton’s rich architectural heritage, the archive offers a unique window into the village’s built environment.
Bampton
Books
The publicly accessible archive database contains thousands of records relating to life in the village past and present.
Bampton
Videos
These videos capture the people, places, traditions and memories that make Bampton unique. Collected from the Bampton Archive’s YouTube channel and wider digital collections, they provide a vivid record of village life across the years. The archive includes films about local history, farming, Morris dancing, schools, wartime experiences, community events, Downton Abbey filming locations and much more.
Many of the recordings feature the voices and recollections of Bamptonians themselves, preserving stories, customs and everyday experiences that might otherwise have been lost. Together, these films offer an invaluable visual history of the village and its surrounding communities.
Bampton
Interviews
The Bampton Archive’s collection of audio interviews preserves the voices, memories and experiences of people who have lived and worked in Bampton and the surrounding villages. Recorded over many years, these conversations provide a unique insight into everyday life, local traditions and major historical events through the words of those who experienced them firsthand.
The interviews cover a wide range of subjects, including wartime experiences, farming, childhood, village life, Morris dancing, the Shirt Race and local customs that have shaped the character of the community across generations. Together, they form an invaluable oral history archive that captures stories, humour, recollections and personal details that are rarely found in written records alone.
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Bampton
Search the archive
Explore the Bampton Archive to discover photographs, documents, memories, films and recordings that bring the history of the village and its people to life.
Browse the collections and uncover the rich heritage of Bampton through generations of local stories and historical records.