More information : (SP 25121214) Tolsey House (NAT) (1)
The Tolsey or Court House is a 16th century two storey building. The timber framed upper storey, now stuccoed, has two gables and two bay windows supported by filled-in stone columns. The building is now a museum. Grade 2*. (2-3)
Town Hall and Market house first documented in 1561. Rendered timber frame raised on stone piers, L-shaped plan. Now the Museum. Grade II* (4)
In 1915, a correspondent wrote to the Berks. Bucks. and Oxon. Archaeological Journal:
"I own an engraving, evidently taken from a magazine (title not given), shewing the Market Place, Burford, in 1600, in which is seen a small but graceful market cross, standing in front of the old Tolsey. This still remains, converted into a reading room, though the memory of the cross seems to be lost to the townspeople. When visiting Burford a few months ago my sons were told that not long before, in reparing the road, the workmen came upon a huge stone, which being dug out proved to be the basal stone of the ancient cross, with the four shaft holes still intact, and were shewn the stone, which was reared up against the walls of the Tolsey." (5) |