COGGES Manor Farm Museum is throwing open the doors of its manor house for longer when it reopens on Saturday.

Visitors to the museum in Church Lane, Witney, will now be able to visit the 13th century house whenever the farm is open.

Other new attractions include a pair of Oxford Sandy and Black pigs and an improved soft play area.

Director Colin Shone said: “We’re encouraging people to come into the house and enjoy it. They can sit down on the chairs inside and read a book or a paper. We’re putting the house at the centre of the attraction of Cogges. There’s 800 years of history in there, so that’s a significant change.

“There’s a dressing-up room in there with costumes through the ages, so people can come in and dress up as a Saxon or a Victorian farm maid.”

Since the museum was taken over by a trust in 2011, the house has been open at weekends and the farm was accessible to the public six days a week.

Mr Shone said he had missed meeting visitors during the museum’s winter closure.

He said: “You always miss the comings and goings.

“We’ve got a great following of people who come regularly and you miss seeing them coming in.

“They’re very much part of Cogges and it’s very strange that they haven’t been here over the winter.

“I’m excited and looking forward to welcoming our friends again.”

Mr Shone added: “The new soft play area was about improving the look and the quality of the environment, while we love our pigs and the new arrivals are a beautiful and rare breed.”

  • A textile exhibition and demonstration will be held on Saturday to mark the reopening of Cogges Manor Farm. Textile artist Sue Tucker, from Ramsden, will be giving a demonstration of spinning wool from local rare breed sheep.
  • For more information, see cogges.org.uk or call 01993 772602.