Call for Papers
The Cowper and Newton Journal, a new scholarly annual published by the Trustees of the Museum, is seeking submissions for its first issue, to be published in Spring 2011. See here for details

Welcome to our website!

Here you can find out all you need to know if you're planning to visit the museum, or if you want to explore our collections.

The museum is in Olney, Buckinghamshire, UK, and is easy to find! It's a large brick building on the corner of historic Olney's Market Place, a few miles north of central Milton Keynes. You can explore the house and gardens where 18th century poet William Cowper lived and worked, and find out about the town's history in the Olney Rooms of the museum. A short walk around the corner will take you to the Vicarage where Cowper's friend John Newton wrote 'Amazing Grace', the church where he preached, and the grave where he and his wife are buried.

William Cowper (pronounced "Cooper") (1731-1800) was the leading poet of his day, and one of the greatest letter writers in English. Many of his poems and letters talk of the house, gardens and personal belongings you can see in the museum. Visiting it will give you a vivid sense of everyday life in a country town in the late 1700s.

Rev. John Newton (1725-1807), who began his career as a seafarer and slave trader, eventually became a famous London preacher and spiritual mentor to William Wilberforce, the abolitionist. See the recently created display evoking the horrors of the slave trade and illustrating the campaign for its abolition.

Olney - you could make the museum your starting point for a day out in Olney. The town is full of attractive shops and eating places, and you can walk along the Ouse Valley to the picturesque villages of Weston Underwood and Clifton Reynes.