In 1984 the Council finally decided to sell it. The town protested. The next year a group of Buckingham people, led by Clive Birch a local businessman and supported by the Mayor, set up the Heritage Trust, a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. With loans and gifts the Trust refurbished the decaying building and in 1993 opened it as a Museum, with a Tourist Information Centre. This is in the Gaoler's lodgings at the front of the building and is supported by Aylesbury Vale District Council. It is a busy office with leaflets and local books for sale and booking facilities for transport and entertainment.

The Old Gaol Museum continues to develop. With the help of a National Lottery Grant, the glass roof over the prisoners' exercise yard was added in the year 2000. This created a terrace which is now used as an education centre, a place for school visits, and the yard provides space for temporary exhibitions, meetings, craft fairs and other displays.

Today the Gaol is run by the Trustees of the Heritage Trust with the help of volunteers from the Friends of the Old Gaol who staff the shop and help with museum events. If you live near us, perhaps you would like to join the Trust or the Friends. Ask in the Tourist Information Centre or email us at buckingham.t.i.c@btconnect.com.

This is the centre of Buckingham today. On the left the parish church of St Peter and St Paul stands on Castle Hill. On the right the Old Gaol looks down the Market Place.