The paintings in the Woodstock Museum transport one to a bygone Oxfordshire. This is a good moment to revaluate William Turner who has long been under the shadow of his great contemporary J. M. W. Turner. His peaceful View of the River Cherwell, Shipton, where he lived as a young boy, depicts the river, garlanded with waterlilies taking your eye to the distant church. His strength lay in his sympathetic evocation of weather, seasons and the delicacy of trees. In Iffley Mill, which was built in the 11th century and burned down in 1908, he records the picturesque old building standing beside violet coloured water, surrounded by poplars.

Keeping another building forever alive is Langford’s New Mill. Oil on canvas it shows the building in 1830 with dormer windows lighting the spinning mules. Spanning the River Windrush, it suffered several fires as the floors, roof supports and even parts of the machinery were made of wood. It finally fell into disuse and remains part of the history of Witney Blankets that flourished owing to the fine sheep and fast-flowing water power. The centrepiece is Our Father, an iconic sheep with its curly, striking head and gentle eyes. Painted by an unknown artist for Dorland Advertising Ltd, it was given to Early Blanket Manufacturers.

William Matthison deserves to be better known. He moved to Banbury in 1886 where he taught and painted. His Summer Eights is full of life; it depicts a cheering crowd, flying flags with a young trumpeter in the foreground. Commissioned by Salter Brothers of Folly Bridge, he produced a fine set of postcards of their Thames steamers and painted more than postcards of Oxfordshire.

What fun to relive Leighton Hall Woollatt’s Art Deco Botley Cinema (above) celebrating Christmas 1940, a vibrant watercolour with vermillion seats overhung by a curved sea-green roof. The building became the Frank Cooper’s factory, then MFI. Later it was demolished.

Local characters, town and countryside scenes all contribute to this evocative, informative exhibition.

Until June 3, Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 2-5pm.