Burford's 'downtown', the intersection of Maple Avenue and King Street (Highway 53), now includes only a stop light, several small businesses and a post office.

The community was founded by the family of Abraham Dayton, who was granted authority in 1793 to settle Burford Township with a religious congregation led by the Public Universal Friend, whom Governor Simcoe believed to be Quakers.

Benajah Mallory inherited the land which had been claimed by Dayton (including 600 acres at the western end of what became Burford Village) and he remained the flamboyant, but disgruntled leader of the settlement, and was elected as the member in the provincial assembly in 1804 and again in 1808 for Oxford, Norfolk and Middlesex.

An American by birth, Duncombe made his home east of Burford Village in 1828 and by popular demand entered politics, being elected to the legislative assembly as member for Oxford County in 1830 and again in 1834.

"Carried away with the excitement of Mackenzie s reputed success, the people of South Dumfries, Oxford, Burford and Oakland urged Dr. Duncombe to lead a movement in support of the advance on the capital.

Reluctantly, but willing to stake everything on the result of a strike for freedom, he consented, and appointed a rendezvous at the Village of Scotland"[7] with the intention of marching through Oakland township, Brantford and Hamilton to support Mackenzie.

His burly figure, genial face, and brusque manner, the boisterous frankness of Squire Western masking the kindly nature of an Allworlhy, will long be remembered by the people of Bishopsgate and Burford Villages, among whom his life was spent...

Then followed the "Tory Terror," which lasted till peremptory orders from England and the recall in disgrace of Sir Francis Bond Head gave it a sudden check.

But in those days Captain Perley was quite ready and willing to hang a good many of those neighbours to whom for many years of his after life he showed such unfailing kindness... For his many services he was soon promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.

But his life was thenceforward to be that of a man of peace, erecting mills clearing farms, introducing new agricultural improvements, and by action and counsel aiding in the development of the township in which he lived.

A new boost of prosperity came when a rail line was opened from Brantford to Norwich and Tillsonburg in Oxford County in 1878, passing through Burford south of the fairgrounds.

Initially the advantage was easier access to and from Brantford and Tillsonburg by rail for passengers, and Burford remained a quiet village, described in 1883 as "built up to a great degree by farmers who have realized enough to retire from business and take up their abode there.