Verdant countryside, cobbled stone side streets and a literary scene that’s inspired some of the world’s most iconic stories – Oxfordshire is a love letter to medieval architecture and quintessential English life. Famous home to the eponymous University, the county has a history as rich as its Cotswolds backdrop of rolling hills and honey-hued villages.
HISTORY
It’s impossible to separate Oxfordshire from its history: everywhere you turn carries glimpses of a storied past. From the city of Oxford and its silver-screen-worthy architecture – the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, the Sheldonian Theatre – to the outlying villages like Burford and Kingham, with their picture-book high streets and ancient monuments. History is immaculately preserved in the many museums around the county, but none better than the Pitt Rivers Museum, where you can pay a visit to long-lost treasures – including the dodo who inspired Lewis Carroll for Alice in Wonderland.
CULTURE
One of the UK’s cultural hubs, Oxfordshire is home to a multitude of traditions specific to the county… and its scholars. No trip to Oxford is complete without a punting trip down the river in an open topped boat – and if rowing is your scene, you can visit Christchurch Meadows and catch a glimpse of the talented University teams in action. Meanwhile literature lovers can make a pilgrimage to St Giles, where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis famously used to drink, debate and share inspiration. Or visit the Botanical Gardens and sit on Lyra and Will’s bench from Pullman’s His Dark Materials.
DAY TRIPS
Even though you’re within easy reach of London, there’s loads to do in Oxfordshire. Blenheim Palace is unmissable for families with its gardens, maze, huge play area and – of course – the Baroque grand country house itself. Or visit Sudeley Castle: the historic home of Queen Katherine Parr, last surviving wife of King Henry VIII. Meanwhile horticulture vultures will love Waterperry Gardens, with its 20 acres of beautifully landscaped ornamental lawns, orchards, amphitheatre and more.
Witness centuries-old customs as you visit throughout the year – from the May Day choir atop Magdalen College Tower to the Morris and Céilí dances of the autumnal Banbury Folk Festival.
