Burford and Minster Lovell

With its medieval bridge, old stone houses and attractive Tudor and Georgian frontages, Burford is justifiably one of the most picturesque towns in England. Often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’, the town was originally a fortified Anglo-Saxon ford which later grew to be an important regional crossroads and wealthy wool town.

Little has changed over the centuries; Burford is popular with visitors, both for its beauty and history but also for its specialist independent shops, the wide variety of places to eat and the surrounding villages.

Visit the Visitor Information Centre at 33a High Street for information and a copy of the Burford Guide and follow this around the town. The trail takes in the wonderful Church of St John the Baptist and the medieval market house and museum – the Tolsey.

St Oswald’s Church at Widford (photo by Helena Sylvester)

The Villages of the Windrush Valley walk can be started from Burford. Some points of interest on this walk, as well as the wonderful scenery, are:; the beautiful, deserted medieval church at Widford, standing alone above the river valley; St Mary’s Church at Swinbrook, which inside contains a remarkable monument to the Fettiplace family and outside in the churchyard the graves of four of the Mitford sisters; and the Elizabethan manor house at Asthall, the Mitford family home.

The pretty village of Old Minster Lovell with its buildings of Cotswold stone and thatched roofs is romantically positioned by the River Windrush. Reputedly the region’s most haunted village, Minster Lovell is perhaps best known for the impressive ruins of its 15th century hall, owned by generations of the Lovell family.

Situated next to the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall, is St Kenelm's Church. This 15th century church, built on the foundations of an earlier priory minster, has an unusual cross-like shape with a central tower and has been largely unaltered over the ages.

If you are looking for somewhere to stop along the way, there is no shortage of places to eat and drink in Burford, as well as the Maytime Inn at Asthall and the Swan Inn at Swinbrook.