Please leave the Browser in the room for the next visitor to enjoy Rural England at its finest... A4 Great Rollright Swerford 15 4 Oxfordshire 3 Little Rollright Great Te w Cotswolds Attractions Over Norton Chastleton A361 Little Te w Ledwell Salford 9 14 Cornwell Chipping Page Sandford Norton St Martin 1 Aston Pottery 16 B4066 Middle Barton 2 Bampton/Downton Abbey Film Locations 8 10 21 Kingham Enstone 60 2 3 Batsford Arboretum 17 Churchill A4 Rousham B4022 Over 4 Bicester Village 18 Bledington Kiddington 1 Chadlington Spelsbury 36 A 5 Birdland Park and Gardens 19 Nether Bould Glympton Westcote Bruern 6 Biztro 17 Ta ckley 4 Idbury Charlbury Wootton 5 A Chilson 424 Ascott-under- Kirtlington 7 Blenheim Palace 20 Fifield Milton-under- Wychwood Wychwood 8 Burford 6/7 Stonesfield Woodstock 9 Chipping Norton 9 Shipton-under- 25 Wychwood Combe 7 10 Churchill & Sarsden Heritage Centre 21 Finstock 12 19 20 5 9 0 4 Leafield A 11 Cogges Manor Farm 22 Ramsden 18 Bladon 12 Combe Mill 21 Taynton Long Windrush Crawley Hanborough Fulbrook Hailey The 13 Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens 23 Barringtons North Leigh Freeland Swinbrook Church Minster Hanborough 14 Fairytale Farm 22 5 Lovell Burford 8 Cassington B442 Asthall 15 Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway 24 Westwell 24 22 23 Eynsham 16 Kelmscott Manor 25 A40 Witney 17 26 11 Shilton 17 Marriots Walk Shopping Centre 13 Bradwell Grove Curbridge Brize 13 Carterton Norton Ducklington 18 Oxford Bus Museum 26 19 Oxfordshire Museum 26 Stanton Harcourt 20 Real Wood Furniture Company 11 Filkins Black Bourton Ye lford 21 Rousham 27 B4449 Standlake Aston 22 Teddy Bears of Witney 14 2 Bampton Brighthampton Northmoor Langford 1 Cote Clanfield 6 23 Witney 12 24 Witney Lakes Resort 28 River Thames Lechlade Radcot 25 Woodstock 10 16 Kelmscott 26 Wychwood Brewery 15 Approximate mileage: Burford to Chipping Norton 10 miles Welcome to The Oxfordshire Cotswolds The Bedroom Browser is not a definitive guide to An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Oxfordshire Cotswolds offers towns and villages of honey coloured stone set amongst green rolling hills punctuated by secluded the Oxfordshire Cotswolds but an introduction river valleys: rural England at its finest. highlighting some of the many There are picturesque, lively market towns offering a wide range of unusual and interesting shops, a far cry from the uniform High Streets in many larger towns. Places attractions on offer, some like Burford, Chipping Norton and Woodstock all have a distinct character of their own – ideal to explore at your leisure, with shops to entice and enchant and plenty of tea rooms, well known, others pubs and restaurants to discover and enjoy at your leisure, especially as they all offer less so. Browse free parking. The Oxfordshire Cotswolds has a wonderful range of attractions ranging from at your leisure, the tiny, like Churchill and Sarsden Heritage Centre, to the grandeur of Blenheim then venture Palace, a World Heritage Site with 2,000 acres of parkland. There are historic houses, gardens, animal attractions, museums, brewery tours, something to suit out to explore every taste and interest and many of which are open all year round. and discover for There is no chance in a publication this size to list all the treasures waiting to be explored, like the picture postcard villages and the medieval churches, nor is there yourself... room here to detail the many events and festivals that take place. For details of all these visit our website www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org 3 Leaving the car behind... To really enjoy the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, why This is a walker’s paradise: gently rolling hills and tree lined valleys, criss-crossed by more than 500 miles of public footpaths. A leisurely riverside stroll, a gentle ramble not leave the car behind for a day? On foot or by through woods carpeted with bluebells or a brisk and virtuous winter hike: the choice is yours. For a slightly faster pace there’s nothing quite like the freedom offered by two bike you really can appreciate the wheels and the thrill of feeling a fresh breeze upon your face. Miles of quiet country lanes, bridleways galore and a number of circular cycle routes, providing opportunities Oxfordshire Cotswolds, an for long or short rides, on and off road. The ‘gently rolling hills’, characteristic of the Cotswolds, mean that uphill sections are usually short and satisfyingly rewarded officially designated by a freewheel afterwards! Area of Outstanding No mention of walking or cycling in the area would be complete without reference to the traditional Natural Beauty. Cotswold inn. There are plenty of great country pubs Moving at a gentler conveniently dotted around the area – few walks or bike There are more than 50 free pace, you will be rides will fail to pass at least downloadable walks and 20 free one, normally several. The downloadable cycle rides available on able to enjoy the promise of a welcoming inn is our website a vital element: whether as an sights that make incentive for the reluctant or a www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/walks the area so special. reward for the virtuous! www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/rides 4 Further Information To really make the most of your stay visit one of our local Visitor Information Centres, where professional, experienced staff are on hand to offer advice and Visitor Information Centres inspiration as well as BURFORD answering your questions, 33a High Street, Burford OX18 4QA however simple or obscure. Tel: 01993 823558 Email: [email protected] Monday to Saturday Not only do the centres contain a 9.30am - 5pm wealth of information on local visitor Sunday and Bank Holidays attractions, both large and small, on 10am - 4pm leisure facilities, on walks, cycle rides, WITNEY accommodation, public transport and local events but 3 Welch Way, Witney OX28 6JH they also house a Tel: 01993 775802 wide range of maps and Email: [email protected] guides to help you enjoy your Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm stay. As well as a selection of gifts and Saturday 9.30am - 5pm souvenirs, the centres also sell tickets for a number of local Sunday Closed attractions and events, as well as taking local cinema and Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm theatre bookings. 5 Burford www.burfordtown.com A medieval town with burgage plots and shop fronts measured in “perches”; it has not changed for centuries and much of it was built before Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492. The view down the Hill and High Street is world famous. After 900 years Burford is still a busy market town and whether your interest is eating where the famous ate, treading the boards where Charles II, Nell Gwynn, Lord Nelson and many others have stayed or leisurely browsing and shopping, you will find much to interest you in Burford. The majestic church built from the wealth of the medieval wool trade has also been a prison and execution site for Levellers in Cromwell’s time. Today it is used for a wide range of concerts and events as well as being of great architectural and historical interest at all times. The pubs and hotels are also steeped in history but offer a wide range of meals to suit all tastes and occasions from casual to formal. The shops have changed from saddleries and tanners to the individual galleries, jewellers, craft and other outlets not found in most High Streets today. 6 Burford www.burfordcotswolds.co.uk Burford the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’ is world famous for its tree lined high street and beautiful Cotswold architecture. Steeped in history it has one of the top twenty English churches and stunning views and walks along the Windrush valley in this area of outstanding natural beauty. This vibrant medieval market town is a great place to visit or stay and experience the friendly hospitality. There are award winning hotels and tearooms, pubs and restaurants serving locally brewed Hook Norton beer and other Cotswold specialities. Burford offers a great shopping experience with a fantastic diversity of unique independent shops, galleries and businesses, many of which are family-run. This includes the oldest pharmacy in England, specialist antiques, collectibles and delicious delicatessen and food shops. Discover the creative delights of the needlework shop or the superb craftsmanship of the designer furniture-makers and bespoke jewellers before browsing the beautiful clothes, shoes and accessories. Burford is the perfect place for innovative shopping, a relaxing break, meeting friends and family or a day out. No wonder it’s considered one of the finest High Streets in Britain – and the parking is free! 7 Downton Abbey Film Locations Locations within the Oxfordshire Cotswolds have featured prominently in the popular TV drama Downton Abbey. The village of Bampton may seem oddly familiar to Downton fans for this is where the village scenes are filmed and where many dramas have been played out in the streets around the church. As well as a variety of buildings that have been used as pubs, shops and the post office the main locations in Bampton are: Churchgate House, used as the Crawley family home; Bampton Community Archive, which served as ‘Downton’ hospital; St Mary’s Church, renamed as St Michael and All Angels, has hosted a number of dramatic ‘Downton’ events including weddings, funerals, christenings and even a jilting at the altar! Filming has also taken place at The Swan Inn at Swinbrook, at Cogges Manor Farm and in the village of Shilton. More details can be found at www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/downton 8 Photograph: James Wildman Chipping Norton www.experiencechippingnorton.com Chipping Norton was once a centre for the Cotswold wool trade whose riches are reflected in the medieval Guildhall and St Mary’s Church.