Rural England at it finest... Please leave the Browser in the room for the next visitor to enjoy 1 15 A44 Great Rollright Swerford 3 Little Rollright Great Tew Over Norton Chastleton A361 Little Tew Ledwell 22 Salford Cornwell 10 Chipping Sandford Oxfordshire Norton St Martin B4066 Middle Barton Cotswolds Attractions Kingham 11 Enstone 21 Page Churchill A4260 Rousham B4022 Over 1 Aston Pottery 17 Bledington Kiddington Chadlington Spelsbury A361 2 Bampton (Downton Abbey film location) 5 Nether Bould Glympton 3 Batsford Arboretum 18 Westcote Bruern Tackley 4 Idbury Wootton 4 Bicester Village 19 5 A424 Charlbury Ascott-under- Chilson Kirtlington Fifield Milton-under- Wychwood 5 Birdland Park and Gardens 20 Wychwood 6 Biztro 6 Stonesfield Woodstock Shipton-under- 7 Blenheim Palace 21 Wychwood 25 Combe 7 Finstock 13 19 20 8 Burford 8 Leafield A4095 Ramsden 9 Burford Garden Company 9 18 Bladon 10 Chipping Norton 10 Taynton Long Windrush Crawley Hailey Hanborough The Fulbrook 11 Churchill & Sarsden Heritage Centre 22 Barringtons North Leigh Freeland Swinbrook Church 12 Cogges Manor Farm 6 Minster Hanborough Burford 8 Lovell B4425 Cassington 13 Combe Mill 22 9 Asthall Westwell 24 23 14 Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens 23 A40 Eynsham 17 26 12 Witney 15 Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway 24 Shilton Bradwell Grove Curbridge 16 Kelmscott Manor 25 14 Brize Carterton Norton Ducklington 17 Marriotts Walk Shopping Centre 12 18 Oxford Bus Museum 26 Stanton Harcourt 19 Oxfordshire Museum 26 Filkins Black Bourton Yelford 20 Real Wood Furniture Company 16 B4449 Aston Standlake 21 Rousham 27 2 Bampton Brighthampton Northmoor Langford Clanfield 6 1 Cote 22 Secret Cottage Tours 18 23 Teddy Bears of Witney 13 Lechlade River Thames 24 Witney Lakes Resort 28 Radcot 25 Woodstock 15 Kelmscott 16 26 Wychwood Brewery 14 Welcome to the Oxfordshire Cotswolds The Bedroom Browser is not a definitive guide to the Oxfordshire Cotswolds but an introduction highlighting some of the many attractions on offer, some well known, others less so. Browse at your leisure, then venture out to explore and discover for yourself... An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Oxfordshire Cotswolds offers towns and villages The Oxfordshire Cotswolds has a wonderful range of attractions ranging from the tiny, like of honey coloured stone set amongst green rolling hills punctuated by secluded river valleys: Churchill and Sarsden Heritage Centre, to the grandeur of Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage rural England at its finest. Site with 2,000 acres of parkland. There are historic houses, gardens, animal attractions, museums, brewery tours, something to suit every taste and interest and many of which are There are picturesque, lively market towns offering a wide range of unusual and interesting open all year round. shops, a far cry from the uniform High Streets found in many larger towns. Places like Burford, Chipping Norton and Woodstock all have a distinct character of their own – ideal to explore at There is no chance in a publication this size to list all the treasures waiting to be explored, your leisure, with shops to entice and enchant, with plenty of tea rooms, pubs and restaurants the picture postcard villages and the medieval churches, nor is there room here to detail to enjoy at your leisure – and all these towns offer free parking. the many events and festivals that take place. For details of all of these visit our website www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org 3 Leaving the car behind... To really enjoy the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, why not leave the car behind for a day? On foot or by bike you can really appreciate the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, an officially designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Moving at a gentler pace, you will be better able to enjoy the sights that make the area so special. This is a walker’s paradise: gently rolling hills and tree lined valleys, criss-crossed by more No mention of walking or cycling in the area would be complete without reference to the than 500 miles of public footpaths and bridleways. A leisurely riverside stroll, a gentle ramble traditional Cotswold inn. There are plenty of great country pubs conveniently dotted around through woods carpeted with bluebells or a brisk and virtuous winter hike: the choice is yours. the area – few walks or bike rides will fail to pass at least one, normally several. The promise For a slightly faster pace there’s nothing quite like the freedom offered by two wheels and the of a welcoming inn is a vital element: whether as an incentive for the reluctant or a reward for thrill of feeling a fresh breeze upon your face: miles of quiet country lanes, bridleways galore the virtuous! and a number of circular cycle routes, providing opportunities for long or short rides, on and off road. The ‘gently rolling hills’, characteristic of the Cotswolds, mean that uphill sections are There are more than 50 free downloadable walks and 20 free downloadable cycle rides usually short and satisfyingly rewarded by some freewheeling afterwards! available on our website www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/walks www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/rides 4 Downton Abbey film locations © James Wildman www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/downton Downton Abbey has become one of the most widely watched TV dramas in the world, with an estimated global audience of 120 million. Locations within the Oxfordshire Cotswolds have featured prominently in the show, particularly Bampton, which doubles as the fictional village of Downton, supposedly in Yorkshire between Ripon and Thirsk! © Cogges Manor Farm The area around the church in Bampton is regularly seen in the series: the church has hosted a number of dramatic ‘Downton’ events including weddings, funerals, christenings © Bampton Archives © Cogges Manor Farm and even a jilting at the altar; the Crawley family home is next door to the church; Bampton Community Archive, which has a small selection of Downton memorabilia and location photos, served as Downton Hospital and a number of other houses are regularly used as the village post office and the Downton pubs, The Grantham Arms and The Dog and Duck Inn. © James Wildman © Bampton Archives Cogges in Witney has also featured many times as Yew Tree Farm, the home of farmer Drewe, where Lady Edith’s illegitimate daughter, Marigold, is brought up. There is a fascinating display at Cogges showing how the farm buildings are transformed for the filming of the show. For more information on these, and other locations, pick up a Downton leaflet from one of our Visitor Information Centres or visit www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/downton 5 Cogges Manor Farm Biztro Church Lane, Witney OX28 3LA Restaurant with Rooms Tel: 01993 772602 • Email: [email protected] • www.cogges.org.uk Wheelgate House, Market Square, Bampton OX18 2JH Tel: 01993 851151 • Email: [email protected] • www.biztro.co.uk Cogges is an historic farmstead dating back to Saxon times. The manor house lies at the centre of a magnificent collection of Cotswold stone farm buildings, walled garden, barns and outbuildings. Biztro, The Home of Great Food. Farm animals, including some rare breeds, bring the farmyard Set in the picturesque village of Bampton, Biztro is a contemporary haven serving modern to life. The grounds house an orchard, walks by the river and British cuisine to discerning diners. Once warmly welcomed into the intimate and relaxed an adventure play area next to the Norman moat. The site has environment, our guests are treated to friendly, professional service and superb cookery. recently featured in a number of film and TV shows and is the Menus are updated with the seasons and we use fresh, locally sourced produce. location for Yew Tree Farm in Downton Abbey. Come for a cosy dinner for two, supper after your busy day, meet your friends for a A farm shop sells locally sourced, or Cogges grown, vegetables celebratory meal or book the restaurant for your special event. and food products, local beers and ciders and crafts from around the region. The café serves fine teas, coffee, homemade cakes and scones and freshly prepared hot food. OPENING TIMES Open Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays from 21 March to 1 Nov 10.30am - 5pm. (last entry 4.30pm) Also open Mondays during school summer holidays. Admission Prices Please support Cogges and Gift Aid your ticket Day Tickets Gift Aid/Non Gift Aid: Adult £6/£5.45, Child £4.50/£4.09 (3-16), Family £18/£16.36 Season Tickets Gift Aid/Non Gift Aid: OPENING TIMES Adult £21/£19.09, Child £16/£14.54 (3-16), Tuesday to Saturday evenings Family £60/£54.54 6 - 11pm 6 Visitor 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 inspiration as well as answering your questions, however simple or obscure. VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES BURFORD 33a High Street, Burford OX18 4QA Tel: 01993 823558 • Email: [email protected] Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 5pm • Sunday and Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm WITNEY 3 Welch Way, Witney OX28 6JH Tel: 01993 775802 • Email: [email protected] Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm • Saturday 9.30am - 5pm • Sunday Closed Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm Not only do the centres contain a wealth of information on local visitor attractions, both large and small, on leisure facilities, on walks, cycle rides, accommodation, public transport and local events but they also house a wide range of maps and guides to help you enjoy your stay. As well as a selection of gifts and souvenirs, the centres also sell tickets for a number of local attractions and events, as well as theatre tokens. 7 Burford www.burfordtown.com www.burfordfestival.org A medieval town with burgage plots and shop fronts measured in “perches”, Burford has not changed for centuries and much of it was built before Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492.