Oxfordshire blends historic university city charm with scenic countryside and heritage sites.
The Uffington White Horse is a prehistoric chalk hill figure on Whitehorse Hill, Oxfordshire, dating from the late Bronze Age to early Iron Age. It is a 110-meter-long stylized horse formed from trenches filled with crushed chalk, offering striking views from across the Vale of White Horse. The site is owned and managed by the National Trust and is a protected scheduled monument, attracting visitors for its historical significance and evocative landscape setting.
North Leigh Roman Villa is the visible remains of a large, luxurious Roman courtyard villa in Oxfordshire dating from the 1st to 5th century AD, featuring mosaics, bath suites, and historic farm buildings, managed by English Heritage for public visits.
Ashdown House is a 17th-century Carolean country house in Oxfordshire with historic gardens and parkland open for guided tours. Visitors can enjoy indoor historic interiors and outdoor grounds including rare Iron Age earthworks nearby.
Great Coxwell Barn is a large medieval tithe barn built in 1292 for Beaulieu Abbey, now preserved by the National Trust. Visitors can explore this historic agricultural building with its impressive stone and timber architecture and original threshing floor. The barn is open to the public daily and features no other indoor exhibits.
Lardon Chase, the Holies and Lough Down is a National Trust countryside property in Berkshire offering expansive chalk grassland, woodland, and scenic walks with diverse flora and butterfly species. Free public access is available for nature enthusiasts, with notable views over the Thames Valley and historic landscapes.
Minster Lovell Hall is a historic 15th-century manor house ruin in Oxfordshire, featuring extensive remains including a tower, entrance porch, and dovecote, set beside the River Windrush and managed by English Heritage.
Buscot Park is an 18th-century neoclassical country house near Faringdon, Oxfordshire, surrounded by extensive formal gardens, woodland, and lakes. It houses a notable art collection including works by Rembrandt and Edward Burne-Jones. The estate is open to the public each summer under the National Trust and offers a blend of historic interiors and outdoor landscapes.
Wayland's Smithy is an ancient Early Neolithic chambered long barrow in Oxfordshire, notable as a well-preserved example of the Severn-Cotswold tomb style. Visitors can explore the outdoor prehistoric stone barrow and surrounding landscape, reflecting early agricultural societies in Britain. The site is open all year under English Heritage management and features modern cultural significance with Pagan ritual use.
10 Oct (this Saturday)
A guided tour around Coleshill explores the lost Coleshill House, the estate’s secret Second World War training history and the former Model Farm, now home to the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre. The tour includes a walk of approximately 1 km and a chance to look around an exhibition afterwards.
Chastleton House is a Grade I listed Jacobean country house in Oxfordshire with extensive historic interiors and well-preserved gardens. Owned by the National Trust, it offers visitors a combined indoor and outdoor heritage experience including the Long Gallery, historic rooms, and gardens that are the birthplace of croquet as a competitive sport.
Carfax Conduit is a historic water conduit system that supplied Oxford with water from 1610 to 1869, featuring a notable conduit building now located at Nuneham House and a Conduit House at Harcourt Hill, both preserved as listed buildings and scheduled monuments.
Boarstall Duck Decoy is a historic 17th-century duck trap in Buckinghamshire set in natural woodland. It is still operational with demonstrations organized by the National Trust, offering a unique insight into traditional waterfowl catching methods and ornithological study.
Canons Ashby House is a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house located in Northamptonshire, featuring notable Jacobean plasterwork, historic family interiors, formal gardens, and the remains of a medieval priory church. It combines rich history with architectural and artistic heritage.
16 Oct (next Friday)
A guided after-hours tour of Canons Ashby mansion led by the House and Collections Officer and an experienced House Guide. Attendees will see spaces and objects not usually open to visitors and hear about conservation work, followed by a cream tea.
Claydon House is a historic English country house in Buckinghamshire, showcasing exquisite rococo interiors, a unique Chinese room, and gardens, with a museum dedicated to nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, offering visitors both indoor and outdoor experiences.
Uffington Castle is an Iron Age hillfort in Oxfordshire with substantial earthworks and historic significance, protected as a Scheduled Monument and located near the famous Uffington White Horse.
Greys Court is a Tudor country house with historic interiors and extensive gardens featuring a medieval castle tower, a walled garden with a maze, and ornamental plants, open to the public under the National Trust.
Waddesdon Manor is a Grade I listed Neo-Renaissance country house in Buckinghamshire, England, managed by the National Trust and owned by the Rothschild Foundation. It features remarkable art collections, formal gardens, an aviary, and historic wine cellars, with public access including exhibitions, dining, and child-friendly activities.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An interactive display explores the history and family tree of the Rothschild family, including their connections to Waddesdon Manor and their interests in art, horticulture, nature and sustainability.
Basildon Park is a Grade I listed Palladian country house in Berkshire featuring neoclassical interiors and extensive landscaped grounds. Visitors can explore both the grand historic interiors and the outdoor parkland, with exhibits including a nostalgic 1950s kitchen. The house has been restored and is open to the public, offering a rich glimpse into English country house history and architecture. It has also served as a location for several notable films.
The Rollright Stones is a complex of three prehistoric megalithic monuments in Oxfordshire, England, including a stone circle, dolmen, and monolith, known for their archaeological importance and folkloric significance. The site is managed by the Rollright Trust and attracts visitors interested in history, archaeology, and contemporary Pagan practices.
Stowe Gardens in Buckinghamshire are a prestigious English landscape garden featuring extensive parkland, architectural monuments, classical temples, and historical structures designed by prominent 18th-century architects and gardeners. Managed by the National Trust, the gardens offer a significant outdoor visitor experience with preserved landscapes and classical architecture, a visitor centre, and a rich heritage of garden design.
15 Oct (next Thursday)
Michael Bevington gives a lecture on Sir John Vanbrugh’s work at Stowe, including archaeological evidence for his buildings and his contribution to the landscape vision developed with Lord Cobham and Charles Bridgeman. The 60-minute talk is followed by audience questions.
Upton House is a Grade II* listed stately home near Banbury, Warwickshire, noted for its extensive gardens, art collection including old master paintings and fine porcelain, and unique Art Deco interiors. It offers both indoor and outdoor experiences primarily as an art gallery and garden attraction managed by the National Trust.
19 Mar, 17 Apr…
Volunteer-led social walks explore the countryside around Upton House, with routes introducing participants to the local landscape, its nature and history. Two routes of different lengths and difficulty alternate throughout the year.
Boarstall Tower is a Grade I listed 14th-century moated gatehouse and National Trust property in Buckinghamshire. Visitors can explore the historic fortified gatehouse and its surrounding gardens, with a history linked to the English Civil War.
Dragon Hill is a natural chalk hill near Uffington, Oxfordshire, famous for its legendary association with Saint George and the dragon. It is part of the National Trust and linked to Iron Age rituals, offering an outdoor historical and cultural experience.
Deddington Castle is a large earthwork site of an 11th-century motte-and-bailey castle in Oxfordshire, featuring visible ramparts and mounds, now serving as a public park and nature walk managed by English Heritage and the local parish council.
The Uffington White Horse is a prehistoric hill figure formed from chalk on Whitehorse Hill in Oxfordshire, England. It dates back to the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age and is the oldest white horse hill figure in Britain. The figure is a major archaeological and cultural landmark, maintained by the National Trust and part of a wider landscape with other ancient features like Uffington Castle and Dragon Hill.
Farnborough Hall is a Grade I listed Palladian country house in Warwickshire with outstanding ornamental parkland and gardens, featuring historic architecture, art collections, and scenic walks with multiple viewpoints including an obelisk. It offers a blend of indoor historical interiors and outdoor landscape experiences.