Oxfordshire blends historic university city charm with scenic countryside and heritage sites.
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.
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.
Buckingham Chantry Chapel is a historic 15th-century chapel in Buckingham, noted for its Norman doorway and status as the oldest building in town. Owned by the National Trust, it is currently open to the public as a second-hand bookshop, offering visitors insight into medieval ecclesiastical architecture and local heritage.
9 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Follow a zombie-themed trail through Stowe Gardens, solving puzzles to help a scientist find an antidote and clear the zombies from Lamport. The trail is designed for children aged 6 and over.
Buckingham is a historic market town in Buckinghamshire, England, known for its charming Georgian streetscapes, a longstanding market tradition, and cultural landmarks including the University of Buckingham and the Buckingham Old Gaol museum.
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.
Long Crendon Courthouse is a 15th-century timber-framed building in Buckinghamshire, historically used as a wool store, manorial court house, and village poor house, now a National Trust property.
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.
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.
Priory Cottages is a 14th-century former monastic grange and manor house in Steventon, Oxfordshire, notable for its historic architecture and managed by the National Trust, open to visitors by appointment.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
10 Oct (this Saturday)
A guided walk exploring the history of Coleshill Mill and the River Cole, including how the river powers the mill and the lives of its millers. If water levels allow, visitors can see the historic machinery operating and learn about restoration plans for the river.
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.
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.