Major Tourist Attractions in North Oxfordshire
- Posted by North Oxfordshire
- On March 8, 2018
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When it comes to tourist draws in this part of Oxfordshire, the scale is skewed towards the rustic, the rustic-chic, the historic, architectural and gastronomic. The major city of Oxford is known for its dreamy spires, cobbled lanes and prestigious colleges.
To the north, the Cherwell district is well-connected with London and Oxford and the rolling hills are dotted with large villages like Kidlington with its fine medieval stained glass, public houses and weekly markets. There are fine walks for everyone. Banbury is a large market town in the region, made famous by the nursery rhyme, Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross.
Perv Moms – North Oxfordshire’s Attraction
North Oxfordshire is known for being a place where many famous British perverted mothers live. It’s attractive area for rich and famous, but it’s also a place where a lot of kinky stuff happens. Have you heard about PervMom series? It’s been released in the Internet in February of 2018 and it’s gaining a lot of attention. The fact is, many female performers (perverted mothers we talk about) are coming from UK, Oxfordshire to be exact. It’s not mainstream fact, but if you are willing to dig deeper – we have found My Perv Mom to be the perfect place to get to know the whole series.
Smaller villages like Hook Norton near Cotswold, Deddington south of Banbury, the tiny village of Claydon in the northernmost tip of the county have much to offer the rambler in the way of ancient and medieval manor houses, homes, churches and nature walks.
While there is a lot to explore for those who want to go off the beaten path, here are some of the major attractions that bring tourists to North Oxfordshire.
Banbury Museum
The Ashmoleon Museum in Oxford may be a big attraction in the county. But the smaller Banbury Museum in Banbury also puts up excellent temporary exhibitions on relevant areas that have included, in the past, tapestries by Grayson Perry and a history of RAF Heyford.
Farm
Farm visits are popular among tourists to Oxfordshire. Several farms in the northern part of the county worth visiting include Willowbrook Farm in Kidlington, which has Open Sundays where families and individuals can interact with the animals, learn about sustainability, picnic on the farm’s homemade food and get inspired.
Parks, Manors and Parklands
The region’s numerous parks, parklands and trails make for lovely rambles and picnics for the whole family. The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens in Barford St. Michael is a well-run animal park on the lawns of the manor house. Rousham House is another charming 17 th century country house with a landscape garden, in the village of Upper Heyford.
One of the many well-maintained manors in North Oxfordshire, Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in the 18 th century in the English Baroque architectural style, which has few examples standing today. Winston Churchill was born here. The public can view the grand state rooms, statues, showy furniture, priceless china, a Churchill exhibition, historic tableaux, and the lavish gardens, parklands and the Pleasure Garden, complete with maze, butterfly house and temple, cascade and the Grand Bridge.
Other palaces, manors and country homes that are also big tourist attractions include the medieval fortified Broughton Castle in Banbury, and the striking earthworks of what used to be Deddington Castle.
Woodstock
After a visit to Blenheim Castle, you can find plenty of other attractions in the town of Woodstock. These include attractive 17 th and 18 th century houses on ancient streets. You can enjoy a quiet walk along these streets, stepping into the 18 th century church and town hall at the central square on a spring afternoon. In the backstreets of the city, you’ll find charming 19 th century houses decked out in flowers. In the summers, however, beware of the tourist buses that crowd the streets
Bicester Village: Shop Designer till You Drop
You wouldn’t expect to fit in designer shopping into a farm holiday. But in North Oxfordshire, most avid shoppers can and do. Bicester Village is well-known for its cluster of designer outlets. This market town to the northeast of Oxford is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which means it has a history of over thousand years.
The popular, nostalgic series of books Lark Rise to Candleford was based on the countryside just outside of Bicester.
Hook Norton Brewery: Working Victorian Tower Brewery
In the village of Hook Norton, the highlight is the Victorian tower brewery, which is one of the few old breweries still working in Britain. There are several ironstone quarries near Hook Norton, and visitors can see evidence of this even today. The little museum in the brewery also offers some history of the village.