Photogenic Landscapes and Historic Sites in Oxfordshire



Aston Rowant
Lady orchid
Minster Lovell Hall

The county of Oxfordshire contains two medieval castles, at Oxford (largely intact) and Wallingford (ruined, and mostly disappeared), plus a small selection of other ancient sites such as Wayland's Smithy, a burial chamber, and the picturesque ruins of Minster Lovell Hall. The cathedral is Christ Church in Oxford, built at the end of the 12th century; one of England's smallest cathedrals. There are no major religious ruins.

In the northwest, Oxfordshire includes a small part of the Cotswolds, while the south borders two other scenic upland regions, the Chilterns and the North Wessex Downs; together, these three account for the majority of approximately 30 nature reserves in the county, of which Hartslock is one of the best, a noted location for rare orchids.


Ancient Sites



Bix Brand Old Church
Bix Brand Old Church
Crumbling ruins of a small Norman church, surrounded by fields, in a valley in the Chilterns; a scheduled ancient monument

Rating: ★★★★★
Minster Lovell Hall
Minster Lovell Hall
Photogenic ruins of a grand 15th century mansion, with a peaceful setting beside the River Windrush, lined by ancient trees

Rating: ★★★★
North Leigh Roman Villa
North Leigh Roman Villa
Foundations of a Roman villa, inhabited from the 2nd to 5th centuries, in a rural setting close to the ancient travel route of Akeman Street

Rating: ★★★★
Rollright Stones
Rollright Stones
Three ancient stone monuments near the east edge of the Cotswolds; a circle, a burial chamber and a standing stone

Rating: ★★★★★
Wallingford Castle
Wallingford Castle
Fragmentary remains of a major medieval fortification, beside a ford across the River Thames; almost completely destroyed after the Civil War

Rating: ★★★★★
Wayland's Smithy
Wayland's Smithy
Well preserved, partially reconstructed long barrow dating from around 3650 BC, in a relatively remote, tree-lined setting

Rating: ★★★★★

Landscapes



Aston Rowant
Aston Rowant
Extensive chalk grassland, and a small area of beech woodland, on sloping ground along the west edge of the Chilterns

Rating: ★★★★★
Aston Upthorpe Downs
Aston Upthorpe Downs
Chalk grassland and mixed woodland; plants include pasqueflower, wild candytuft and juniper

Rating: ★★★★
Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve
Cholsey Marsh
Marsh, pools, wet woodland and damp meadows beside the River Thames, with a range of insect and plant life

Rating: ★★★★
Hartslock Nature Reserve
Hartslock
Calcareous grassland at the edge of the Chilterns, overlooking the River Thames - several rare plant species, including the monkey and lady orchids

Rating: ★★★★★
Letcombe Valley Nature Reserve
Letcombe Valley
Chalk stream, ancient woodland and calcareous grassland, at the foot of the Lambourn Downs

Rating: ★★★★★
Oaken Wood
Oaken Wood
Atmospheric woodland with beech and other trees, on chalky soils of the Chiltern Hills; crossed by several paths

Rating: ★★★★
Tuckmill Meadow Nature Reserve
Tuckmill Meadow
Small, L-shaped enclosure of moist grassland, sloping down to marsh and a stream, and bordered by a belt of trees

Rating: ★★★★
Warburg Nature Reserve
Warburg Nature Reserve
Ancient beech woodland, 19th century plantations, meadows and rides, on chalk bedrock, home to many species

Rating: ★★★★★


Map of Featured Oxfordshire Locations