Lily Stables, Bampton, Oxfordshire

The thriving village of Bampton lies in the Thames Valley in the southern Cotswolds, amidst beautiful Oxfordshire countryside. Bampton is one of the oldest villages in England boasting a village shop, Post Office, butcher, and traditional pubs serving good food and real ales, all set around a pretty market square. Ancient customs can still be experienced with the regular morris dancing festivities, which have been enjoyed for over 600 years. Just four miles away is the riverside town of Witney, which offers many attractions including a weekly market dating back to the Middle Ages, an 18th century town hall, and Wychwood Brewery. Burford is possibly one of the most famous of the Cotswolds’ locations. With its medieval bridge, old stone houses and attractive Tudor and Georgian frontages, Burford is justifiably one of the most picturesque towns in England. Often referred to as the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’, the town was originally a fortified Anglo-Saxon ford to be an important regional crossroads and wealthy wool town. With little changing over the centuries. Burford is now very popular with visitors, both for its beauty and history but also for it’s shopping and antiques, and for the wide variety of places to eat, with restaurants, pubs and teashops. Oxford, the oldest university city in England, boasts interesting Botanical Gardens, museums and libraries, and plays host to many festivals and markets throughout the year. Enjoy a punt on the River Thames or take a boat trip on the River Cherwell. The ancestral home of Winston Churchill and the World Heritage Site of Blenheim Palace is just a short drive away, where many lovely walks can be enjoyed around the landscaped parkland. With so much nearby, Bampton provides a wonderful holiday destination.