Country Houses and Gardens in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county blessed with a wonderful array of country houses and gardens.
Oxford
The city of Oxford is full of green spaces to relax and unwind.
Situated in the heart of Oxford, Oxford Botanic Garden is the UK’s oldest botanic garden founded in 1621 and is an oasis of green in the city centre.
The city’s many parks and meadows like Christ Church Meadows, South Parks, University Parks and Port Meadow are some of the best parks you can visit in Oxford.
Oxfordshire
In the north of the county lies Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Woodstock. It is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and is currently home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough. It has over 300 years of history to discover and more than 2000 acres of landscaped parkland and gardens to explore.
Venture west to find Cogges Manor Farm, a 13th-century manor house and scheduled ancient monument with a farmyard and walled garden.
Don’t miss the stunning Harcourt Arboretum in South Oxfordshire, and explore 130 acres of tranquil British woodland, open wildflower meadows and trees from around the world.
Just a stone’s throw from Oxford is the delightful Waterperry Gardens where visitors can explore 8 acres of beautiful ornamental gardens, sample Afternoon Tea in the cafe, and pick up a few souvenirs in the garden shop.
In Wallingford you will find the site of one of the strongest and most important castles in England. The building of the castle began in 1067 on the direct instructions of William the Conqueror, it was expanded in the C13 and went on to become a royal castle. The site is now a garden offering the visitor a peaceful stroll and a place for rest and contemplation amongst the ruins.
Beyond Oxfordshire
Discover Waddesdon Manor, close to the Oxfordshire border. This unique French Renaissance-style château was built in the 1870s by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to house his art treasures and entertain fashionable society. Enjoy this astonishing collection and explore formal Victorian gardans and rolling parkland all year round.
Near Banbury, Thenford Arboretum has something for every gardening enthusiast. The arboretum, now spread out over seventy acres, features a collection of more than three thousand different trees and shrubs, together with extensive herbaceous borders, water gardens, an alpine trough garden, a sculpture garden, a rose garden and a rill.
