History and Heritage

Explore the past in South Oxfordshire

Discover a world of heritage and culture in South Oxfordshire. The district is a treasure trove for those fascinated by the past.

Historic buildings, gardens, landmarks and even a Time Team excavation site can all be explored in this intriguing area.

King Alfred built the town of Wallingford in the 9th century and the castle ruins still remain today after Oliver Cromwell destroyed it during the English Civil War.

Stonor Park, a 12th century catholic family home, has an uneven number of windows on either side of the front door to hide a priest hole with an escape through the roof into the nearby Chiltern Hills.

Celtic, Roman and Saxon graves and artefacts are frequently discovered in South Oxfordshire and it is thought that Wittenham Clumps, the oldest clump of trees in the country, could have been the site of an Iron Age hill fort.

Geoffrey Chaucer’s granddaughter Alice inherited the manor of Ewelme from her mother and after her husband’s untimely death devoted her life to the building of almshouses and a school. The school, in the village of Ewelme, is thought to be the oldest continuously used school in England.

Tudor houses, such as Mapledurham House and Grey’s Court near Henley, are busy in the summer months as visitors amble through glorious gardens, planted with old-fashioned roses and wisteria. Unusual historical attractions include Grey’s Court’s archbishop’s maze, a Tudor donkey wheel and icehouse and Mapledurham’s working flour mill.

There are numerous opportunities for history enthusiasts to explore the area, whether it is ambling through fragrant gardens and manor houses, or learning about the Romans and Saxons in the museums.

South Oxfordshire is real England on your doorstep.