Banbury Estate Agents
Office 51, Bloxham Mill, Barford Road, Bloxham
Banbury, OX15 4FF
Oxfordshire is a county with something to suit everyone; the world famous bustling University city of Oxford sits proudly surrounded by fabulous countryside which is interspersed with classic pretty English villages and thriving small towns such as Banbury and Chipping Norton.
Oxford Estate Agents
269 Banbury Road
Oxford
OX2 7JF
Centrally located and well connected, much of Oxfordshire is within commuter distance of London. This convenience combined with the county’s reputation for excellent schooling and culture makes Oxfordshire one of the most desirable places to live in the country.
Between the Strutt & Parker Oxford office and our office in Banbury, we cover the majority of the county; in addition, our offices in Newbury and Pangbourne cover the Southern edge and our Moreton-in-Marsh office the North-Western fringe.
The types of Oxfordshire property sold and let by the Strutt & Parker offices' vary from imposing Georgian farmhouses and barn conversions to delightful country cottages, with a handful of modern family homes thrown in. Oxfordshire is blessed with more than its fair share of charming period and listed homes and our offices have an abundance of both, split between village/town locations and more rural areas, surrounded by generous grounds.
The wealth of rural space across the county means that for lovers of the outdoors things to do in Oxfordshire are not hard to come by. From bustling market towns selling fantastic local produce, to the unique character that embodies the city of Oxford, visitors and residents alike will easily find their own personal attraction to the county.
Our residential sales and lettings teams are joined by farming and land management, planning and development and Valuations departments operating throughout the county.
Things to do in Oxfordshire
Outstanding architecture
Amongst the huge choice of things to do in Oxford are a very good selection of museums and University buildings open to the general public. The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology is the oldest museum in Britain; many locals visit regularly to enjoy its enormous collection, too extensive to explore in one visit. Just 8 miles from Oxford, in Woodstock, is Blenheim Palace; a stunning building and gardens incorporating a number of attractions. One of the county's more recent attractions is the charming Cotswold village of Bampton which takes centre stage as the host of the popular period drama Downtown Abbey.
Beautiful Surroundings
Of the several National Trust properties in the county, the most unique is probably White Horse Hill, a hillside chalk figure in a great setting for a family walk. The interesting landscape of Oxfordshire lends itself well to all types of outdoor activities; the wide, open plains mean that most walks or rides will be accompanied by amazing views over the surrounding countryside. Oxfordshire is also home to over 30 golf clubs.
Vibrant shopping
If you’re stuck for things to do in Oxfordshire, the numerous wonderful opportunities to shop across the county will always be available. The excellent blend of top high street chains and niche, independent shops that line Oxford’s narrow cobbled streets mean that the city is an extremely popular destination for shoppers looking to find something a little bit different. For more upmarket shopping Bicester Village Outlet Shopping centre has a vast array of top worldwide labels. For foodies, Daylesford Organic and Millets Farm shops provide excellent quality produce which is locally sourced.
Why we love Oxfordshire
Our Banbury and Oxford office teams recommend the following:
Restaurants
Our agents recommend Le Manoir aux Quat’Saison, Raymond Blanc’s two Michelin starred restaurant in a fabulous manor house and countryside setting, and The Black Boy, a 16th century pub in Milton reopened by Marco Pierre White.
Pubs and bars
Browns, in Oxford, is a universal favourite for a relaxed meal or drink with a great atmosphere. For a drink in a more traditional environment there are an abundance of classic rural pubs and restaurants within nearly any village or town you come across. Some of the best include The Swan Inn in Swinbrook and The White Hart near Henley on Thames.
Members clubs
Soho Farmhouse is a 100 acre members club with a huge range of facilities including; a cinema, restaurants, bars, a gym and luxury accommodation. It also provides a wide range of activities including tennis, swimming, boating, horse riding.
Annual event
Our Oxford team loves the May Day Celebrations that take over the city; dancing, singing, drinking and more…also, the Daylesford Christmas fair at Daylesford Organic Farm is put on every festive season near Kingham.
Secret spot/country walk
Our local experts love the numerous woods across the county, particularly Wytham Woods, an area of ancient woodland owned by Oxford University, open from dawn until dusk every day of the year.
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Key villages & towns in Oxfordshire
Abingdon
The busy market town of Abingdon is the closest town in oxfordshire to oxford, situated just 5 miles away from the city in the Vale of White Horse. It claims to be Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited town, with a rich history going back over six thousand years. The town has some attractive and interesting structures, including the former county hall, now home to the museum, and the remains of the Benedictine Abbey. Abingdon is a convenient leisure and retail centre, with good facilities and a useful selection of chain stores. The White Hart pub remains a firm favourite with foodies – it has held two rosettes for culinary excellence and uses lots of local produce – as well as those seeking a traditional pub with a good atmosphere and real ale.
Adderbury
Adderbury is a beautiful village, divided in half by the Sor Brook, in a most picturesque location on the edge of the Cotswolds. It is home to some grand architecture, a beautiful church, a handful of popular pubs and a great community spirit. On the edge of the village are the Adderbury lakes, a well enjoyed nature reserve.
Banbury
In the Cherwell Valley and on the River Cherwell is the market town of Banbury. It is a pretty and thriving town, serving many villages in its rural surroundings, with a great choice of nice shops and restaurants, including many independent establishments. Residents enjoy visiting nearby Broughton Castle and the Oxford Canal, which passes through the town. Don’t miss the famous local delicacy, Banbury cakes.
Bicester
If you're looking for things to do in Oxfordshire Bicester is a good place to start. The town is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire, with a history going back over a thousand years. It is well connected by train and road and provides extensive amenities. Its pedestrianised centre has many independent and chain stores, as well as a good selection of cafés and eateries. Outside the town is a designer outlet, which attracts a huge number of visitors. Its weekly market is complemented by regular farmers’ markets and the odd French market.
Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton is one of the most popular towns in Oxfordshire; nestled in the Cotswolds, the town has some beautiful architecture and an array of famous residents. It has a good choice of shops and pubs, as well as theatre, and is a leisure and retail centre for the surrounding area. There is evidence of prehistoric habitation in the area in the form of the Rollright Stones, a stone circle located a couple of miles from the town. The Wild Thyme restaurant and rooms gets outstanding reviews for modern British food, made using local ingredients.
Oxford
Oxford, famous for its university, the oldest in the English speaking world, sits in the centre of the county. Its architecture is interesting and varied, with a range of eras and styles represented. Many of its buildings have breath-taking views over a city scape so striking that it has been known as the city of dreaming spires. Oxford is rich in culture, known for its punting, its history and, more recently, for being home to some of the iconic buildings featured in the Harry Potter films. The city has extensive shopping opportunities, with a vast number of chain stores on its main shopping streets; venture on to the side roads to discover interesting independent stores and the great covered market. The Oxford Blackwell’s store boasts the largest single room devoted to books in Europe, at 10,000 sq ft; fitting in a city built on education, intellect and research.
Thame
The charming and prosperous small town of Thame takes its name from the river, which flows just to the north of the town. There are a number of markets held locally, including a livestock market, and locals are proud of the interesting mix of shops that line the High Street, alongside a selection of restaurants, pubs and cafés. Raymond Blanc lives and runs his two Michelin starred restaurant, the Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, in the nearby village of Great Milton and is an ambassador of the Thame food festival, a celebration of local gastronomy held annually.
Schools in the area
In keeping with Oxford’s academic reputation, the area is known for having some of the best schools in the country, particularly in Oxford itself.
Aside from the infamous University of Oxford there are a vast amount of excellent schools in Oxfordshire that cater for all needs. Among a vast number of well-reputed and popular private schools in Oxford are the Dragon, St Edwards, Magdalen College School, Oxford High School and Summer Fields. The Cherwell School is widely regarded as being the best state secondary schools in Oxfordshire, with lots of the villages to the North of the city having very good state primaries, including Bladon, Combe, Bletchingdon, Kirtlington, Enstone and Kingham. The list goes on…
Abingdon is also blessed with a choice of good schools; people travel for miles to attend Abingdon School, Radley, St Helen & St Katharine’s and Cothill House.
Bruern Abbey, in Chesterton, near Bicester, is a special school for dyslexics and dyspraxics which gets excellent reviews, with emphasis on how much the pupils enjoy attending.
Around Banbury, the independent Tudor Hall for girls is highly renowned and there is a choice of state secondaries rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, including the Warriner School and the North Oxfordshire Academy.
Lord Williams Schools, in Thame, to the east of the country, has one of the largest secondary schools in Oxfordshire, catering for the majority of students in the town and nearby villages.
For a more comprehensive list of schools in the area we recommend the Good Schools Guide.
Transport links
By train
London is within easy reach (and commuting distance) of Banbury, Oxford, Bicester and Haddenham & Thame. All these routes several direct services an hour; from Banbury it takes just over an hour and from the others, it is even less. Twice hourly direct services link Oxford to Birmingham in just over an hour and, between Banbury and Oxford, trains run three times an hour and take just 20 minutes. The new station just north of the Oxford ring road, Oxford Parkway provides a direct link into London Marylebone in about 56 minutes.
By train
Oxfordshire is well connected by road. The M40 passes through the county, making both Birmingham and London, and from these the wider motorway network, about an hour and a half from the city of Oxford. Decent A-roads head in all directions through and out of the county, meaning that most of the area is very accessible.
Oxford offers a unique blend of old and new with the history of the city centre and its wonderful architecture mixing with the fresh vibrancy of a new crop of undergraduate students every year. As a result of the county’s fabulous geographical location situated in the south midlands, Oxfordshire transport links are also excellent, with London, Birmingham, the Cotswolds, and the Chiltern Hills all within easy reach.