Historic towns and villages in Oxfordshire

Abingdon-on-Thames is the oldest continuously inhabited town in the UK, set beside the River Thames south of Oxford. Abingdon has been settled since at least the early Saxon period. Alfred the Great held the manor of Abingdon, and his descendant Athelstan had a royal residence here in the 10th century. There are a wealth of historic buildings to see in Abingdon, including the ruins of medieval Abingdon Abbey, set on the banks of the Thames.
Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England

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A lovely village on the banks of the River Evenlode, featuring a 12th-century church and Norman castle remains, plus a memorial to the 16 women of the Ascott Martyrs.
Ascott under Wychwood, Oxfordshire, England, OX76AN

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The small Oxfordshire market town of Bampton has a long history. It was known for many years as 'Bampton in the Bush', because it was located in the centre of a large expanse of common land. The town dates to the Saxon era, and by the time of the Norman Conquest it was the third-largest town in Oxfordshire.
Bampton, Oxfordshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: The 12th-century church of St Mary contains vestiges of Saxon stonework.

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A small village east of Carterton, famous for the nearby RAF Brize Norton air force base, the largest RAF base in the UK. The village itself is quite attractive, composed largely of Cotswold stone cottages, and the occasional old thatched cottage.
Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: The Norman church of St Britius boasts a carved Norman door and the effigy of a 13th-century knight.

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Buckland is an almost perfect estate village, built for workers at Buckland House. The village is composed of a lovely mix of traditional thatched cottages, with an attractive mix of more modern houses, all built of golden Cotswold stone.
Buckland, Oxfordshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: Buckland House, a fabulous Palladian mansion built in 1750 for Robert Throckmorton.

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The attractive old town of Burford acts as the western gateway to the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and that beauty is reflected in the lovely range of golden-toned stone cottages and shops along the long slope of the High Street that leads down to an ancient bridge across the River Windrush. The vista from the top of Burford High Street is one of the classic scenic views of the Cotswolds area.
Burford, Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England

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The historic market town of Charlbury sits on a hill above the Evenlode valley. The town began as little more than a clearing in the ancient royal hunting ground of Wychwood Forest. Little remains of the forest today, but Charlbury has maintained its historic roots.
Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: Armada Cottage, an unaltered Elizabethan building

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'Chippy', as it is known locally, is a busy market town on the highest point in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. The area was once a major centre in the wool trade which brought prosperity to the Cotswold region throughout the Middle Ages. The impressive parish church of St Mary's is a reminder of the rich merchants who once called Chipping Norton home.
Chipping Norton, Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England

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Heritage Highlight: The [largely] 13th-century parish church of St Mary's is one of the finest in the county

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Churchill is a very pretty Cotswold village high on a hill. The soaring tower of All Saints Church (1827) is visible for miles around. The early Gothic Revival church is modelled after three Oxford colleges.

B4450, Churchill, Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England

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Dorchester-on-Thames is a pretty village at the confluence of the rivers Thame and Thames. St Birinius founded a bishopric here in the 7th century AD, and in the 12th century an Augustinian abbey was built on the site of the saint's Saxon church. Dorchester Abbey was rescued at the Reformation to serve as the parish church. The village is full of pictursque thatched and timber-framed buildings, including the George Hotel, a coaching inn dating to 1495.
Dorchester-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, OX10 7HL

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Heritage Highlight: 12th century Dorchester Abbey stands on the site of a 7th century church

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