Asthall Manor
Parks and gardens · Swinbrook and Asthall
The Jacobean manor at Asthall where the Mitfords lived from 1919 to 1926, with a garden by Isabel and Julian Bannerman open on set afternoons in February, May and June.
Verified Nov 2026
Things to do in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds
12 places · every place verified by us
The Oxfordshire Cotswolds has Blenheim Palace, the region's biggest family day out at the Cotswold Wildlife Park, a working manor farm at Witney and free ruins and Roman remains along the Windrush and the Evenlode. It suits families, and much of it is reachable by train.
12 places
12 places
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Bampton Community Archive
Museums and galleries · Bampton
Bampton's village archive in the Old Grammar School, the building that played Downton's cottage hospital, with an exhibition room, a shop and the Downton Mile map.
Rainy days
Verified Oct 2026
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Blenheim Palace
Historic houses and heritage · Woodstock
Vanbrugh's palace at Woodstock, Churchill's birthplace and a World Heritage Site, with Capability Brown's park, formal gardens and a ticket that lasts a year.
Family-friendly · Dog-friendly · Car-free
Verified Oct 2026
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Burford Tolsey Museum
Museums and galleries · Burford
Burford's small free museum in the Tolsey, the sixteenth-century market house on the High Street, run by volunteers and open on summer afternoons.
Verified Oct 2026
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Charlbury Museum
Museums and galleries · Charlbury
Charlbury's volunteer-run museum beside the Corner House on Market Street: five rooms on the town's history, from Stone Age arrowheads to gloving, open at weekends from April to October.
Rainy days · Car-free
Verified Nov 2026
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Cogges Manor Farm
Family days out · Witney
A manor house of the thirteenth century with a farm, walled garden, orchard and adventure playground on the edge of Witney, with free parking.
Family-friendly · Dog-friendly · Car-free
Verified Nov 2026
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Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
Wildlife and nature · Burford
A wildlife park and gardens near Burford with animals from around the world, a narrow-gauge railway, free parking and room for dogs on leads in most of it.
Family-friendly · Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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Crocodiles of the World
Wildlife and nature · Witney
A zoo at Brize Norton, near Witney and Burford, keeping more than 100 crocodiles, alligators and caimans of 19 species, open daily all year from 10am except Christmas Day.
Family-friendly · Rainy days
Verified Nov 2026
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Diddly Squat Farm Shop
Farm shops and delis · Charlbury
Jeremy Clarkson's farm shop on the Chipping Norton road near Chadlington, opened in 2020 and made famous by Clarkson's Farm, open Tuesday to Sunday outside its winter break, with a café and lambing barn seating.
Verified Nov 2026
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Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote
Historic houses and heritage · Witney
The ruins of a fifteenth-century manor house by the River Windrush between Burford and Witney, with a round dovecote, free to visit in daylight.
Dog-friendly · Walker-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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North Leigh Roman Villa
Historic houses and heritage · Woodstock
The remains of one of the larger courtyard villas of Roman Britain, by the River Evenlode west of Woodstock, free in daylight all year, with its early fourth-century mosaic shown on volunteer open days from May to September.
Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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The Oxfordshire Museum
Museums and galleries · Woodstock
The county museum in Woodstock, free, with galleries on Oxfordshire's history including Woodstock's gloves and cut steel, a garden and a café.
Rainy days · Car-free
Verified Oct 2026
Blenheim and Woodstock
Blenheim Palace at Woodstock, Vanbrugh's palace and Churchill's birthplace, is the big one in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds: a World Heritage Site with Capability Brown's park and formal gardens. An adult ticket for the palace, park and gardens costs £41 online or £44 at the gate (2026), and it converts to a pass for a year, so come back for the park in each season. Arrive by bus, train or bike for 20 per cent off.
In Woodstock itself, the Oxfordshire Museum is free, with galleries on the county's history and a garden café. West of the town, North Leigh Roman Villa lies by the Evenlode, free in daylight. Its mosaic is shown on volunteer open days from May to September.
Burford, Witney and the Windrush
Near Burford, the Cotswold Wildlife Park is the family day out on this side of the hills, with animals from round the world, a narrow-gauge railway from April to October, and dogs on leads in most outdoor areas. Allow at least four hours, and note that it closes on weekdays from early January to early February for maintenance. At Brize Norton,Crocodiles of the World keeps more than 100 crocodiles, alligators and caimans of 19 species, and its Crocodile House is indoors, which makes it a good wet-day choice.
On the edge of Witney, Cogges is a thirteenth-century manor house with a farm, a walled garden and an adventure playground, 10 minutes' walk from the town along the Windrush. Further up the river, Minster Lovell Hall is the free, peaceful ruin of a fifteenth-century manor with a round dovecote. Burford's Tolsey Museum, in the old market house, is free on summer afternoons.
Diddly Squat
Diddly Squat Farm Shop, Jeremy Clarkson's shop near Chadlington made famous by Clarkson's Farm, opens Tuesday to Sunday with no booking, but closes for part of the winter, so check its website before you go. Arrive at 9.30am on a weekday to miss the worst of the queue, and note that both car parks close at 5pm.
Prices, parking and dogs
Minster Lovell, North Leigh and the two museums are free. An adult pays £12 at Cogges, £16 at Crocodiles of the World and £19.50 at the Wildlife Park, or £17.50 online (2026). Blenheim, the Wildlife Park, Cogges and Crocodiles have free parking. Dogs on leads are welcome at the Wildlife Park, in Cogges' grounds and at Minster Lovell, but not in Blenheim's palace or formal gardens, nor at Crocodiles of the World. Without a car, take the train to Hanborough and the 233 bus to Blenheim, or the S3 or S7 from Oxford. For lunch, see places to eat in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds.
The year here runs from the Lechlade Vintage Rally at Clanfield over the early May bank holiday and the Bampton Morris Day of Dance on the spring bank holiday Monday, to the Charlbury Riverside Festival in July, the Big Feastival at Kingham over the August bank holiday and the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials in mid-September. Our film locations drive starts with Downton at Bampton and Cogges.
Our picks in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds
Blenheim for a ticket that lasts a year, the Wildlife Park and Cogges for families and dogs, Crocodiles of the World for a wet day, Minster Lovell and North Leigh for free history by the river, the Oxfordshire Museum for an hour in Woodstock and Diddly Squat for the queue chat.
All places-
Blenheim Palace
Historic houses and heritage · Woodstock
Vanbrugh's palace at Woodstock, Churchill's birthplace and a World Heritage Site, with Capability Brown's park, formal gardens and a ticket that lasts a year.
Family-friendly · Dog-friendly · Car-free
Verified Oct 2026
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Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
Wildlife and nature · Burford
A wildlife park and gardens near Burford with animals from around the world, a narrow-gauge railway, free parking and room for dogs on leads in most of it.
Family-friendly · Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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Cogges Manor Farm
Family days out · Witney
A manor house of the thirteenth century with a farm, walled garden, orchard and adventure playground on the edge of Witney, with free parking.
Family-friendly · Dog-friendly · Car-free
Verified Nov 2026
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Crocodiles of the World
Wildlife and nature · Witney
A zoo at Brize Norton, near Witney and Burford, keeping more than 100 crocodiles, alligators and caimans of 19 species, open daily all year from 10am except Christmas Day.
Family-friendly · Rainy days
Verified Nov 2026
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Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote
Historic houses and heritage · Witney
The ruins of a fifteenth-century manor house by the River Windrush between Burford and Witney, with a round dovecote, free to visit in daylight.
Dog-friendly · Walker-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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North Leigh Roman Villa
Historic houses and heritage · Woodstock
The remains of one of the larger courtyard villas of Roman Britain, by the River Evenlode west of Woodstock, free in daylight all year, with its early fourth-century mosaic shown on volunteer open days from May to September.
Dog-friendly
Verified Oct 2026
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The Oxfordshire Museum
Museums and galleries · Woodstock
The county museum in Woodstock, free, with galleries on Oxfordshire's history including Woodstock's gloves and cut steel, a garden and a café.
Rainy days · Car-free
Verified Oct 2026
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Diddly Squat Farm Shop
Farm shops and delis · Charlbury
Jeremy Clarkson's farm shop on the Chipping Norton road near Chadlington, opened in 2020 and made famous by Clarkson's Farm, open Tuesday to Sunday outside its winter break, with a café and lambing barn seating.
Verified Nov 2026
Before you go
- Parking
- Free at Blenheim with a ticket, the Wildlife Park, Cogges and Crocodiles of the World. At Minster Lovell, use the small car park by St Kenelm's church.
- Booking ahead
- Book the Wildlife Park online to save £2 a head. Diddly Squat takes no bookings. Its car parks close at 5pm.
- Prices
- Free at Minster Lovell, North Leigh and the Oxfordshire Museum, and £12 at Cogges, £19.50 at the Wildlife Park and £44 at Blenheim for an adult at the gate (2026).
- Dogs
- On leads at the Wildlife Park, Cogges and Minster Lovell, but not in Blenheim's palace or formal gardens, nor at Crocodiles of the World.
- By train
- Hanborough for Blenheim on the 233 bus, with 20 per cent off for arriving by bus, train or bike.
Walk to the sights
Round Blenheim's park, Witney Lake to Cogges, Minster Lovell by the Windrush, and Burford's town and river.
All walks starting here-
Blenheim Park from Bladon
Walk · Starts in Woodstock · 2 hrs · Circular
A 4.5-mile (7.2km) circular walk from Bladon round Blenheim's park, about two hours, easy and on estate roads. It crosses New Bridge, goes through High Park to Vanbrugh's Grand Bridge, past the palace and back by the walled garden. About half needs a Park and Gardens ticket.
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Witney Lake and Cogges
Walk · Starts in Witney · 1 hr, 15 mins · Circular
A 3.2-mile (5.1km) easy, flat loop of about an hour and a quarter from the middle of Witney: down the Windrush through the meadows to Witney Lake, back by farm tracks and a lane to Cogges, its manor farm, café and church.
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Minster Lovell, Crawley and the Windrush
Walk · Starts in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds · 1 hr, 30 mins · Circular · Dog-friendly
A 3.7-mile (6km) circular walk from the bridge at Minster Lovell, easy and about an hour and a half: over the fields to Crawley, back along the River Windrush to the ruins of Minster Lovell Hall, its dovecote and St Kenelm's church. Wet in winter.
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Burford's lanes and fields
Walk · Starts in Burford · 1 hr · Circular
A 1.7-mile (2.7km) circular walk from Burford's free riverside car park, easy and about an hour, mostly on pavements and lanes. It climbs Witney Street and Barns Lane to a field west of the town, then comes back down Sheep Street and Priory Lane to the church.
What is open, once a month
Open days, new places and what is on across the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, in your inbox about once a month.
Questions
What is there to do in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds with children?
The Cotswold Wildlife Park near Burford is the full day, with a narrow-gauge railway from April to October. Allow at least four hours. Cogges at Witney has farm animals and an adventure playground, and Crocodiles of the World at Brize Norton suits a wet day. Blenheim's park has room to run, and its ticket lasts a year.
What is free to do in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds?
Minster Lovell Hall, the ruin of a fifteenth-century manor by the Windrush, is free in daylight, and so is North Leigh Roman Villa by the Evenlode, with its mosaic shown on summer open days. The Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock is free, and Burford's Tolsey Museum opens free on summer afternoons. Diddly Squat needs no ticket, though its car parks close at 5pm.
Is Blenheim Palace worth the price?
Yes, if you use the ticket twice: a palace, park and gardens ticket, £41 online or £44 at the gate for an adult (2026), converts to a pass for 12 months. Arriving by bus, train or bike takes 20 per cent off. Dogs can walk in the park but not in the palace, the formal gardens or the Walled Garden.
What can you do in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds on a rainy day?
Crocodiles of the World at Brize Norton has an indoor Crocodile House and opens every day but Christmas Day. Blenheim's state rooms are indoors, with lifts, and the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock is free, with a café. Cogges' manor house is worth a look when it is open, but from November the farm opens mornings only.
About the Oxfordshire Cotswolds
The Windrush and Evenlode valleys on the Oxfordshire side of the hills: Burford's High Street, Kingham on the railway, Witney's blankets and Woodstock at Blenheim's gates.