WHY?

If you’re looking for all the perks of well-heeled Cotswolds living, but without being under the tourist microscope, then Charlbury could be right up your street. The town has a strong sense of community, easy access to London as well as a thriving social calendar.

EAT

The village is literally riddled with beautiful places to park yourself for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Bull is a 500-year-old institution with as a classic gastropub menu alongside Insta-worthy interiors and this year was awarded its first Bib Gourmand from Michelin. Chef Chloe Horner (formerly of Oxfork in Oxford) has her eponymous restaurant Chloe’s – hugely popular for its Friday night suppers. Now there’s a new addition to the village – Brazillian chef Marcia Harvey’s Amarelo, a South-American inspired restaurant on the site of the former Old Post Office. Two villages along in Chadlington you have Café de la Post – a coffee shop with well-attended evening pizza nights as well as an off-licence.

Serving no-fuss, rustic lunches in the gorgeous rural setting of the AONB Evenlode Valley is family-run coffee shop The Old Shed, just a short drive (or 20 minute walk) from the town centre. Be sure to try one of the delicious homemade cakes and a game of Disc Golf (golf but, erm, with discs) in the surrounding woodland.

SHOP

Charlbury is quiet on the shopping scene though there’s a Co-Op and Londis locally. However, there is the fantastic Charlbury Deli & Café (owned by 120 local shareholders) where 80% of the produce stocked is from Oxfordshire suppliers including coffee from New Ground and seriously good sourdough from Mark’s Cotswold Bakery. Whilst your picking up your sourdough, you can snag yourself a painting from Branch Arts run by ex Photographer’s Gallery and Royal Academy publicist (and local resident) Susie Lawson. You’re 15 mins from Burford, Witney and Woodstock for more choice.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

With its winding country roads, little traffic and rural vistas Charlbury is a popular cycling destination on the Cotswold Line Cycle Route that follows paths from Oxford to Worcester. There are acres and acres of parkland and woodland to explore nearby including Wychwood Forest (the Wychwood Loop is an excellent cycle route), plus there are walking routes with stunning views around the perimeter of Cornbury Park (usually closed to the public until festival season with Wilderness held on the estate). There’s a yoga joint in the town run by Matthew Greenfield who’s created a light and airy loft studio for group and private classes.

COMMUNITY

Events in the surrounds include an annual Beer Festival (with the Aunt Sally Singles World Championship no less), Charlbury Street Fair, Riverside Festival, and Oxfordshire’s coolest festival jaunt Wilderness – think a heady mix of right-on hippiness (yoga, skinny-dipping, hot hubs) and top-tier music and food. Looking for local history? Charlbury Museum is based in the Corner House.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, is just a 13 min drive with a jam-packed calendar of events throughout the year and you’re 20 mins from Soho Farmhouse if you can snaffle a membership. One of my favourite National Trust properties, the atmospheric Jacobean Chastleton House (where Wolf Hall was filmed), is 20 mins away. For kids in the village, there’s local consultation about extending the skate park and also making it more enticing for girls.

CULTURE

Such a treat being this close to August’s new annual Wilderness Festival. The festival takes place in Cornbury Park, an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ Cornbury Park, has boasted previous big names such as Years & Years and Jungle, has a stage for spoken word and talks, family events and crafts, and even a lakeside spa! Cornbury Park also hosts outdoor theatre of Shakespeare, classics and family shows. Charlbury’s Riverside Festival is completely free to attend, with over 30 bands playing across 3 stages. It is also just a 17 min drive to the family-friendly Big Feastival run by Blur’s Alex James, for A-list live music and a line up of excellent chefs.

The closest theatre is the lovely Chipping Norton Theatre (known locally as Chippy Theatre), renowned for its sell-out panto. There’s also the newish Living Room Cinema in Chipping Norton. If you’re not a member of Soho Farmhouse, make a friend who is – there’s an Electric Cinema there.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES

Affordable for this part of the country. Average prices are £555,214 over the last year, with semi-detached properties averaging £400,346 and detached properties sold for an average of £919,667. Sold prices in Charlbury are up at 9% up on the previous year, according to Right Move.

HOT PROPERTY

NURSERIES

Little Monkeys in the heart of Charlbury is rated Ofsted ‘Good’ and provides home cooked meals. The smaller 28 place Charlbury Pre School is also very central and rated Good, as is Nära Charlbury over the river.

SCHOOLS

Charlbury is spoilt for choice of top state primaries, with Finstock Church of England Primary and Holy Trinity Catholic School both rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. Chipping Norton School is a ‘Good’-rated academy and probably the best local state senior option. Lovely rural Kingham Hill with its 100 acre site (so huge they need buggies to get around!) is just a 20 min drive; equally nurturing Sibford School, Tudor Hall senior school for girls, Carrdus Prep and stong all-rounder Bloxham School and are 20 mins away near Banbury. Or there’s Oxford, with its extensive list of excellent schools is just 15 minutes from Charlbury station. Options include academic powerhouse Magdalen College (boys all though with mixed Sixth Form); outstanding progressive school d’Overbroeck’s (co-ed, from 7 – 18 yrs); Oxford High (girls, 3 – 18 yrs); newly merged Headington Rye School (co-ed prep 3 – 11 yrs, girls’ senior 11 – 18 yrs); and Dragon School day and boarding prep (co-ed, 4 – 13 yrs, be prepared to rub shoulders with A-list parents).

BEST KEPT SECRET

Blenheim Farm is a peaceful one-hectare nature reserve brimming with wildlife (look out for songbirds and butterflies) just outside Charlbury. Top tip: park for free in the lay-by at the bottom of the hill in Charlbury to access the footpath by Blenheim Farm House.

COMMUTE

Charlbury has its own train station where you can reach London in 1 hr 13 mins on the fastest train. Season tickets from £8,000. On average driving takes 1 hr 48 mins (70 miles).

View the full Top 300 Best Places to Live.