Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Where once dingy student bars and chicken shops tipped the balance, now East Oxford, the area between the Headington and Iffley roads to the east of Magdalen Bridge, has come of age. It has all the convenience of being on the edge of the city but very much has its own vibe. Twee it will never be, but this place has a buzz to it with so much going on.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T122838.677.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150623" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T122838.677.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T122838.677-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T122838.677-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T122838.677-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Where to start? A few little outposts garnered the attention of the nation&#8217;s food critics a few years back and since then the scene has taken off. There&#8217;s a whole little enclave around the Magdalen Road that deserves mention &#8211; <a href="https://www.tastetibet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Taste Tibet</a> serves Himalayan soul food (above), or there&#8217;s <a href="http://www.magdalenarms.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Magdalen Arms</a>&nbsp;for seasonal, next-level pub grub, and <a href="https://ellesdeli.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elle&#8217;s Deli</a>, where you can stock up the pantry and get seriously delicious Thai food to takeaway. You can eat in every corner of the globe here &#8211; <a href="https://www.thecoconut-tree.com/oxford" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Coconut Tree</a>&nbsp;on St Clement’s offers Sri Lankan small plates,&nbsp;then there&#8217;s Spanish/Moroccan-inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://kazbar.co.uk">Kazbar</a>, <a href="https://arbequina.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arbequina</a>&nbsp;for knock-out tapas.</p>



<p>Coffee you say? There&#8217;s no shortage &#8211; the small, friendly, cycling-inspired&nbsp;<a href="http://www.pelotonespresso.com/">Peloton Espresso</a>&nbsp;offers sweet teats alongside specialty coffee or there&#8217;s <a href="https://truckmusic.store">Truck Store</a>, Oxford’s only remaining independent music shop selling CDs, vinyl and books as well as great coffee. Something stronger? Hip indie brewery and tap room&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tapsocialmovement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tap Social Movement</a>&nbsp;is a few minutes drive or bus ride out of East Oxford tucked away on an industrial estate – the venue often hosts street food stalls and live music nights.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">SHOP</span></h2>



<p>OK, so it&#8217;s not your everyday kind of place but an Oxford institution resides at the end of Cowley Road &#8211; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ballroomemporiumoxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ballroom Emporium</a>. Once known for kitting out students for their many black tie affairs, it&#8217;s also a trove of vintage clothes and accessories. For more practical shopping, back on Magdalen Road, alongside Elle&#8217;s, you&#8217;ve got <a href="https://www.wildhoneylove.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wild Honey</a>, which sells fresh organic produce as well as health supplements, beauty products etc, then there&#8217;s nearby <a href="https://hamblinbread.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hamblin Bread</a> for your carb needs (most reserve a loaf ahead as they go like hot cakes) and on Saturday mornings a superb&nbsp;<a href="https://eastoxfordmarket.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">farmer&#8217;s market</a>&nbsp;sets up shop at the East Oxford Primary School.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125137.261.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150626" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125137.261.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125137.261-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125137.261-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125137.261-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>If you head over the Magdalen Bridge into town, there&#8217;s a host of independents and high end chains (think Anthropologie and Jigsaw) up &#8216;the High&#8217; as this street is known and the gorgeous Covered Market, about a ten minute walk from Magdalen, with its gift shops, bakeries, and renowned green grocer and cheese shop. Check out the simple but divine <a href="https://www.objectsofuse.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Objects of Use</a> for anything you never knew you needed. Then of course there&#8217;s Westgate shopping centre for all of your sartorial needs and some knock-out rooftop restaurants and bars with dreaming spires views.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125235.204.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150628" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125235.204.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125235.204-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125235.204-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125235.204-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There&#8217;s no end of diversions to keep you busy in Oxford, whether you want to go &#8216;full tourist&#8217; or hang with the locals. If it&#8217;s the former, there&#8217;s <span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">the quintessential Oxford endeavour &#8211; punting. Hire your craft from next to Magdalen Bridge</span>. from there you&#8217;re moments away from the gorgeous<span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;</span><a style="font-size: revert" href="https://www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Botanical Gardens</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">, which is well worth a visit. Tick off the sites with a trip to the&nbsp;</span><a style="font-size: revert" href="https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/whatson/visit/tours/info" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bodleian Library</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;– choose the one where you get to see Sir Humphry’s library, it’s incredible. Then hope over the road to Blackwell, another Oxford institution where the basement&#8217;s Norrington Room is famous for its three miles of book shelving.    </span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CULTURE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125608.994.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-150631" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125608.994.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125608.994-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125608.994-400x266.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/Untitled-design-2023-10-09T125608.994-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>East Oxford&#8217;s own&nbsp;<a href="http://www.uppcinema.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The&nbsp;Ultimate Picture Palace</a>&nbsp;is a divine little community-owned cinema which shows mostly indie films. Then there&#8217;s the <a href="https://pegasustheatre.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pegasus Theatre</a>, a small modern theatre that has shows for all ages as well as workshops. The music venue, the <a href="https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2academyoxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">O2 Academy</a> is a frequently a stop on the tour of all manner of pop, indie and dance artists so you&#8217;ll have a chance to see decent bands in a relatively small venue.</p>



<p>For world-beating museums, Oxford is right up there &#8211; <a style="font-size: revert" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/little-black-book/directory/the-story-museum-oxford/">Story Museum</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;celebrates the city&#8217;s literary history and is great for kids, ditto </span><a style="font-size: revert" href="https://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/">Pitt Rivers</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;</span>for its bonkers collections and Oxford&#8217;s own<span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;</span><a style="font-size: revert" href="https://www.oumnh.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;next door and the grand old dame,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ashmolean.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ashmolean</a>.&nbsp;Then there&#8217;s the lesser known spots like the&nbsp;</span><a style="font-size: revert" href="http://www.bate.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bates Museum</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;of Musical Instruments which houses Handel’s harpsichord </span>and <a style="font-size: revert" href="http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Museum of the History of Science</a><span style="font-size: revert;color: initial">&nbsp;</span>where you can see<span style="font-size: revert;color: initial"> Einstein’s blackboard and Lewis Carrol’s photographic equipment. </span>There’s also the brilliant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.modernartoxford.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Modern Art Oxford</a>&nbsp;which hosts exhibitions from both up-and-coming and established contemporary artists and photographers, all for free.</p>



<p>Arts-wise, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thenorthwall.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Wall theatre</a>&nbsp;in Summertown over the other side of town offers cutting edge shows;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford Playhouse</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Theatre</a>&nbsp;are your go-tos for the big-hitter shows;&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.creationtheatre.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Creation Theatre</a>&nbsp;puts on productions in quirky locations across the city (Blackwell’s bookshop, the escalators at Westgate Oxford et al.).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE</h2>



<p>East Oxford comes in at better value than the rest of the city with an average property value of £436,782 vs £583,953 in Oxford as a whole. Most of the housing stock is terraced houses which sell for an average £452,632, up to £446,227 for semi-detached. The area is on the ascent &#8211; prices are up 7% on the previous year vs 2% in the city as a whole. Get in there now!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="640" height="426" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Iffely.png" alt="" class="wp-image-167309" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Iffely.png 640w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/07/Iffely-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><a href="https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/maywood-road-iffley-village-ox4/oxf012480470">4 bedroom, 3 bathroom modern townhouse</a> on the edge of Iffley Village. £790,000</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NURSERIES</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.littletroopers.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Little Troopers Day Nursery</a> is an Ofsted Outstanding rated venue just off the Iffley Road and is open 8.30am-5.30pm year-round. It takes children from 10 months and has age-differentiated rooms and outdoor space as well as organising trips to local parks, libraries, museums and the Pegasus Theatre as well as beyond to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, the Earth Trust, and Beale Park. <a href="https://childbasepartnership.com/nursery/sandfield-day-nursery/#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sandfield Day Nursery</a> in Headington is another Ofsted Outstanding provider with glowing reviews from parents and has slightly longer hours &#8211; 7am-6.30pm and will take babies from six weeks old. It has a garden and five rooms, with the last being pre-school as a stepping stone to reception. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SCHOOLS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="480" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/01/Headington-School-063-720x480.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-101604" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/01/Headington-School-063-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/01/Headington-School-063-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/01/Headington-School-063-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/01/Headington-School-063.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></figure>



<p>Oxford&#8217;s world-class independent schools won&#8217;t leave you wanting. There&#8217;s <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/headington-school-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Headington Rye Oxford</a> for girls aged 3-18, which has just merged with the next door school and will now have a separate prep and senior site from Sept 2024, expanding its already impressive facilities. Another academic girls school is <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/oxford-high-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford High</a>, for ages 4-18 and also reputed for its drama and sport. For boys, <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/magdalen-college/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Magdalen College School</a> is an academic powerhouse which also takes girls at Sixth Form and is walking distance from East Oxford. <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/summer-fields-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Summerfields</a> takes boys 4-13 in an impressive 70 acres of grounds, or there&#8217;s <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/wychwood-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wychwood</a>, which has recently gone co-ed for ages 11-18 and also offers boarding. </p>



<p>If it&#8217;s co-ed prep you&#8217;re after, <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/the-dragon-school-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Dragon</a> is one of the country&#8217;s largest &#8211; and leading &#8211; preps, and has glittering facilities and an even more sparkly alumni such as the likes of Hugh Laurie, Emma Watson, and Tom Hiddleston. The progressive co-ed, <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/doverbroecks-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">d&#8217;Overbroecks</a>, which offers day and boarding (for international students only aged 13-16, then for all at Sixth Form), is big on arts and drama and also impressive on results. There&#8217;s also nearby <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/st-edwards-oxford/">St Edwards</a>, a highly regarded co-ed for 13-18 year olds with day and boarding, where half take IB instead of A-Levels. </p>



<p>In the state sector there&#8217;s <a href="https://www.east-oxford.oxon.sch.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">East Oxford Primary School</a>, rated Good by Ofsted and for secondary, there&#8217;s a good selection, with <a href="https://www.oxfordspiresacademy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford Spires Academy</a> rated Good and <a href="https://iffleyacademy.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Iffley Academy</a> for 5-18 year olds, Outstanding, among the many options.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>Cuckoo Lane is an ancient footpath with an <a href="https://www.headington.org.uk/history/streets/headington_hill/cuckoo_lane.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">elaborate history</a> and still the quickest way to get between Old Headington and Headington Hill. It&#8217;s now one of the city&#8217;s heritage sites but makes a lovely walk and takes you to the park, which is a free arboretum over 20 acres.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>Oxford has a dense bus network taking residents of East Oxford in any direction, including the swift coach services to London run by the Oxford Bus Company and National Express, which take 1-1.5hrs and stop at various points in both cities. It&#8217;s cheaper than the train and in many cases faster if you&#8217;re going into the centre of town. Alternatively, there&#8217;s train services into Paddington that take 50 mins. </p>



<p>View the full&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/">Top 260 Places to Live</a>.</p>


Best Places to Live: East Oxford

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