WHY?

Hook Norton – Hooky to friends – might seem like a sleepy Oxfordshire village, but it has some pretty flashy Cotswolds neighbours. It’s just minutes from Chipping Norton, home to super-exclusive hangout, Soho Farmhou se (Taylor Swift, the Beckhams, Harry and Meghan… shall we go on?) so there’s some serious star spotting potential. Jeremy Clarkson’s divisive Diddly Squat Farm is just down the road too. Hooky has its own family-run Victorian brewery, complete with café and local museum. More recently, celeb architect Charlie Luxton has completed an uber-modern development of houses specifically people with links to the area, including a space for all the whole community to use. The question isn’t why should you move here, but how fast can you pack?

EAT

If you’re looking for the best Sunday lunch in town, we have it on good authority The Sun Inn is the place to go. It’s not just the food that brings the boys to the yard, their annual Summer Street Party is a social-calendar staple, packed with live music, crafts, a delish BBQ and an al-fresco bar. The Gate Hangs High is an old drover’s inn, turned pub and camping site. They deliver an uncomplicated menu of hearty pub fare, with a side of live music and fun events (petrolheads will love the car and bike nights). They even offer a free shuttlebus if you’re within five miles of the pub, how’s that for service? The Pear Tree was converted from a house to a pub in 1869 and hasn’t looked back since. Now it’s a hub for the village, with beer garden and packed events calendar, including pop-up street food trucks, the Hooky on Tour bike ride, and even Morris Dancing!

SHOP

There’s a handy village shop and post office and an old-fashioned family run butcher’s shop (Hook Norton Butchers) with a twist. You won’t just find quality local meat inside, they also serve up veg, eggs and bread and delicious home-made ready meals. Wyatt’s Garden Centre is less than 10 mins away, with a farm shop and tearoom, and it’s 25 mins to Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, where you’ll find Next, M&S, Starbucks, TK Maxx and Superdrug. If you can handle all the rubberneckers (and find a car park!) Diddly Squat Farm Shop is 16 mins away, while posh designer outlet Bicester Village is 45 mins’ drive. Yes, it’s a bit more of a trek, but with more than 150 boutiques, cafés and restaurants you can make a whole day of it.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Shipston Leisure Centre pool — Shipston Leisure Centre

The social club runs Pilates classes, or it’s a short drive to the Pilates in Sibury studio, which offers group and private classes. Shipstone Leisure Centre, is 22 mins away, and has a gym, pool and fitness classes. If running’s more your thing, the Hook Norton Harriers meet every Tuesday for a run, and host the Hooky 6, an annual summer six-mile road race (fancy dress encouraged!).

If you love foot-stomping fresh air, The Hook Norton Cutting was once the village’s old railway line, but the tracks are long gone and the walking spot is now teeming with ferns and moss and lush greenery. Hook Norton Walking Tour is a 90 min wander around Hooky’s landmarks, including the ‘pyramids’, the nickname given to the huge stone pillars left when the railway viaduct was dismantled.

COMMUNITY

Tadmarton Golf club — Tadmarton Golf Club

If you don’t play golf now could be a good time to start, as there are two stunning courses within minutes of the village. Rye Hill Golf Club and Tadmarton Golf Club both offer panoramic countryside views and a jolly good game of golf, and welcome all abilities. Hit the stage with am-dram theatre group Hooky Players. Whether you want to tread the boards or stay firmly behind the scenes, new members are welcome, and they run theatre trips and social events too. Horses more your style? Turpin’s Lodge horse riding school is five minutes up the road, while the Hook Norton Sports and Social Club has you covered with football, cricket, tennis, and even line dancing.

If it’s your vocal chords that need exercising, channel your inner Adele every Wednesday evening with the Hooky Singers Community Choir. If you’re feeling brave, there’s an open mic night on the first Wed of the month, in The Sun Inn’s back room.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

children running around — Fairytale Farm

Top billing has to go to the Hook Norton Brewery a family-owned Victorian Tower brewery that’s been churning out malty goodness for 170 years. Behind-the-scenes tours reveal how the magic happens, and the Malthouse Kitchen tops up hungry bellies afterwards. Waterfowl Sanctuary and Children’s Farm is 7 mins’ away, and a hit with kids for their Cuddle Corner where kids (even grown-up ones) can snuggle with the baby animals. It’s open Tues to Sun, and entry is £5 (cash only).

Move aside Stonehenge, the Rollright Stones are the new old stones on the block. There are three ancient sites, believed to be up to 5,000 years old. Entry is £2 for adults, and £1 for children. Fairytale Farm mixes fairy tales with animals and adventure play. Designed to be 100% accessible, the farm is a great day out for the whole family, including children with disabilities. Tickets start at £8.99 (online is the cheapest rate, and under 2s and carers go free).

The historic home and grounds of Broughton Castle are open every Wed, Sun, and on Bank Holiday Mondays. It’s £13, or £8 for under 16s (£8 for garden only), and there’s a cute café in The Stables for tea and cake afterwards. Or step back in time at Chastleton House, a carefully preserved slice of Jacobean history. Entry is £15 for adults and £7 for children. Under 5s go free. Fancy something a little racier? Silverstone is only a 45 mins’ drive. Book a Formula 1 racing experience from £149 or splash out on Grand Prix tickets (ranging from £50, to £799). Sign up now to be in pole position for their soon-to-be-launched go-kart racing experience.

CULTURE

farm shop — Farm shop at Daylesford Organic

The Hook Norton Festival of Fine Ales is a hugely popular event (this is a brewery village, after all!) and now in its 12th year. Beer, sun (hopefully), live music, and raising money for charity – what more could you ask for? Indy film fans will love the Hook Norton Film Society which meets regularly throughout the year and puts on a lovely supper too.

Bookworms rejoice! Jaffe and Neale is a cool indy bookshop and café in Chipping Norton. As well as books, coffee and cake there are regular author nights and events (check the website for details). Daylesford Farm, 20 mins from Hook Norton, is so much more than a farm shop, with a huge calendar of workshops and events, from artisan bread making and flower arranging to gardening and book clubs. Coffee and cocktails? The Leg Bar is open all day and into the evening. There’s a Michelin-green star restaurant, The Trough, and there’s a wood-fired pizza restaurant, The Old Spot, too (but you already had us at bread making).

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES

The average is £563,261, with detached houses fetching £645,147 and semis £398,500. For a terraced house, you’re looking at around £297,625.

PROPERTY

Rose Cottage is a 5-bed gem – fully renovated two years ago, the flagstone floors and AGA complete the country living dream. On the market for £1.1m.

NURSERIES

Hook Norton Church of England School is a preschool and primary, with nursery and reception classes. Willow on the Farm is a privately-owned Montessori preschool with an Outstanding Ofsted rating. Rosewood Nursery is an independent day nursery 15 mins’ away in Chipping Norton.

SCHOOLS

Hook Norton Church of England School has classes up to Y6 and also offers wraparound care. They have a Good Ofsted rating and an emphasis on sports and outdoor play.

The secondary is Chipping Norton School, which is rated Outstanding four of five categories, and Good in quality of education. There’s also Holy Trinity Catholic School, which is 15 mins away and has and Outstanding Ofsted rating. Other students have gone to Burford School, a day and co-ed boarding school, rated Good. There are also two mixed comprehensive schools, both rated Outstanding: The Cotswold School and the Bartholomew School. All are around 30 minutes away.

BEST KEPT SECRET

The Station Mills Antique Centre is a treasure trove of antiques that you didn’t even know you needed. A trio of wooden toadstools? A ceramic long-haired sausage dog figurine? A 20th century wooden pond yacht? Take my money! And if you don’t have enough space for more things, clearly, it’s time to buy a bigger house.

COMMUTE

Central London is 80+ miles away, so will take around two hours by car, or between 2 – 3 hrs by public transport. Oxford is 25 – 40 miles, depending on the route, and will take around an hour, depending on traffic, or 90 mins by train. The nearest railway station is 22 mins away at Kingham. It’s on the Cotswold Line of Great Western Railway and goes into Oxford and London Paddington.

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