Bucks &amp; Oxon


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



<p>A classic Cotswolds market town with Georgian townhouses and the added glam of a palace on the doorstep, Woodstock is absolutely stunning architecturally, but its energetic support of local indie shops makes it more buzzy than blue rinse. With easy access to Oxford and the Begbroke Science Park just three miles away, there&#8217;s been an influx of younger families over recent years.</p>



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



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="896" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-19-at-15.07.51.png" alt="The Killingworth Castle " class="wp-image-138200" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-19-at-15.07.51.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-19-at-15.07.51-800x717.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-19-at-15.07.51-400x358.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/10/Screenshot-2022-10-19-at-15.07.51-586x525.png 586w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Killingworth Castle </figcaption></figure>



<p>Stylishly Scandi within its honeystoned walls, <a href="https://thecrownwoodstock.com/">The Crown</a> at Woodstock is a lovely gastro pub (recommended in the Michelin Guide) with a pretty orangery festooned with twinkly fairy lights on an evening. <a href="https://www.thewoodstockarms.com/">The Woodstock Arms</a> offers gorgeous Sunday lunches and rooms and also worth your while are <a href="https://www.dukeofmarlborough.co.uk/">The Duke of Malborough</a> (family pub) and <a href="https://backlanetavern.co.uk/">Backlane Tavern</a> (wine bar and small plates). Just out of town the 3AA Rosette award-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thekillingworthcastle.com/">The Killingworth Castle</a> is the perfect mix of superior food and pared back elegant interiors. More touristy but worth a trip to say you&#8217;ve done it is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/visitus/cafes-restaurants/orangery/">The Orangery</a> at Blenheim overlooking the Italian gardens and newly refurbished so now&#8217;s the time to go.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>You can spend a good few lovely hours slowly meandering around Woodstock&#8217;s indie shops, and it&#8217;s a town that does interiors particularly well, with <a href="https://gleide.com/pages/woodstock-store">Gleide Home Decor</a> and <a aria-label="Louisa Maybury (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.louisamaybury.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Louisa Maybury</a> both selling gorgeous homewares, and a clutch of antiques dealers. Muddy Award-winner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.libbyrak.com/">Libby Rak</a> sells stunning modern jewellery and Cotswold stalwart <a href="https://www.luellafashion.com/sassy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sassy &amp; Boo</a> is the go-to for cashmere.&nbsp;The charming&nbsp;<a href="http://www.woodstockbookshop.co.uk/">Woodstock Bookshop</a> is worthy of support, and there are several excellent galleries too, including <a href="https://zuleikagallery.com/">Zuleika Gallery</a> and <a href="https://dantzig.uk/">Dantzig</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>Many a coiffed barnet emerges from <a aria-label="Nevrus (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.nevrushair.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nevrus</a> hairdressing and likewise <a href="https://www.paulkayhairsalon.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paul Kay Hair Salon</a>. Meanwhile, for a proper treat, there&#8217;s isn&#8217;t much by the way of spas in this neck of the woods, the closest being <a href="https://www.bicesterhotelgolfandspa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bicester Hotel Golf &amp; Spa</a>, 9 miles away, with its Thalgo face and body treatments.</p>



<p>For wellbeing of the wholesome kind, there&#8217;s oodles of options around Woodstock &#8211; sweat it out on a walk or run round the Blenheim Palace grounds with its many marked trails or hop into Woodstock&#8217;s <a href="https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/west-oxfordshire/woodstock-open-air-pool" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heated outdoor pool</a> (open May-July) and build up to the Blenheim Lake, which you can take a dip in if you enter the palace&#8217;s famous triathlon, hosted each June in the grounds. Speaking of sport &#8211; there&#8217;s clubs for most sports in Woodstock &#8211; football, bowls, tennis, running, athletics, golf and more.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s quite a buzz around Woodstock &#8211; its Facebook community page is lively with anything from curry nights and missing cats to football fixtures. It just depends how involved you want to get. There&#8217;s a good mix of families, commuters and oldies with a shared ethos for supporting local businesses &#8211; which is why the town boasts so many indies while other high streets have suffered.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="491" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/blenheim-palace-spring-720x491.jpeg" alt="Blenheim Palace" class="wp-image-125495" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/blenheim-palace-spring-720x491.jpeg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/blenheim-palace-spring-360x246.jpeg 360w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/blenheim-palace-spring-150x102.jpeg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/blenheim-palace-spring-770x525.jpeg 770w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/01/blenheim-palace-spring.jpeg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Blenheim Palace</figcaption></figure>



<p>Hello <a href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/">Blenheim Palace</a>. The World Heritage Site wraps around the town, and is open all year round, regularly hosting events, exhibitions or a drive-in cinema &#8211; it&#8217;s absolutely brilliant for families, art lovers and walkers. For trips out you&#8217;re in easy distance of Cotswold Wildlife Park, Cogges Manor Farm, the stunning privately owned Rousham Gardens (no under 15s allowed) and, if you&#8217;re lucky enough to snaffle a membership, <a href="https://www.sohohouse.com/houses/soho-farmhouse">Soho Farmhouse</a>.</p>



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



<p>Blenheim Palace is your top ticket to local culture, with a rolling programme offering everything from its four-night annual music event <a href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/nocturne/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nocturne Live</a>, <a href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blenheim Palace</a>&#8216;s four-night music event in June, <a href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/flower-show/">Blenheim Palace Flower Show</a>, the annual Christmas Light trail, jousting, art exhibitions, a huge children&#8217;s playground and even the brilliant boutique Gifford&#8217;s Circus. Beyond the Palace, <a href="https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/leisure-and-culture/museums/oxfordshire-museum?utm_term=nil&amp;utm_content=">The Oxfordshire Museum</a> based in Woodstock packs a punch bigger than you might think. Plus you&#8217;re only 20 mins from Oxford with six theatres to choose from. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Overall average ouse prices come in at £586,896. The majority of sales in Woodstock were detached properties, selling for an average price of £872,850.. Terraced properties sold for an average of £622,821,, with semis fetching £530,333.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="761" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/HOTPROPERTYWOODSTOCK.png" alt="Best Places to Live Woodstock" class="wp-image-183793" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/HOTPROPERTYWOODSTOCK.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/HOTPROPERTYWOODSTOCK-800x609.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/HOTPROPERTYWOODSTOCK-400x304.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A handsome Grade II listed townhouse with glorious views over the grounds of Blenheim Palace. <a href="https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/park-street-woodstock-oxfordshire-ox20/oxf012256984" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market with Knight Frank for £1.7m</a>. </figcaption></figure>



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



<p><a href="http://www.combepreschool.co.uk/">Combe Pre-School</a> is 9 mins away, and <a href="https://www.hanboroughpreschool.co.uk/">Hanborough Pre School</a> 12 mins away, rated Good and Outstanding respectively.</p>



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



<p>Plenty of great options, including <a href="https://www.woodstock.oxon.sch.uk/">Woodstock C of E Primary School</a> which has an Outstanding Ofted and the senior<a href="https://www.marlborough.oxon.sch.uk/"> Malborough C of E School</a> has a Good Ofsted. In terms of private schools, Oxford&#8217;s brilliant co-ed day and boarding school <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/doverbroecks-oxford/">d&#8217;Overbroecks</a> is a 12 min drive, and you&#8217;ll found academic powerhouse<a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/magdalen-college/"> Magdalen College School</a>, top girls schools <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/headington-rye-oxford-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Headington Rye</a> and <a aria-label="Oxford High (opens in a new tab)" href="https://oxfordhigh.gdst.net" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oxford High</a>, and leading prep schools the <a aria-label="Dragon (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/the-dragon-school-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dragon</a>, <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/christ-church-cathedral/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christchurch Cathedral School</a> and <a aria-label="Summer Fields (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/summer-fields-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Summer Fields</a>. For a more rural location, day and boarding co-ed options <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/kingham-hill-school/">Kingham Hill</a> and <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/bloxham-school/">Bloxham</a> are both under 30 mins drive away.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.feathers.co.uk/">Feathers Hotel</a>, in central Woodstock, holds the Guinness World Record for largest gin bar with over 400 gins. Bottoms up! </p>



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



<p>The closest train station is Oxford Parkway (a 12 min drive), then the fastest train to London is 1 hr 4 mins. Season tickets from £6,968. Driving takes 1 hr 30 mins, or you can whiz over by helicopter from Oxford Airport to London’s helipad in Battersea in just 22 mins.</p>



<p><em>View the full <a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Woodstock

See more in Oxfordshire