Oxfordshire combines beautiful countryside with an exceptional concentration of education, culture and historic architecture. Oxford provides the county’s intellectual and cultural centre, while beyond the city the landscape stretches from the Cotswolds in the west to the Chilterns and Thames Valley in the east.
The north-west of the county contains some of its most sought-after country-house territory. Woodstock, Great Tew, Kingham, Charlbury and their surrounding villages offer beautiful stone houses and access to the Cotswold landscape, while remaining relatively practical for Oxford.
Around Burford and the Windrush Valley, the countryside becomes unmistakably Cotswold in character. To the east, the Chilterns provide a greener and more wooded alternative, with Henley-on-Thames, Watlington and the Thames-side villages particularly attractive to buyers who place greater emphasis on London connections.
Oxford itself exerts a considerable influence on the surrounding property market. Its cultural life and exceptional choice of schools — including the Dragon School, Summer Fields, Magdalen College School and St Edward’s, with Radley College nearby — mean that many families seek the space of a village or country property while remaining within easy reach of the city.
Rail services to London and the M40 make much of the county remarkably accessible, particularly given the quality of countryside on offer.
Oxfordshire’s particular strength is that buyers need not choose entirely between country life, education, culture and London. In the right location, it is possible to retain all four.
Buying property in Oxfordshire
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