Summary
The views from Burford are among the most stunning, complemented by the Cotswolds as a backdrop along the High Street.
This elegant street embodies a timeline of English architecture, featuring everything from slanting half-timbered houses to rustic stone cottages and sophisticated Georgian townhouses.
All structures along the High Street are traditional and have been carefully preserved, providing a quintessential representation of English culture.
Burford remains free from corporate chain establishments, making it an ideal location to explore antique shops, galleries, and indulge in classic sweet shops and tearooms.
The town is steeped in history, encompassing tales such as the tragic fate of the proto-Socialist Levellers during the English Civil War, alongside noteworthy visitors like Charles II, Nell Gwynn, and Horatio Nelson.
1. Cotswolds
Burford is positioned at the eastern edge of a range of limestone hills, renowned for housing some of the most picturesque landscapes in England.
The Cotswolds are classified as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, resembling a national park, and are ecologically significant due to their Jurassic limestone bedrock, leading to a unique type of grassland habitat.
This limestone contributes to the unique character of the Cotswolds, as it is predominantly used in construction, varying in color from honey hues to bright gold as one moves deeper into the hills.
Burford serves as a convenient starting point for excursions into the Cotswolds, allowing visits to National Trust sites and exceptionally beautiful towns and villages such as Bibury, cherished by William Morris, and the charming market town of Northleach.
2. Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
Located just a few miles south of Burford, this zoo and garden attraction spans 160 acres of landscaped parkland on a historic estate.
Centered around an impressive Georgian Gothic Revival manor, this venue features an artistically planted walled garden housing a tropical house, aviaries, and an enclosure for Humboldt penguins.
A notable attraction is the walk-through Madagascar enclosure, where ring-tailed lemurs, Madagascar teals, mongoose lemurs, and collared lemurs can be observed interacting among the trees close by.
The expansive parkland accommodates enclosures for rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and lions, along with a narrow-gauge railway and an adventure playground.
Inside the facility, visitors can explore the Tropical House, Invertebrate House, Reptile House, and a Farmyard Barn that is particularly appealing for young children.
3. Burford Walking Tour
Spending an hour or two strolling along Burford High Street is time well invested.
Beginning at the three-arched Medieval bridge on the River Windrush, you will find a continuous alignment of historic buildings constructed from Cotswold stone as you ascend the hillside.
While there is much to discover, a noteworthy site is No. 105, the Bull Hotel, recognized as the sole brick structure in the town.
Notable guests in the past have included King Charles II and his companion, the renowned actress Nell Gwynne, along with Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton.
In 1649, the Levellers, radicals from Oliver Cromwell’s army, were apprehended in Burford.
Approximately 340 were confined within the Church of St John the Baptist, where the name of one prisoner, Anthony Sedley, can still be seen carved into the lead font.
Three leaders of the group were executed in the churchyard, commemorated by a plaque located on the church’s exterior.
4. Church of St John the Baptist
Burford’s grandest structure is a classic Cotswold wool church, which was magnificently enhanced by the town’s prosperous Medieval wool merchants.
Construction commenced in the 12th century and continued to evolve and expand over the subsequent 400 years.
From a distance, the 12th-century crossing tower, elevated and finished with a spire in the late 14th century, is prominently visible.
The south porch is particularly notable for its intricate tracery-panelled facade, while the interior boasts a variety of exquisite tomb monuments and Medieval wall paintings in the Chapel of St Thomas of Canterbury.
The 1569 memorial to Edward Harman, the barber-surgeon to Henry VIII, features one of the earliest depictions of Indigenous South Americans, while the north chapel is home to the remarkable 17th-century canopied tomb of Sir Lawrence and Lady Tanfield.
Additionally, an ancient carving, potentially illustrating the Romano-Celtic goddess Epona, dates back to approximately 100 AD.
5. The Tolsey Museum
This local museum features a modest yet intriguing collection that delves into the history of the town, encompassing aspects of governance, trade, culture, guilds, and industry.
Among the exhibited artifacts are a 15th-century charter from Henry VII granting Burford a fair, a lengthy vellum roll of the burgess’s regulations dated 1605, and a notable leaded-bronze mortar cast at Edward Neale’s foundry in Burford in 1659. The display of historic needlework samplers and an ornate Victorian doll’s house reflecting Burford’s Great House on Witney Street are also commendable.
This collection coexists alongside various seals, ceremonial maces, and tools pertinent to local trades such as quarrying, rope-making, and brewing.
The museum is housed within the Tolsey, a gabled and timber-framed market/courthouse elevated on stone pillars, first documented in 1561.
6. Crocodiles of the World
The only crocodile-focused zoo in the UK is located merely five minutes from Burford along the A40.
This attraction hosts one of the world’s most diversified collections of crocodiles, featuring both well-known species such as saltwater and Nile crocodiles as well as rarer types like the slender-snouted crocodile, Schneider’s dwarf caiman, Cuban crocodile, Cuvier’s caiman, and tomistoma.
Seventeen of the world’s twenty-four crocodile species can be found here, in addition to an array of colorful exotic birds, mammals such as meerkats, otters, and tamarins, along with various tortoises, turtles, snakes, and monitor lizards.
Detailed information about each species is provided, and there are scheduled feeding sessions, along with keeper experiences for those adventurous enough to engage with a crocodile or a non-threatening Giant Galapagos Tortoise.
7. Burford Methodist Church
One structure that stands out amid the otherwise picturesque townscape of the High Street is the elegant Baroque mansion, now converted into the Methodist Church, located at No. 75.
This form of residential architecture, featuring Baroque style, was briefly popular in England during the early 18th century, making its presence in a small rural town like Burford relatively uncommon.
Commissioned in 1715 by local lawyer John Jordan, this townhouse is quite grand, featuring six fluted Corinthian pilasters on its facade, framing a pedimented entrance beneath a cornice and balustrade.
In 1849, the building transitioned into a Methodist church, with the upper levels being modified to create a spacious hall with a gallery.
8. Kilkenny Lane Country Park
Popular among dog walkers and families, Kilkenny Lane Country Park offers a lengthy, rectangular expanse of nature and parkland just minutes to the southeast of Burford.
There is a challenging adventure play area suitable for older children, featuring rope nets, a zip-line, and trampolines, along with a sand-filled playground for younger children.
The park additionally boasts a willow maze and 2.5 kilometers of surfaced footpaths, cycle paths, and bridleways weaving through wildflower meadows and groves.
9. Church of St Oswald
Located downstream along the River Windrush is the abandoned Medieval village of Widford, with its remaining historical structure being a small church filled with rich heritage.
The Church of St Oswald was constructed over the bathhouse of a Roman villa during the early Medieval period, and until its relocation to the Roman museum in Cirencester, a section of mosaic could be found in the chancel.
The extant structure dates back to the 1100s and includes remnants from earlier Anglo-Saxon or Norman architecture present in the font and a chevroned corbel.
Restoration efforts in the early 20th century revealed stunning 13th and 14th-century wall paintings.
10. Minster Lovell Hall
Beside the River Windrush lies the picturesque ruins of Minster Lovell Hall, a grand 15th-century manor house.
Abandoned in 1747, the structure originally enclosed a courtyard on three sides, and significant remnants still stand, including the south-west tower and the 12-meter high walls of the Great Hall located to the north-east.
Visitors can discern the layout of a stable, well, and the substantial kitchen hearth from the ground.
Richard III was a guest at Minster Lovell Hall during the 15th century, and post-Battle of Bosworth, the property was awarded to the crown, later hosting notable figures such as Henry VIII’s gentlemen of the stool, William Compton and Henry Norris.
11. Arlington Row
Among the most charming sights in the Cotswolds is the idyllic row of 17th-century weavers’ cottages located in Bibury.
The history of this terrace, which cascades down to the River Coln at Awkward Hill, dates back to the 14th century when a monastic wool store was present in the vicinity.
The fabric produced in these cottages was transported to Arlington Mill, which is still standing and located around the corner.
William Morris, a prominent figure in the Arts and Crafts movement, referred to Bibury as “The Most Beautiful Village in England,” a title solidified by views such as this.
Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989) visited Bibury during his European journey, earning the village continued interest from Japanese tourists.
12. Lodge Park
Managed by the National Trust, Lodge Park, situated within the Sherborne Estate, was constructed in the 1630s as a grandstand for John ‘Crump’ Dutton.
Dutton, known for his love of entertaining and gambling, had Lodge Park built at the conclusion of a deer course.
Deer were kept within an enclosure and pursued by hounds; spectators wagered on the outcome of the race.
The outcome dictated whether the deer were killed depending on the size of the bets placed, with smaller wagers resulting in the deer being spared.
Guests observed the spectacle from the flat roof of the grandstand, which underwent modifications in the 18th and 19th centuries for residential purposes.
The surrounding 285 acres of parkland remain largely unaltered since the 1720s, when designed by Charles Bridgeman, a pioneer in the English landscape gardening style.
13. Northleach
For a delightful day trip, consider visiting the charming town of Northleach, which, like Burford, flourished due to the Medieval wool trade.
This prosperity is evident in the Church of St Peter and St Paul, showcasing the Perpendicular style, while a resident from the 15th century would still recognize the delightful Market Place.
Winding lanes leading off the square reveal fabulous half-timbered houses with impressive oak doors.
Situated at a convergence of the Fosse Way Roman road, this location features an 18th-century prison that was later repurposed as a police station and court.
This site now functions as a visitor center for the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offering insights into a Victorian courtroom and a row of original prison cells.
14. Levellers’ Day
On May 17, 1649, the leaders of the Levellers were executed, and since 1975, this date has been commemorated with a day celebrating the egalitarian principles for which the group advocated.
The nearest Saturday to the 17th involves gathering at the church, followed by a march up the hill to Burford’s recreation ground, accompanied by music and songs.
The event features a lively itinerary of discussions led by historians, family activities, political debates, and musical performances.
15. Burford Golf Club
One excellent method to immerse oneself in the Cotswold countryside is by visiting this esteemed golf course set within well-tended parkland featuring mature trees and winding fairways.
Despite its prestigious reputation, Burford Golf Club, founded in 1936, is welcoming to visitors, offering summer green fees of £55 before 14:00 and £46 thereafter.
A sociable yet intimate clubhouse is conveniently located adjacent to the 18th green.
Just ten minutes along the A40 lies a championship course at the Witney Lakes Resort, which also includes a driving range and pro shop.
