As featured in…
NEED HELP PLANNING YOUR ADVENTURE?
HAVE A QUESTION?
Call today on ++44 (0)1527 575 115 and a Black Prince team member will be happy to help!
Places to visit on your canal boat holiday
If you’re looking for the best castles and stately homes to visit in Oxfordshire, then we have some super recommendations based on our own visits.
Found approximately sixty miles north of London, bordering Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire is a popular region in the UK for visitors, because of the beautiful countryside setting, dotted with pretty chocolate-box villages, complete with thatched cottages and houses built with warm Cotswold stone.
The stately homes and historic houses here are varied, from the hugely impressive Blenheim Palace to the smaller, slightly impoverished Chastleton House, but each certainly has their own charm and are worth visiting.
Blenheim Palace
Self-proclaimed as Britain’s Greatest Palace, Blenheim is perhaps one of the most famous country houses in England, being a UNESCO World Heritage Site with plenty of links to Royalty. Although it is not a royal residence, over the centuries British monarchs have frequently visited this impressive site, including Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles. Whilst not of royal blood, Sir Winston Churchill, a former prime minister of the UK, was born here in 1874.
The Battle of Blenheim
The building itself dates back to the 18th century. Following the Duke of Marlborough’s much celebrated victory at The Battle of Blenheim in 1704, he was awarded the Royal Manor of Woodstock, accompanied by a sum of £240,000. Marlborough was charged to build for himself a great Palace as a monument to this victory and so designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, the palace’s grand scale and imposing Baroque architecture were meant to embody the strength and triumph of the nation. Many sources state that the palace was explicitly planned as a national monument, a lasting symbol of English power and the Duke’s achievements.
The Battle of Blenheim, by the way, was a battle fought in Bavaria, Germany, at Blindheim in 1704, between the ‘Grand Alliance’ of British, Austrian and Dutch forces fought the French, who were at the time attempting to dominate Europe and take Vienna.
Opening Times & Tickets
Blenheim Palace is open daily, year-round, except for Christmas Day, but opening times vary for the park, palace, and formal gardens. The Park opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 6:00 PM (or dusk), the Palace State Rooms open from 10:30 AM to 4:45 PM, and the Formal Gardens open at 10:00 AM and close at 3:30 PM.
It is ticketed entry, you can purchase tickets for Blenheim Palace on line here.
Broughton Castle
Step back into the Middle Ages with a visit to Broughton Castle. This moated and fortified manor house near Banbury in Oxfordshire dates back to 1305! Although most of what you see today dates from the 1550s, so you can see all the Tudor influences in the build and design of this stately home.
‘The Most Beautiful House in England’
Described by architectural critic Sir Charles Oman as “the most beautiful house in England” this castle in Oxfordshire has been used for many a film set, including movies like Shakespeare in Love and The Madness of King George.
It is surrounded by a moat, with a picturesque stone gatehouse and bridge, a classic feature of medieval strongholds. Inside you can explore the Great Hall, with its tall windows and timber roof, the Council Chamber, famously used by Parliamentarian leaders during the English Civil War. If you have time then you can enjoy a walk around the gardens which are surrounded by castle walls.
Fiennes Family Connections
A little-known fact is that this historic house in Oxfordshire is home to the Fiennes family, whose famous members include the famous actors Ralph Fiennes and Joseph Fiennes as well as explorer Ranulph Fiennes.
Opening Times & Tickets
Broughton Castle is open to visitors between April and September on Wednesdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays. You buy tickets at the gatehouse, find out more here.
Chastleton House
This stunningly original historic house in Oxfordshire is found near Moreton-in-Marsh and is a lovely example of a Jacobean country house from the 17th century.
Jacobean Design
The Jacobean design is signified by tall gables (triangulated sections at the top of a wall) and mullioned windows (windows that are divided into sections by vertical stones or wooden bars, so instead of one large sheet of glass you’ll see several smaller panes). This house is sometimes described as a ‘time capsule’ of Jacobean England because so much of it has been excellently preserved.
Inside you can visit the Great Hall, the Long Galley, plus the kitchen and service rooms and the gardens. It was previously owned by the Jones family for over 370 years but is now managed by the National Trust.
TV & Film Location
This manor house on the edge of Oxfordshire is not as grand as Blenheim but has a lovely, authentic atmosphere. It has recently been most famous for being used for the BBCs adaptation of Wolf Hall.
Opening Times & Tickets
Chastleton is open to visitors between March through to October, typically Wednesday to Sunday. Find out more and book tickets to Chastleton here.
Greys Court
This stunning manor house, located at Henley near the River Thames, dates back to the 14th century, with the core of the present house built in the Tudor times in the 16th century. You’ll find a blend of Tudor, Stuart and Georgian influences here. It’s not a grand palace like Blenheim but is is warm and has buckets of character.
14th Century History
Inside, there are beautiful, panelled rooms and a great hall whilst some of the greatest attractions are outside, included the walled gardens and medieval ruins including the Great Tower, a 14th century keep together with woodland walks and maze and orchards.
Originally owned by the de Grey family, famous owners include Sir Francis Knollys who was Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I, and more recently the Brunner family in the 20th century. It is now run by the National Trust.
TV Locations including Downton Abbey
This historic house in Oxfordshire has frequently been featured in television shows such as Downton Abbey, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, and Midsummer Murders.
Opening Times & Tickets
You can visit Greys Court all year round, find out more on the National Trust website here.
Kemscott Manor
This late 16th century Cotswold stone farmhouse is most famous for its resident during the 19th century – one William Morris (1834-1896), who was a leading figure of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Located on the Upper River Thames near Lechlade, a scenic riverside village, this is a small and intimate manor house, smaller than Greys Court and not on the same scale as Blenheim Palace! And because it is so famously aligned with one man, it feels like you are stepping into Morris’s world.
William Morris & The Strawberry Thief
You’ll perhaps know Morris for his iconic, nature-inspired textile and wallpaper designs like ‘Strawberry Thief’. He was a key figure in establishing this movement, which championed handcrafted quality and traditional techniques against the mass production of the Industrial Revolution. He was also a celebrated poet, writer, publisher of the influential Kelmscott Press, plus a social activist and socialist!
Tudor Cotswold
The exterior of this historic Oxfordshire manor has gabled roofs, mullioned windows and thick stone walls, mixing the Tudor style with the local Cotswold look and feel.
Opening Times & Tickets
It is open to visitors between April and October, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. You can find out more and book tickets here.
Stonor Park
Stonor Park is one of Oxfordshire’s great historic houses, with a rich Catholic heritage and beautiful grounds. It sits in a secluded valley in the Chiltern Hills, about 4 miles north of Henley-on-Thames.
Historic Family Residence
Unlike the previously mentioned historic houses and palaces in Oxfordshire, this is the only house that has been lived in by the same family for over 850 years! Records show that Stonors have lived here since 1160, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied family homes in England.
Filming Location for The Crown
The house is a fascinating mix of medieval, Tudor and Georgian architecture, overall producing a beautiful house that has been used as a film location for programmes like The Crown and Midsummer Murders.
One of the most interesting parts of this manor house is the Chapel, built in the 13th century and still in use today. It made the house an important centre of Catholic worship during the Reformation, when recusancy (refusal to attend Anglican services) was illegal.
The grounds can be visited and includes an Italian style walled garden, parkland and a lovely woodland close by.
Opening Times & Tickets
It is open between April and December, you can buy tickets online here.
Oxfordshire is a real treasure trove for anyone who loves history and architecture in England. Within just one county, you can step inside the palatial grandeur of Blenheim, wander through the moated charm of Broughton Castle, explore the time-capsule Jacobean rooms of Chastleton, admire the Catholic heritage of Stonor Park, and enjoy the gardens and medieval tower at Greys Court.