University City of Oxford  

Famous as a centre of excellence and learning, there is much to enjoy and admire in this city of beauty and distinction. Historic buildings combined with a lively city centre ensure that visitors to Oxford find plenty to enjoy.

The city offers prestigious museums and family attractions such as The Oxford Story, plus a generous variety of shops including a traditional covered market, two indoor shopping centres, quality clothing, gift and antique shops and some of the finest bookshops in the world. Punting and cruising make popular summer pastimes, whilst guided walking tours and bus tours are available all the year round. Parks and meadows in and around the city centre are peaceful places in which to walk, picnic or simply admire the views.

Waddesdon Manor
The Rothschild Collection

Waddesdon Manor was built (1874-89) by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to display his outstanding collection of art treasures and to entertain the fashionable world. On a hilltop overlooking the Aylesbury Vale, it is the last remaining complete example of 'le style Rothschild'. The House combines the highest quality French furniture, textiles and decorative arts from the 18th Century with magnificent English portraits and Dutch Old Masters.

Waddesdon has one of the finest Victorian gardens in Britain, famous for its Parterre, seasonal displays, colourful shrubs, mature trees, statues and carpet bedding. At its heart lies the Aviary, stocked with species that were once part of Baron Ferdinand's collection, and other birds that are depicted on Waddesdon's famous Sèvres collection.

The Wine Cellars, modelled on the private cellars at Château Lafitre-Rothschild, contain thousands of bottles of Rothschild wine dating back to the 19th Century.

Mr James de Rothschild bequeathed Waddesdon to the National Trust in 1957. A family charitable trust, under the chairmanship of Lord Rothschild, now manages the Manor for the Trust.

All proceeds from admissions, the shops, restaurants and events go towards maintaining the Manor and its contents.

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace is a truly impressive very large residence set on a completely landscaped 2,300 acres. The money to build it was given by Queen Ann to the first Duke and Duchess of Marlboro to show England's appreciation for his defeat of the French several hundred years ago. Blenheim was the birthplace of Winston Churchill.  

Other Local Attractions  

There are many local leisure facilities nearby, including country walks, riding, golf, corporate games, Mattock Rose Gardens, Rycote Chapel, Claydon, Hughenden and Waddesdon Manors, Waterperry Horticultural Centre and the villages of the Vale of Aylesbury and Thames Valley.