I was going to re-visit Woodstock in Oxfordshire for my New Year’s Resolution and then I read about Great Tew in my Britain magazine and it talked about thatched cottages…and well you know what I’m like, I would sell G to the circus just so that I could visit a thatched cottage. It also helped that Great Tew was less than a 10 minute drive from my hotel… and Woodstock was over half an hour (it was Sunday…you need an easy life on a Sunday).
After a few twisty and twirly roads to get into the tiny little village, I parked the car in the public car park…it’s so tiny that you need to park here and walk in (it takes no more than 2 minutes before you spot your first cottage).
First impressions…I basically had kittens!!!!
^^Yes there was even a sign to prove this!
A number of the cottages were built in the 17th century…making them older than New Zealand…and most of them have thatched roofs…
…here…
…is…
…the…
…proof! ^^A peek-a-boo thatched cottage!
England, gardens and thatched cottages are a match made in heaven and Great Tew delivers…
…to honey coloured houses with sweet honey suckle flowers…
…to full on out of control English gardens…
…to rambling roses and cute little windows…
…to rambling roses and little front doors!
And of course, Great Tew delivered on the ol’ door porn as well…17th century style…
…totally charming door porn…
…honestly I would happily move into this house, actually any of them!
Now if you think, I could never drag my partner in crime to Great Tew then don’t fret…the village pub is one of the oldest in England…
…and it’s pretty darn cute!
Just look at the inside of this pub…
…and you can stay…
…eat…
…or be merry! I may have enjoyed a pint of lemonade and orange first thing on Sunday morning. (remember I was driving…and only idiots drink and drive…the New Zealand drink driving ad campaigns worked a charm on this Kiwi!).
I totally fell in love with Great Tew in Oxfordshire; it’s charming and pretty untouched by tourism however like all good things, I’m sure that will change with time. If you’re heading to the Cotswolds then I highly recommend a visit to Great Tew, this was the highlight for me personally on my weekend away.
Travel Tips for Great Tew, Oxfordshire
- You will need a car to visit Great Tew as it’s a tiny little village
- There is a car park right at the entrance to the village and it will only take seconds to get to the centre of the village by foot
- If you wish to have lunch at The Falkland Arms then make sure you make a reservation especially on the weekend
- You can stay at The Falklands Arms as they offer rooms
- Remember that these are private properties so you need to be respectful and not enter private property unless invited
- Great Tew is approximately a 30 minute drive from Bicester Shopping Village, making it a lovely day out to Oxfordshire.
- You can read my other posts on Oxfordshire including Heythorp Park (where we stayed again however service wasn’t as good as before), my Weekend Guide to Oxfordshire and the Bicester Shopping Village.
Have you visited Great Tew or Oxfordshire before – what are your thoughts on the village and county? You can check out more at the Experience Oxfordshire website.
xx
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