Chipping Norton hotels

Hotels in Chipping Norton

The highest town in Oxfordshire, Chipping Norton is a historic market town surrounded by the beautiful Cotswolds countryside.

A Norman castle once stood at the top of the hill on which the town is built, although virtually nothing remains of it today. The Rollright Stones, three Neolithic and Bronze Age megalithic monuments, about four miles north of the town, suggest humans lived here as far back as prehistoric times.

Book one of our Chipping Norton hotels and discover a wealth of history in both the town and the countryside.

Town centre

The town centre is home to many medieval buildings which date from its heyday as a wealthy wool trading centre, including the pretty St Mary's Church. Some were later revamped and given Georgian facades.

The Almshouses were created by Henry Cornish - a man who did a huge amount for the town's poor and provided homes for widows. He bequeathed 12 other cottages to the town, and ordered that the rents must never be increased. If you visit the church, you'll see a plaque in memory of his son Henry, who died aged nine.

Chipping Norton Recording Studios, at 28-30 New Street, no longer exists, but was used by artists including Alison Moyet, Duran Duran and Status Quo. Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street and Kajagoogoo's Too Shy were recorded here.

Opposite the town hall is Chipping Norton Museum. Here you'll find everything from vintage grocery packaging to old farming equipment, and displays on subjects from the Chipping Norton Riots in 1845 to the town's baseball club. The museum is open from Easter until the end of October, every day except Sunday.

Leisure

The town has a golf course, the Cotswolds Club, which is the oldest course in the Cotswolds, dating from 1890. It also has a theatre, with a regular programme of plays, comedy, talks, music, children's shows and more, as well as regular events ranging from art exhibitions to yoga classes.

Blenheim Palace

You could spend a whole day exploring Winston Churchill's magnificent birthplace, a huge baroque palace surrounded by more than 2,000 acres of parkland. It was built for the first Duke of Marlborough, Winston's ancestor John Churchill, who led the victory over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession. The extraordinary lives of both men are explored through displays and exhibits. The State Rooms, filled with impressive furniture, china, tapestry and paintings, focus on Winston, who spent much of his childhood here. The Untold Story tour focuses on John and his wife Sarah, and the often dramatic lives of their descendants.

Eating and drinking

For modern, home-cooked British food, including the option of a chocolate sharing plate for dessert, head to the Wild Thyme Restaurant, a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence winner. You'll find cocktails, freshly-made smoothies, homemade cakes and cooked breakfasts on offer at Whistlers, as well as a dinner menu. Next to the theatre is The Chequers, a pub which has been on the site since the 1500s - the courtyard has been converted into a conservatory restaurant where you can enjoy traditional pub food. Or head to former coaching Inn, The Blue Boar, for real ales, live music at the weekends and classic British dishes.