What to do in Burford: A Burford day trip
A Cotswold day trip has been high on my bucket list since moving to Oxford, so when my partner suggested a cute Cotswolds day out, my answer was an immediate yes. But how do you choose from all the picturesque little English villages? He suggested Burford. I love traveling but I hate making decisions, so off to Burford we went on a sunny spring morning.
Burford is a market town tucked in the Cotswolds. It's popular, but we can't fault it for that. It is just so pretty. The High Street sits on a hill, which is lined with quaint homes, cafes, and shops. On a balmy Saturday, it was busy but not too hectic.
Getting to Burford
We drove to Burford from Oxford; it’s about an hour-long trip. We found parking in Guildenford Car Park, where you can park for free for up to 4 hours. It’s generally easiest to have a car to explore the Cotswolds, including to visit Burford. Burford doesn't have a train station, but you can get a bus into town, for example on the new X52 route from Oxford. From London, you can either take a train to Oxford or Hanborough and then taxi or bus in. It can be a bit of a trek and buses don’t run that frequently, so you’ll want to plan your route ahead of time.
We walked along Church Lane toward St John the Baptist Church. On the way, we stumbled upon what looked like a plant nursery set up in someone’s backyard, which was very quaint. The first real stop for our day was St John the Baptist Church.
St John the Baptist Church
St John the Baptist Church is an impressive historical church, built around 1500. Parts of the building around the West Door date as far back as 1175, when construction began. It’s a Grade 1 listed building and one of the top 10 most visited churches in England. This video shows an interesting history of the church’s suspected construction (and reconstructions) over the centuries.
This church is one of the “wool churches” dotted across the Cotswolds, which means it was funded mostly by the riches of the medieval wool trade. It’s absolutely mindblowing to imagine how many people have walked through the church doors throughout hundreds of years of history. Surrounding the church is a pretty cemetery, with a path leading to Thyme & Lovage cafe and the River Windrush.
Thyme & Lovage
Thyme & Lovage is a cute, tucked-away little cafe with an outdoor area that leads down to the river. We were sucked in because they advertise themselves as the only riverside cafe in Burford. The interior is quite modern for the setting and it had the feeling of a busy community hub, with information about local events scattered about and a large meeting room.
Burford Tolsey Museum
We didn’t pop into the Burford Tolsey Museum since we were rather short on time, but it came up on many “what to do in Burford” lists. It’s on the High St, housed in a building called The Tolsey. The building is from the early 1500s, so another fun historical structure. The building was originally a market house, home to bureaucratic activities like paying tolls or Borough Court meetings (funny how history makes the mundane feel more interesting). The museum has a range of artifacts that reveal Burford’s history. Admission is free, so you might as well take a gander.
Burford High Street
There are few things I love more than a mooch around, and Burford’s High Street is perfect for just that. There are pubs, shops, cafes, the museum, and adorable little houses toward the edges. We visited at the peak of wisteria season and the blooms were stunning. Two of my favourite stores were The Oxford Brush Company and Antiques at The George. We spent an hour or two just wandering.
Minster Lovell Hall and Dovecote
Minster Lovell Hall is about a 20 minute drive outside of Burford, very close to Witney. We decided to stop there on our way home to Oxford, but it ended up being our favourite stop of the day. This site houses the ruins of a 15th-century manor hours, surrounded by absolutely idyllic Oxfordshire nature. Read my full post on this must-see spot in Oxfordshire here, or even better, just go check it out yourself.