Foxholes to Grove Lane (Oxfordshire Way 2)

Bruern Abbey

We met up with Merv and Pud and left the tiny Foxholes car park to walk through a sodden area of woodland and along a muddy path to emerge by Bruern Abbey. There is no trace of the Cistercian abbey founded here in about 1137 (Pevsner), but the present house of about 1720 is very attractive. Pevsner describes it as an example of the Cotswold Baroque.

You walk across parkland and fields; at the end of the field there is a fine view back to the house. The yew trees which seemed a bit excessive from the side as we went past are now revealed as creating a a classic country house vista.

We went along the edge of Bruern Woods and I couldn't resist a classic bluebell woods photo.

We we now walking across a wide, shallow dish of countryside, with low hills all around. There were many shades of green and the intense yellow of oilseed rape. The sky was lovely too.

We entered the outskirts of Shipton-under-Wychwood and as we we starting to head away I spotted a sign to the Prebendal House and Pud and I went to take its picture. According to Pevsner it was probably built by Christ Church Oxford to whom Shipton paid its tithes. What you see today however is externally 17th century.

Of course, the real question is the meaning of Prebendal. We knew that a Prebendary was something to to do with the Church, but we couldn't quite remember what. An assistant, a temp, a job-share? It turns out, after some Googling, that a Prebendary is a type of Canon associated with a cathedral and a Prebend is a type of benefice which such a Canon might have received before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Debrett's has a helpful section on how to address a Prebendary ("Dear Prebendary [or Dear Prebendary Smith]).

The route then goes along a road, over a small bridge across the River Evenlode and across fields to reach Ascott-under-Wychwood. We passed the lovely church of Holy Trinity which Pevsner describes as a small rustic church of about 1200 with simple Transitional Norman details". This is most obvious in the lower parts of the tower. The chancel and nave of the same date,  but the windows and the top part of the tower are later.

Now it was along the road then right to follow the bank of the winding Evenlode. A flock (?) of Sand Martins appeared overhead. Soon the path moved away from the river, but still followed the line of the Evenlode valley. We passed Pudlicote House on the left. (It dates from 1808 according to British Listed Buildings). Pud thought it would make a very suitable country home.

It seems that there has always been a big house here, as the Visitor UK site giving information on Stow-on-the-Wold mentions a Roman villa here and the notorious John de Pudlicote who was hanged in 1303 for attempting to steal the Crown Jewels.

Continuing on this path we found our way to Grove Lane, a couple of miles short of Charlbury. On the way, we passed a heap of spoil from a badger's sett. I am sure the farmer must have been delighted.

Conditions: milder than of late and mercifully no rain; muddy under foot in many places.

Distance:  7 miles.

Maps: Explorer OL45 (The Cotswolds), 180 (Oxford, Witney and Woodstock), 191 (Banbury, Bicester and Chipping Norton).

Rating: four stars.

Flower of the day

There were quite a lot of lovely Cowslips of which this clump took pride of place for their vigour.