Overview

The village and parish of Enstone is one of the biggest areas in Oxfordshire, and as (photo 1) shows holds many houses and cottages build of the lovely Cotswold stone of honey yellow brick colour. Houses here can be expensive to buy, but the village stands in delightful countryside areas, so is an attractive area to consider living in. It was recorded in the Domesday book of 1086 as Henestan, then later recorded as Ensestan in records held at Winchcombe abbey from 1185. NovemberIt is felt by many to be of Anglo-Saxon origin, originating from “Ennis stone” the boundary stone of a man named Edna. The purpose of today’s trip, was to visit the delightful Warner Leisure Heythrop Park hotel ( REVIEWS PROVIDED ) then to enjoy a very pleasant countryside drive around the hotel. So we suggest. taking this lovely trip during your stay at the hotel. SATNAV DIRECTIONS THE CROWN INN, MILL LANE, CHURCH ENSTONE, CHIPPING NORTON, OX7 4NN After departing from Heythrop park hotel, drive along the mile and a half driveway from the hotel, then after passing through the main entry gate for the hotel, at the cross roads, TURN LEFT onto B4030 Bicester Road. 1/4 later, arrive in CHURCH ENSTONE. At the Green triangle, on your left, with a sign for “The Crown Inn” TURN LEFT by the lovely Cotswold thatched cottage ( PHOTO 2). Immediately PARK THE CAR on the left, where you can. WALK or be pushed back to the cottage to take photos, then walk back to car to reach “The Crown Inn” TAKE PHOTOS ( PHOTO 3 ) Ask your carer to then push you on ahead to the dirt tracked driveway, “ before the bend” and ahead of you have a look at the old barn directly in front of you. TAKE PHOTO of “The Tithe Barn” ( PHOTO 4 ) This barn was built for Walter de Wynforton, the then Abbot of Winchcombe Abbey, because the Manor of Enstone was then in the hands of the Benedictine monestry in Gloucestershire. It’s a Cruck-framed grade 11 listed building ( grid reference SP 3785 2510 ) with 6 bays, and stone walled. Built to hold grain and other various farm produce. ====================== Now go back to the car, and continue to drive ahead slightly to your left, to pass the cottages ( PHOTO 5 ) and continue ahead for just a few yards on this narrow lane, to reach the entry gate for ST KENELMS CHURCH. It’s on the right hand bend. PARK UP as near to the church as you can (PHOTO 6 ) ( 7, 8, and 9 ) St KENELMS church He was born in c786; becoming a Anglo-Saxon saint, and was a member of the royal family of “Mercia”, his father being “Coenwulf” who also had two daughters, Quendryda and Burgenhioda, but on his fathers death, young seven year old KENELM succeeded him on the throne, a boy king who would become a martyr. Despite receiving a dream, he was still murdered by an ambitious relative, Askobert, the lover of Quendryda, having being killed at a spot in the Clent hills, South of Birmingham. His body was then concealed until being discovered, and then taken by the Monks to Winchcombe, and placed in a shrine for several hundred years. Each year, a feast day is held on the 17th July in remembrance of him, in the eight Anglican churches of Worcester, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. ====================== We now need to set our SATNAV ENSTONE SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB, FULBROOK ROAD, ENSTONE, From St Kelelms church, drive ahead down the very narrow lane to the junction. TURN RIGHT, and drive 1/4 mile back along the B4030. at the cross roads, TURN LEFT, Opposite the entrance into Heythrop Park. Drive to the junction a fair distance later, till you reach the junction, with “Bar cafe Bistro grill” on your right, and TURN LEFT on A44. A few hundred yards later ( PHOTO 10 ) just past a brick bus stop on the left, and the post office behind this ( PHOTO 11 ) drive up to the “Y” junction ( PHOTO 12 ) and TURN RIGHT at the bollards, by Enstone house, signed for Fulwell and Lidstone. IMMEDIATELY STAY LEFT, and look at the nice line of old cottages on the left. ( PHOTO 13) CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD to then pass on your left, the Enstone Sports and social club, and drive to the cross roads ahead of the club. ( PHOTO 14 ). At the cross roads, GO STRAIGHT ACROSS, BUT, park up on your left by the wall across the lane with a few trees over to the right. TAKE PHOTOS of the Stones in the dell. ( PHOTOS 15, 16 ) Many feel that the village name of Enstone took its name from this standing stone, when in the Saxon times it was laid here, becoming called “ The Giants stone” Entestan, but it is also known as “ Hoar Stone” It’s now part of the ruins of a Neolithic barrow ( these were a sort of monument constructed by Earth and stones standing upright on their edge see facing towards the sky, which contained burial chambers, typical of the work of Neolithic people some fifth or fourth century before christ. Around 40,000 barrows survive up to date, this one at Enstone would be known as an earthen barrow, a single burial chamber. Stones would be placed and settled upright in the earth, with a flat stone placed across the top. A body may well have been placed inside, then the whole structure would be covered with earth.

Transport & Parking

As you drive around Enstone, most parking will be done on the roadside, mainly easy to find spots to pull into.

Access

The different places visited today are mainly on level ground, ideal for a wheelchair user or older people. Most of the village is level, with perhaps small slopes, but you will be able to see the places we suggest seeing.

Toilets

No public toilets on this visit, but pubs are available as you drive round.

Staff

We had no need to speak with staff, as it’s just a sightseeing drive.

Photos