Why I Love to Call Bloxham Home
Oxfordshire is full of pretty villages, but with its appealing chocolate box appearance, iconic and interesting architecture and lively village community atmosphere, Bloxham takes some beating according to Jeannette Steel, sales advisor from Miller Homes, who lives and works nearby:
"I have called a number of places in the UK home, but none of them has captured my heart quite like Bloxham, a beautiful honey-coloured village located three miles south-west of Banbury, on the edge of the stunning Cotswolds.
"Whenever I return back to the village after a busy day in the office, as soon as I catch a glimpse of the picturesque spire of the Church of St Mary, Our Lady of Bloxham, I know I have arrived home. It is a real landmark in the area and apparently it’s the highest church spire in Oxfordshire.
"Just a short walk from the church is the quaint, thatched 17th Century Court House, which is the site of the small but intriguing Bloxham Village Museum. It’s a lovely way to learn about the social and local history of the village, and there is a new exhibition annually, which gives me an excuse to visit at least once a year.
"Another distinctive building in the village centre is Bloxham School, an independent co-educational secondary school and sixth form college. The building is over 150 years old and has a wonderful swimming pool that was refurbished only a few years ago. The pool is open to the public on certain days, and it is a really calm, relaxing place to take a dip.
"One of the things I love the most about the village is the real sense of community that exists here. It is nowhere more evident than in the large choice of clubs available. There are gardening clubs, walking groups, yoga lessons; something to suit everyone, and they are a really great way to get to know your neighbours and make friends.
"Another place to experience the village’s warm community spirit is in one of the fantastic village centre pubs. The Red Lion has been recently refurbished by Mark and Sandra Page, and it’s somewhere I enjoy popping into for a drink or a bite to eat. The huge beer garden is such a nice place to spend time. It is a family friendly restaurant, with all of the delicious food on the menu, which changes each season and is freshly prepared on the premises.
"The Joiner’s Arms and the Elephant& Castle are also brilliant pubs, the latter being operated by local family-run brewery Hook Norton, and recognised in the CAMRA good pub guide for its great selection of real ales.
"When Miller Homes announced the launch of the new Weavers Fields development in the village, which will provide 85 three and four bedroom homes alongside its stunning Woodlands development, also in Bloxham, I was really excited to tell friends and family, as it hasn't been easy to buy property in this lovely village in the past. Having lived in the village for three years, I can certainly vouch for its appeal – I absolutely love living here."