A refined edge-of-village Cotswold manor house, close to some of the area’s most celebrated destinations

Description

Finstock Manor is an elegant Grade II* listed country house, set in an elevated edge-of-village position where it enjoys a sense of privacy and gentle separation while remaining connected to village life. From its principal rooms, long views unfold across Cornbury Park towards Charlbury, lending the house a feeling of openness and calm that changes with the seasons.

Built of warm Cotswold stone beneath traditional stone roofs, the house has a reassuring solidity and presence, its mellow elevations softened by age and craftsmanship. The three-gabled principal façade, crowned with globe finials, creates an immediate impression of quiet grandeur, while the inscribed date stone of 1660 offers a tangible link to the generations who have lived here before. As a Grade II* listed house, its architectural and historic importance is evident throughout, with original detailing and proportions that give the house a sense of authenticity and permanence.
Inside, the principal rooms are notably generous, with high ceilings that bring light, air and a feeling of occasion to everyday living. These spaces invite both formal entertaining and relaxed family life, combining architectural gravitas with warmth and comfort. Original features, including the 17th-century staircase, give the house a strong sense of continuity and craftsmanship.

While the house remains true to its Elizabethan origins, with mullioned windows and historic detailing, subtle classical influences, such as rusticated quoins and oval attic windows, add a pleasing balance and rhythm to the elevations. Modern comforts have been carefully integrated, ensuring the house feels practical and welcoming for contemporary living, with gas-fired central heating and a number of double-glazed windows enhancing year-round comfort.

Overall, Finstock Manor is a home that feels both substantial and deeply liveable.

Outside
Approached through electric gates and along a gravel drive, arrival at Finstock Manor feels both private and ceremonial, with the house gradually revealing itself within its setting. The formal gardens are a particular highlight and have been thoughtfully arranged as a series of outdoor “rooms,” each with its own character and purpose. Sweeping lawns, well-stocked herbaceous borders and mature planting create structure and softness in equal measure, offering spaces for quiet reflection, family life and entertaining.

A large, heated outdoor swimming pool sits comfortably within the gardens, forming a natural focal point during the warmer months. The westerly aspect ensures the grounds are bathed in afternoon and evening light, making the garden especially inviting for long summer evenings, outdoor dining and poolside gatherings. Beyond the formal gardens, the land opens out into paddocks, giving a sense of space and rural continuity and offering scope for equestrian use.

Outbuildings
The outbuildings enhance both the practical and lifestyle appeal of the property. A substantial barn incorporating a treble garage provides generous storage and parking, with its double-height interior lending flexibility for a variety of uses. A further summerhouse and garage, formerly a cart shed, sits adjacent to the west-facing walled garden; open-sided and thatched, it creates a charming sheltered space for outdoor living, dining or entertaining, and is Grade II listed, reflecting its historic character (in need of repair).

The Grade II listed pool house is thoughtfully positioned beside the swimming pool and includes a shower room and changing facilities, allowing poolside life to unfold with ease and comfort. The granary, currently semi-derelict, offers significant future potential, having previously benefitted from planning consent to convert into a three-bedroom cottage (now lapsed), presenting an exciting opportunity for ancillary accommodation or income.

Location

Finstock Manor, Finstock, Oxfordshire, OX7 3DG
Charlbury Station 3 miles, Estelle Manor 4.5 miles, Witney 5.4 miles, Woodstock 8.2 miles, Chipping Norton 8.9 miles, Burford 9 miles, Soho Farmhouse 10.4 miles, Daylesford and The Bamford Club 12.5 miles, Oxford 13.5 miles.
Charlbury to London Paddington from 1 hour and 9 minutes.

Finstock, positioned between Witney and Charlbury, is a village of quiet character and long-standing heritage, with roots dating back to at least 1135. Its sense of history is tangible, from the Gothic Revival Holy Trinity Church, where T.S. Eliot was baptised, to the gently evolved lanes and stone houses that give the village its timeless appeal. Life here unfolds at a reassuringly unhurried pace, where morning walks often begin at the front door and lead directly into open countryside.

Surrounded by the rolling landscapes of north and west Oxfordshire, Finstock sits within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and close to the ancient Wychwood Forest and Cornbury Park. These provide year-round enjoyment, whether walking beneath autumn canopies, cycling quiet lanes, or picnicking in summer meadows. Cornbury Park is also home to the renowned Wilderness Festival each July, bringing a lively yet civilised cultural highlight to the area.

Nearby Charlbury offers a strong sense of community with its well-regarded primary school, library, clubs and societies, along with a thoughtful selection of independent shops. The town is particularly celebrated for its pubs, The Bull and The Bell, both popular meeting places after countryside walks, including the much-loved route through Cornbury Park. Beyond Charlbury, the surrounding towns of Chipping Norton, Witney, Burford and Woodstock provide a comprehensive range of amenities, boutiques and restaurants, ensuring everyday convenience alongside rural calm.

The area is especially well served for leisure and wellbeing, with Estelle Manor and Soho Farmhouse close at hand for spa, dining and social occasions, while Daylesford Organic and The Bamford Club offer destination shopping, cafés and wellness facilities. These sit comfortably alongside the area’s traditional pubs and village life, creating a rare balance between understated luxury and authentic countryside living.
Finstock is very well connected, with Charlbury Station just a short drive away (3 miles), offering direct services to London Paddington (from 1 hour 9 minutes), making the village well suited to both full-time living and weekend retreats.
Educational provision is excellent, with a wide selection of highly regarded Oxford schools within easy reach, including The Dragon, Summer Fields, St Edward’s, Headington and Magdalen College School. Leading independent schools such as Radley, Tudor Hall, Bloxham, Cokethorpe and Kitebrook are also nearby, alongside strong state secondary options in Chipping Norton and Burford.




Acreage: 4.6 Acres

Directions

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Additional Info

Services: Mains electricity, water and gas.
Broadband.
Private drainage: we are unsure whether the private drainage at this property complies with the relevant regulations.
Further information is being sought but in the meantime, guidance can be found at a-septic-tank-or-smallsewage-treatmentplant

Planning: Prospective purchasers are advised that they should make their own enquiries of the local planning authority. Full details of the recently lapsed planning consent for the Granary are available on the West Oxfordshire
DC website.

Mobile and Broadband checker: Information can be found here

Fixtures and Fittings: Only those items known as fixtures and fittings will be included in the sale. Certain items may be available by separate negotiations.

Wayleaves and easements: The property is sold subject to any wayleaves or easements, whether mentioned in these particulars or not.

Agents note: as shown on the site plan, there is a public footpath which crosses the north eastern end of the garden.