Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire OX29

Manor Farmhouse is believed to incorporate elements of the former 12th century Chapel of St Cecilia serving Minster Lovell Hall. Noteworthy features include a massive 16th century iron studded oak entrance door with original hand-forged hinges and carved stone fireplaces in both the sitting room and dining room. The rooms are well proportioned and the presentation is to a high standard.

In her book The Purest of Pleasures: the Creation of a Romantic Garden, former owner Lady Parker describes the painstaking transformation of the disused farm, bought at auction in 1973. An intuitive and passionate plantswoman, she created an orchard, formed terraces, flowerbeds, lawns, colonnades and walks, excavated ponds, and planted numerous trees, shrubs and herbs within the series of enclosures between the mellowed Cotswold stone walls and ancient buildings. The front of the house looks over lawns bordered by well-stocked beds of flowering plants and there is a well-planned herb garden with flagstone paths, and a wrought iron pergola walk planted with white roses. In front of a pyramidal roofed summerhouse a small south-facing stone terrace provides a perfect spot from which to enjoy the view back towards the house. A paved terrace adjoining the conservatory on the south-east side of the house is the ideal area for outside dining. It overlooks the walled orchard garden with the church to the west and the ruins to the south. The broad lawn is interspersed with apple and pear trees and, alongside the southfacing wall, adorned with plum trees, an ancient cobbled terrace is planted with lavenders, roses, cotoneaster and more herbs, and bordered with golden marjoram. The wall ends by the old granary where a wrought iron arch is planted with clematis and roses and leads to the lovely old tithe barn.
A similar arch, seasonally clad in yellow roses and honeysuckle, separates the upper and lower pool gardens to the north of the tithe barn. The lower pool garden is more formal, with stone paving surrounding a rectangular lily pool. Alongside is an ornamental pear and maple, and against the eastern wall timber-framing supports vines. Immediately to the north is the circular dovecote, accessed from the far side of the wall, and beyond is the hard tennis court. To the east of the tennis court is a small arboretum where mature trees include a dramatic double scarlet hawthorn, and to the west is the swimming pool with a stone terrace bordered by raised beds of roses and rosemary. To the south and east of the gardens lay 55 acres of meadows and woodland, comprising gently sloping species-rich organic grassland bordered to the south by the meandering River Windrush. There are approximately 760 yards of single bank fishing on the Windrush.

Manor Farm is reached by a gravelled drive from a country lane on the eastern fringe of the village, directly adjoining open Cotswold countryside, providing a wide variety of walking and riding along a network of footpaths and bridleways. Old Minster Lovell lies within a National Landscape area and the Minster Lovell Conservation Area. It is perhaps best known for the romantic ruins of Minster Lovell Hall and its historic church, both adjacent to and immediately south of the property.

COMMUNICATIONS
Minster Lovell is easily reached by the A40 that links up with the national motorway network with both the M40 and M4 being easily accessible and providing quick access to London. Regular train services run from Charlbury (about 7.5 miles), providing a mainline link to London Paddington in about 70 minutes.

SHOPPING & AMENITIES
The charming Cotswold town of Burford (about 6 miles) offers a selection of shops, restaurants and hotels. The busy market town of Witney (3 miles) provides everyday shopping including a Waitrose and a Marks & Spencer.

SCHOOLS
There is an excellent range of schools in the area, including Cokethorpe School on the Witney to Abingdon road and St Hugh’s Prep school near Faringdon. The Dragon, St Edward’s and The High School are all in Oxford. Radley College at Abingdon, Stowe School near Buckingham, Cheltenham Boys and Ladies Colleges, Westonbirt School, Hatherop Castle Prep, Kitebrook Prep and Tudor Hall at Banbury are all within easy reach.

SPORTING & LEISURE
Minster Lovell is ideally located for access to the popular members clubs Estelle Manor (6 miles), Daylesford Organic Farm shop and Club (13 miles) Soho Farmhouse (16 miles). There is fishing on the River Windrush; golf at Chipping Norton, Naunton Downs, Minchinhampton and Burford; racing at Cheltenham, Stratford-upon-Avon and Newbury; polo at Kirtlington, Cirencester Park and Beaufort.