The Killingworth Castle
The Killingworth Castle is an old 17th-century coaching inn. Set on the edge of Wootton, a quintessential Cotswold village.
We have visited this atmospheric pub many times.
This area of Oxfordshire is very charming and there are many attractions in the near vicinity such as Blenheim Palace and the historic town of Oxford.
Rescued in 2012 after a year’s closure, the pub was brought back to life by Claire and Jim Alexander.
They had already made a great success of The Ebrington Arms near Chipping Campden.
But it is the award-winning organic food that draws us to this place.
The pub has 2 AA rosettes for food and in 2019 the pub was awarded 3 stars from the Soil Association for a commitment to organic food on the menu.
In 2015, the Killingworth Castle’s adjoining barn buildings were converted into eight luxury bed and breakfast rooms.
All rooms are cosy and they all have retro furnishings, handmade wooden beds and original artworks.
Walking
From the pub we walked to Woodstock to visit Blenheim Palace. A very pleasant 7,5-mile circular walk through Woodstock and alongside the village of Wootton.
Highlights include historic parkland, river valleys, and ancient trackways.
If you would like to walk further, then take on the Glyme Valley Way.
This is an invigorating all-day walk of 16 miles along the River Glyme between Chipping Norton and Woodstock, developed by BBC Oxford and Oxfordshire County Council.
This trail passes Wootton so you can start at the Killingworth Castle and walk to Chipping Norton.
Along the way you will pass Kiddington Park, said to be the first landscape garden designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
Long distance paths
The Oxfordshire Way is an exhilarating 66-mile walk winding through Oxfordshire from Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire to the banks of the River Thames in Henley.
The route passes through a mixture of contrasting landscapes and settlements including two areas of outstanding natural beauty: the Cotswolds and the Chilterns.
The Thames Path is a 184-mile long-distance walking trail.
From the source of the Thames in the Cotswolds the trail follows this iconic river through stunning countryside, the city of Oxford, famous Henley, past Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace and into the heart of London.
Just a couple of miles south of Wootton, near the village of Eynsham, an attractive 4-mile circular walk follows a section of the Thames Path.
Cool Places to Explore: Blenheim Palace | Oxford.
