Located in the historic market town of Witney, the Blue Boar is an old coaching inn dating back to the 17th Century. It provides a great base for exploring nearby famous castles and palaces as well as being just a 20 minute drive from the historic city of Oxford.  With plenty of attractions on offer nearby, it’s the perfect place for a few days stay whilst you explore the local area. 

Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace is an impressive baroque-styled country house in Woodstock and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the early 18th Century, it sits in 2000 acres of parkland with formal and walled gardens. Palace tours cover the State rooms with their collections of portraits, tapestries and furniture as well as the birth room of Winston Churchill, private apartments and staff quarters.

Oxford

Oxford is famous the world over for its university and place in history. Places to visit in the city include Oxford Castle & Prison, which explores the 1000-years of Oxford's History. The world-famous Bodleian Libraries opened in 1602 and are the largest academic libraries in the UK.  The Museum of Natural History houses the University's scientific collections of geological and zoological specimens, including the Oxfordshire dinosaurs and the dodo. Open-top sightseeing bus tours run daily. A 20 minute drive from the Blue Boar.

Highclere Castle

The Highclere Estate dates back to the 8th Century. The Castle as it stands today was transformed in 1842 and has since treated wounded soldiers in the First World War when it became a hospital and housed evacuees in the Second World War. Today it is familiar as the location for ‘Downton Abbey’ and many of the 300 rooms were used in the filming. Tours take place throughout the year. A 1 hour drive from the Blue Boar.

Bampton

Staying on the theme of Downton Abbey - while the village of Downton is set in Yorkshire in the series, the pretty village of Bampton, in the Cotswolds, is home to a number of recognisable locations that were used for filming.  These include the Old Rectory (Churchgate House), the public library, the parish church of St Mary the Virgin, and houses in Church View. A 6 mile drive from the Blue Boar.