Holly Tree Cottage
An old Cotswold cottage in the middle of Ascott-under-Wychwood
- Sleeps 8
- 4 double bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms and a WC
- 2 log burners
- Walled garden
- Dogs welcome
A stone cottage at the heart of a quiet Cotswold village, with plenty of charm, a few quirks and a pace of life that's a bit slower than usual. Hopefully that's exactly what you came for.
Two log burners, a sunny walled garden, four double bedrooms and footpaths almost from the gate. Expect creaky floorboards, walls that aren't quite square and no straight lines.
the House
Ascott-under-Wychwood
Recorded in the Domesday Book and once known as Ascot Earl, the village grew up around farming and the old Wychwood Forest. Today it's a quiet, well-kept corner of the Cotswolds with the Evenlode valley on the doorstep.
- The Swan
- Our local, three minutes' walk. Wood-fired pizzas to take away, a summer barbecue in the garden and an excellent Sunday roast.
- The village shop
- Bread (get there early), local meat and vegetables, and logs if you run low.
- The railway
- The line still runs through the village. Charlbury, seven minutes' drive, has hourly trains to London.
Our favourite walks
Footpaths start a few steps from the drive. Full directions are in the house guide.
- Past the horsesFrom the door
- A short lane past open fields and horses. A good stretch before dinner.
- The Ascott loopAbout an hour
- An easy loop over the level crossing and round the fields, finishing past the village shop.
- Shipton walkEasy, one way
- Field paths to Shipton-under-Wychwood and its two pubs. We love The Lamb.
Eat, drink & be merry
Every one of these welcomes dogs. Book ahead at weekends; the good places fill up.
- The LambShipton-under-Wychwood
- Our favourite. A proper pub with consistently good food.
- The HareShipton-under-Wychwood
- A touch more polished, with a focus on fish.
- The HareKingham
- Well known for a reason, with tables out front for a glass in the sun.
- The BullCharlbury
- Dark, cosy and much praised. Always book.
- The BellCharlbury
- A relaxed, upmarket gastropub.
- The FoxOddington
- Food-led, with a lovely garden for eating outside.
- The King's HeadBledington
- A classic that does everything well.
- The ChequersChurchill
- Good food in a very pretty village.
Some things to see and do
- Diddly Squat Farm ShopRound the corner
- Small, busy and fun to swing by.
- FarmEDJust outside the village
- Weekday lunches at a regenerative farm.
- Chipping Norton10 min
- The Theatre, and The Living Room cinema with sofas, blankets and food to your seat.
- Kingham10 to 15 min
- A small, very pretty village with standout pubs and restaurants.
- Burford15 min
- Classic Cotswold town for a mooch and a coffee, plus the Burford Garden Company.
- Cotswold Wildlife Park15 min
- Relaxed, with a drive-around safari feel.
- North Leigh Roman Villa15 min
- An impressive Roman site. Free, quiet and worth it.
- Blenheim Palace20 min
- Big, impressive and good for a wander.
- Daylesford20 min
- Farm shop, restaurant and an excellent spa.
- Upper and Lower Slaughter25 min
- Postcard Cotswolds without the crowds.
- Oxford20 min by train
- Easy for a half day from Charlbury.
- London1 hr 15 by train
- Direct from Charlbury to Paddington.
Dogs are welcome
It wouldn't feel right otherwise. Up to two well-behaved dogs, with a £40 charge per stay for the extra clean. The walks are brilliant, there's a hose out front for muddy paws, and nearly every pub and shop around here loves a dog. We just ask that they stay off beds and sofas.
Getting here
- By train
- Charlbury station is seven minutes' drive, with direct trains from London Paddington in about an hour and a quarter.
- By car
- Private driveway for two cars, three at a squeeze, and plenty of free parking in the village.
- Taxis
- Scarce in the Cotswolds, so book ahead. Uber isn't reliable out here.
- Charging
- Electric car charging at The Swan, three minutes away.
£220 a night, from
Every fee shown before you pay