Discover Oxhill

Oxhill brings together medieval church art, the memory of Myrtilla, archaeological traces and nature observations. The village’s history includes the Roman villa, historic paths and the traditional village celebration, Oxhill Wake.

Church Art, Remembrance and Village Celebration

St Lawrence’s Church has a 12th-century baptismal font. Its 16 carved panels depict Adam and Eve, as well as trees, flowers and decorative patterns. The many motifs make the font a tangible example of medieval visual art: plants and ornaments, as well as figures, shape its design. This detail is notable not only for its age, but also for the variety of its depictions.

Myrtilla’s tomb is among the earliest known memorials in England erected in memory of a person of African origin. It gives the village’s history a distinctive perspective on remembrance and the people who are remembered. Oxhill Wake, meanwhile, was a small popular celebration and an important village festival, traditionally associated with the feast day of Saint Lawrence, the church’s patron saint. This traditional connection links the festival with the church calendar; in itself, it says nothing about whether the festival is held today.

Archaeological Traces of Oxhill Roman Villa

Oxhill Roman Villa is dated to the period between AD 43 and 409. One estimate places it closer to around AD 400. Pottery shards, mortaria and box-flue tiles found at the site point to a high-status villa.

A magnetometry survey revealed a large L-shaped building at the site. A Bronze Age village may also have been located there.

Stream, Ponds and Historic Paths

A small stream runs along the eastern edge of Oxhill. Toads, frogs and smooth newts have been found in the village ponds, along with what appears to be a large number of great crested newts. The animals were recorded in the ponds during a survey in 2014; whether you will see them is uncertain.

Muntjac deer, fallow deer and roe deer have been repeatedly observed in the long meadow behind the church. Whether you will spot animals there is uncertain. A historic village account also describes a footpath behind the church leading to Tysoe. If you plan to use the path, check current path conditions and access rights before setting out. A record from 1878 also describes a bridleway from Oxhill to Whatcote and Fulready.

Planning Your Stay in Oxhill

The different themes offer distinct ways to shape your trip: the baptismal font and Myrtilla’s tomb lead to church art and remembrance, the villa to archaeological questions, and the stream, ponds and meadow to nature observations. For families, carved figures, animal names and the question of how archaeologists interpret past buildings can all provide different conversation starters. When looking for a holiday cottage or holiday home in Oxhill, you can first consider which of these interests you want to shape your stay.

The bus information should also be understood in its historical context: in September 2011, route 270 connected Banbury, Shenington, Oxhill, Kineton, Ettington and Stratford-upon-Avon. For that period, six journeys a day were listed from Monday to Saturday. If you rely on the bus, check the current timetable before travelling.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Hatton, Earlswood, Newbold On Stour, Leamington Spa, Shustoke, Bidford, Sutton-under-Brailes, Bedworth

For the main travel overview: Warwickshire.