While the Beckhams, Jeremy Clarkson and Amanda Holden all lay claim to homes in the famous bit of the Cotswolds — around Chipping Norton and Soho Farmhouse — word on the cobbled street is that the north, north Cotswolds is where it’s at.
I should know. I live here, having swapped a terraced house in Tooting, London, for a grown-up home in Surrey, then finally jumping ship to seriously upgrade again (for not much more than we sold for) five years later.
Yes, some of it’s technically outside of the AONB — Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — but the Cotswolds has become as much a lifestyle as it is a postcode: think muddy spaniels, Holland Cooper everything and gastro pubs.
The only difference up here?
Ironstone homes, rather than Cotswolds stone, and cheaper prices.
About £500,000 will get you a four-bedroom semi-detached home in Deddington, while the same budget will secure you only the plot of land in Milton-under-Wynchwood which is within spitting distance of Kingham — Lady Bamford territory.
Northswolds property offers considerable value, especially when you compare bang for your buck with London where the average price is now £551,300, according to recent data from Land Registry.
For £550,000, you can snap up a characterful three-bedroom terraced house in Deddington, a four-bed semi-detached property in Barford St. Michael for £545,000 or a £550,000 four-bed detached new-build in Banbury.
The Northwolds
Welcome to the ‘Northwolds’, a triangle in Oxfordshire between Shipston-on-Stour, Deddington and Banbury, the latter of which boasts a direct train to London that takes just over an hour.
Incorporating picture-postcard villages like Shutford, Hook Norton, Balscote, Edgehill, Sibford Ferris and Swalcliffe, but without the camera-toting tourists, it’s hardly surprising that Beyoncé and Jay Z are said to be buying a 58-acre plot near sleepy Wiggington.
Incidentally, it’s just a stone’s throw from where Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi are installed as they continue living in the UK (most of the time) following US President Donald Trump’s re-election.
“The north, north Cotswolds is a mecca for those looking for better value but ease of access to the magnetic ‘golden triangle’ – Kingham, Burford and Stow-on-the-Wold,” explains Harry Gladwin, head of the Cotswolds at The Buying Solution, which finds properties for clients in London and the countryside.
“Villages around Aynho Sibford and Deddington can command values of between 10 and 15 per cent less than the more traditional, central northern spots,” adds Gladwin.
“Homes in the £900,000 to £2.5 million price bracket tend to trade more openly on the portals than further south and often competition tends not to be as high.
“We find many of our clients who’ve bought smaller homes in ‘Daylesfordshire’ looking to upsize in the northern parts due to house prices and the fact that planning can often be a little simpler due to these villages being outside of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”
Then there’s the closeness of all the familiar names we’ve come to know and love, of course: The Cotswolds Distillery, Daylesford Farm, The Wild Rabbit and Estelle Manor et al.
Gems of the north
Increasingly, though, locals no longer need to leave the north thanks to the emergence of its own scene.
Take Ember at Eastwood Farm just outside of Shennington-with-Alkerton, where founder and ex-Londoner Matty Cartwright is serving food, drink and hospitality influenced by the capital — albeit with a global twist.
Think American-style dirty burgers with British produce as the star, American craft beer, South African wines and Japanese spirits on the menu.
“It’s not just a beautiful part of the world but has an incredibly broad and exciting food and drink offering,” explains Cartwright.
“You can go from award-winning curry at The Indian Queen to Michelin-starred dining at The Royal Oak at Whatcote, alongside some phenomenal producers and farm shops, all within a short distance. The lifestyle reflects that balance, too. It’s slower and more grounded, but still social, curious and creative.”
See also The Runway at Shennington Airfield for cocktails, pizzas and gliding — there’s a real Ibiza vibe in the summer.
Close by in Epwell, Anthony, Sarah and Harry Flockhart are vying for a coveted Michelin star at The Chandlers Arms, a former 17th-century pub that retains its charm but has been lovingly converted into a fine-dining restaurant with a zero-waste menu (and a very reasonable set lunch featuring the likes of spring pea, watercress and spinach velouté and pan-fried cod loin with aubergine, caper and courgette ragu for £38.50).
“We were inspired by the Caribbean and France where we previously lived and had a B&B. There were no trials beforehand – we just opened and grew by word-of-mouth, says Anthony Flockhart. “It’s the same approach we’ve taken at The Chandlers Arms.
“After France, we wanted something rural but still close to everything – this part of the Cotswolds still feels untouched and the real countryside.”
They must be doing something right: Dame Prue Leith and star chef Tom Aikens, who lives nearby, have visited.
Chocolate-box looks
“What surprises many is that as you head north, you still find chocolate-box villages such as Steeple Aston, rolling countryside and a strong sense of community,” explains Sebastian Hipwood, co-founder of Blue Book Agency, the country-house specialist.
“It’s particularly appealing to younger families who want proper space and a manageable commute. Banbury plays an important supporting role here.
“It’s a handsome, historic market town with excellent rail connections, good schools and all the day-to-day amenities you need, making the surrounding villages not just picturesque, but genuinely practical and very liveable.”
There are plenty of places to stock up on groceries without schlepping into town, too — Wykham Park Farm Shop and Tysoe Village Stores included — as well as super-posh garden centre Nicholsons (complete with Michelin-recommended The Yurt restaurant) for keen the green-fingered (and well-heeled).
Brian Woulfe, the interior designer and managing director of his own studio, Designed by Woulfe, splits his time between Little Venice in London and the north Cotswolds.
Woulfe says: “When looking for a second home, it was driven by a desire for a stronger connection to the landscape and a slightly slower pace of life — without disconnecting from the city.
“What we found is just one hour and 20 minutes via the Westway, A40 and M40. It’s a direct and remarkably easy route, which makes splitting our time completely workable.
“Importantly, this part of the Cotswolds feels less about the overt glitz and glamour and more about genuine value.”
As an ex-Londoner who thought I’d get a nosebleed if I left the M25, I, for one, feel right at home here.
