Tucked away in the Evenlode Valley, the Oxfordshire village of Kingham near Chipping Norton has a peaceful, unspoilt feel. It might seem like one of the Cotswolds’ hidden gems, but its mainline train station and proximity to the popular Daylesford Farm have well and truly put it on the map – it was even voted ‘England’s Favourite Village’ by Country Life magazine back in 2004. Discover the best things to do in Kingham, as well as where to eat, drink and stay with our local expert’s tips.
Kingham’s history
Despite its regal-sounding name, Kingham was known as ‘Caningeham’ when it was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name comes from the Old English words for ‘Caega’ (a local chieftain) and ‘ham’ (homestead or village), making it the home of Caega’s people.
Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex, was Lord of the Manor in 1086. But it passed out of his family in 1240 when his ancestor died without a male heir and his estate was split between his three daughters. Part went to the de Chasteleyn family, who later sold it to Alice Perrors.
Alice was King Edward III’s mistress, but when he died she was stripped of her possessions. Her share of Kingham went to William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester and founder of New College Oxford. He used it to endow the college – which is actually one of the oldest Oxford colleges.
Kingham railway station opened in 1855 – when it was known as Chipping Norton Junction. It was built on a junction between the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway and the Chipping Norton Railway. And although both have since closed it’s still a stop on The Cotswold Line.
Map of Kingham
Things to do in Kingham
St Andrew’s Church
There’s been a church on the site of St Andrew’s Church in Kingham for at least the last 900 years. It’s thought that Ralph de Chasteleyn, Lord of the Manor, was responsible for building the current church in 1313. You can see his canopied tomb outside on the north wall of the chancel.
The church has been added to and altered over the years. The font is 13th century, the tower 15th century, the nave roof 18th century and much of the interiors – including the unusual stone pews carved with poppy heads – from the 19th century. It’s open daily from April to October.
Stroll around the village
Kingham is a beautiful place for a stroll, with a village green at the northern end surrounded by 17th- and 18th-century Cotswold stone cottages. There are also some traditional thatched cottages around the village. Many of the buildings are listed, including Kingham House, which was originally built as the rectory in 1688 by Reverend William Dowdeswell, the village rector at the time.
Daylesford
Just north of Kingham, Daylesford Farm is the heart of an organic empire. It was founded in 2002 by Carole Bamford, who lives in nearby stately home Daylesford House with her husband. She wanted to focus on organic, sustainable food production. And it’s grown to encompass four London stores, four Cotswold pubs and the huge Daylesford Farm, which is a popular day trip.
You can buy vegetables, fruit, bread, meat, cheeses and prepared meals grown or made on their farms, as well as other local produce. There are also restaurants and cafés, a home and garden shop, cookery school, luxury wellness spa and regular events like craft and floristry workshops.
Walks from Kingham
It’s an easy walk from Kingham to Daylesford Farm, either directly north of the village along a farm track which takes around 40 minutes. Or you can take our 5.9-mile circular Kingham to Daylesford walk, which runs through the village of Bledington then follows the River Evenlode.
There are also several different walking routes from Kingham to Chipping Norton. The first passes through the hilltop village of Churchill (5 miles). The second skirts the edge of Churchill and has views of Bliss Mill (5.5 miles). And the third runs runs past stately home Chastleton House and the villages of Adlestrop, Cornwell and Salford on its way to Chipping Norton (6 or 9 miles).
Ebike tours
If you’d like to cover more ground (without having to wear yourself out on the hills), you can also explore the countryside around Kingham on an ebike. Cotswold Electric Bike Tours run regular 28-mile ebike tours starting in Kingham (with pickups from the train station available). They visit Stow-on-the-Wold, Bourton-on-the-Water and the tranquil Windrush and Evenlode valleys.
Things to do near Kingham
The nearby village of Churchill (2 miles) is home to All Saints Church, modelled on the churches at Magdalen and Christ Church colleges, Oxford. There’s also Churchill and Sarsden Heritage Centre, overlooking the site of the ‘lost’ village of Churchill, which was destroyed by fire in 1684.
The market town of Chipping Norton is five miles to the east, known for its theatre, lido and wool church. You can also head north to the Neolithic and Bronze Age Rollright Stones (6 miles) and the Jacobean National Trust mansion Chastleton House (4 miles). Or gin and whisky fans can take a trip to the Cotswold Distillery (10 miles) visitor centre for a tour and tasting.
Popular Cotswold towns Stow-on-the-Wold (5.5 miles), Moreton-in-Marsh (8 miles), Bourton-on-the-Water (9 miles) and Burford (9 miles) are also within easy reach of Kingham.
Places to eat in Kingham
‘Posh pub’ The Wild Rabbit is part of the Daylesford empire, serving heritage fruit and vegetables, organic meat and poultry from their farms in the Cotswolds and Staffordshire. The dining room has an open kitchen so you can see the chefs at work – led by executive chef Sam Bowser. Call in for a Sunday lunch or treat yourself to a tasting menu with matching wines (book in advance).
The Kingham Plough by the village green is more relaxed, serving modern British dishes with a Mediterranean touch using seasonal, local ingredients (Cacklebean eggs, Smokin’ Brothers’ salmon, Salt Pig charcuterie). Breakfast, lunch, dinner and an all-day bar menu are available – with unusual bar snacks like Szechuan pork belly. There’s a beer garden and cosy fires in winter.
As well as picking up produce from the Daylesford Farm shop, you can also try it in their cafés and restaurants. There’s The Trough restaurant, awarded a Michelin Green Star for sustainability (this is the only one you can book in advance). The Old Spot serves pizza, pasta and small plates, with a popular terrace on sunny days. And The Legbar does coffee, cocktails and nibbles.
Just outside Kingham, there are a couple of other good Cotswold pubs. The Horse & Groom in Upper Oddington (3 miles away) has been rated one of the UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs, specialising in delicious steak and seafood. And the 16th-century King’s Head Inn in Bledington (2 miles) serves hearty, traditional food using Cotswold ingredients alongside local ales and lagers.
Where to stay in Kingham
The Kingham Plough* has six country chic bedrooms, which are furnished with vintage finds, including antiques and 20th-century prints. Some rooms also have window seats or rolltop baths. There are two dog-friendly rooms in the annex (£10 per dog per stay), plus the separate two-bedroom Little Barn cottage in the village, which has a log burner and courtyard garden.
The 18th-century Wild Rabbit* has been stylishly converted to take advantage of original features like a glass-topped well and double fireplace. Guest rooms above the pub are split into Cosy, Classic, Spacious and Family categories, with a restful colour palette inspired by the wild animals found near Kingham. They also have several cottages around Kingham, sleeping 2–12 people.
The Tap Room* is a two-bedroom cottage sleeping four, inside what was once the village cider store. Cotswold stone walls and exposed beams add plenty of character (though watch your head upstairs). There’s also a quiet wrap-around garden, and dogs are welcome.
Or 12 Manor Farm Close* is a light and airy, contemporary conversion, with high ceilings and skylights. The open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting area has a woodburner for winter and patio doors onto the garden for summer. And there are three bedrooms, each with en-suite bathroom.
How to get to Kingham
Kingham by car
Kingham is located on a minor road just off the B4450 to the south or A436 to the north. It’s around 5.5 miles east of Stow-on-the-Wold and five miles west of Chipping Norton. There’s on-street parking by the village green and a pay and display car park at Kingham train station.
Kingham by public transport
Kingham is one of the few Cotswold villages with a train station, with direct trains to London (1.5 hours), Oxford (25 minutes) and Moreton-in-Marsh (7 minutes). But note the station is a mile south of Kingham village – around a 25-minute walk. Kingham train station is also connected to Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water using the Pulhams 802 bus (excluding Sundays).
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