Wednesday, September 11, 2024.

After a two-hour drive from Camberley, we arrive at The Bell, Charlbury.

While we wait for our room (Raven) in the barn to be ready, we have lunch in the dining room.

After unpacking, we adjourn for coffee to the Charlbury Deli & Cafe, a community-owned business on Market Street, serving mostly locally-sourced produce. Very friendly place with good coffee.

Thursday, September 12.

After a good breakfast, we drive to Kelmscott. Despite the road to the village being closed, we make it to Kelmscott Manor in time for our pre-booked 11:30 a.m. tour.

Joe outside Kelmscott Manor, which from 1871 was the country retreat of renowned writer, designer, and activist William Morris and his family. The house was originally built in c1600 for Thomas Turner and called Lower Farm. After Turner died in 1870, Morris and Pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti rented the house on a three-year lease. Rossetti left in 1874, but Morris rented the property until his death in 1896, when the tenancy passed to Morris’s wife, Jane, until 1913 when an opportunity to acquire it arose. Eventually, in 1962, ownership of the manor and its estate passed to the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Interesting house and furnishings, although low lighting wasn’t conducive to photographs. Great grounds, including cafe and gift shop.

On the walk back to the car park, we pass cottages, one of which has this interesting ornamental frieze.

Adjacent to the car park on the edge of the village is St. George’s Church, where members of the Morris family are buried.

Inside the church, 12th Century murals adorn the north transept. Thanks to William Morris, who founded the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings, the church is practically unaltered since the close of the 15th Century.

Friday, September 13.

We decide to visit Daylesford Organic:

Amazing produce, homewares and garden plants, but the prices are horrendous! We settle for coffee!

We head to Chipping Campden, where we have home-made Tomato and Sweet Potato soup in Josie’s favourite Bantam Tea Rooms. Delicious and good value!

Later, back in Charlbury we walk to Amarelo Bistro, a Brazilian restaurant on Market Street – not quite what you would expect to find in a Cotswold village, but really good food and pleasant people.

Saturday, September 14.

We arrive home after a very pleasant short break. Where are we off to next?!