Faringdon

Faringdon is a market town located within the Vale of White Horse in the county of Oxfordshire, on the edge of the Thames Valley. Faringdon is a town of important significance in the ethical world, being the first town to be granted Fairtrade Town status in the South East England.

There are a number of buildings considered to be of importance in the area, including the focal point of the Old Town Hall, which dates from the 17th/18th Century, which stands as a great example of the architecture of that period. Close to the edge of Faringdon is Faringdon House, a manor house and estate that is breathtaking to view, with history dating back to the English Civil War.

 

At the eastern point of the town is Folly Hill, a greensand outcrop featuring an ancient ditched hill fort. Also a delightful feature of the town is the trend started by the eccentric Lord Berners to dye the pigeon’s bright colours, which can be seen across the area.

Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4JP (01993) 823006
Situated in the grounds of a 19th Century manor house and set in 160 acres, Cotswold Wildlife Park has been open to the public since 1970.
Home to a wide range of mammals, birds and reptiles; the park also contains a large walled garden and a collection of mature trees.

Buscot Park & The Faringdon Collection, Faringdon, Oxon SN7 8BU (01367) 240932
Buscot Park was built during the late 18th Century and is an ornate example of Italian-inspired architecture.
Still a working house bequeathed to the National Trust, it contains The Faringdon Collection; an impressive collection of paintings by (among others) Rembrandt, Rubens and Reynolds.