Arabella started off on Thursday looking at York – you can read that article here. Today, she looks at Oxford - a bustling and stimulating city which offers all manner of attractions. Some, such as the university and theatres, are obvious. Others are a little more offbeat: would you believe that some people choose this place in order to make sure that they can get a decent game of Bridge.
‘Of course, bridge doesn’t top the wish list of every downsizing client that we advise,’ says Adam Buxton of Middleton Advisors, which we’d imagine will be a contender for understatement of the year come the end of 2019. But apparently it does happen.
‘We have had occasions when we’ve been instructed to find a property near a competitive club,’ adds Adam. And true enough, type ‘bridge clubs Oxford’ into Google and any doubts about being able to join a regular four will be swiftly assuaged. Country Life’s bridge contributor Andrew Robson has an outpost of his popular school there.
Apart from the cultural opportunities afforded by living within one of the world’s great seats of academia, Oxford also offers what William Kirkland of Knight Frank describes as ‘a gentle transition to city life for those arriving from the countryside’.
The down side? Prices. ‘Oxford’s high property prices are well known throughout the country,’ says Giles Lawton of Strutt & Parker. A budget of £600,000 will buy a two-bedroom flat or small house in north Oxford such as this one for sale via Wallers.
Anything even a little larger or fancier can cost substantially more. Case in point is this three-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a new-build in north Oxford with off-street parking and communal gardens that comes in at £995,000 via Knight Frank.
For those with the income to support something a little larger — and don't mind taking on a bit of a project — this £1.6 million property in the suburb of Headington could be quite incredible, with five bedrooms, an enormous garden and a swimming pool.
And here's that pool:
How Oxford University's buildings evolved, and how its 'chiefest wonder' came into being
'Where is the University?' is the most common tourist's question in Oxford. The answer is rather complicated.
Credit: Will Pryce/©Country Life Picture Library
The Chapel of Trinity College, Oxford: A return to splendour
One of Oxford’s most admired interiors has been revived, as John Goodall reports.
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Combine harvesters and pigs in the city: Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 18, 2025It's a farming special for Monday's Quiz of the Day.
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The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
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The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agents
Savills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
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What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
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19 outstanding country homes, from £450,000 to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeA spectacular country house in Yorkshire and an enormously impressive Channel Islands retreat are among the stand-out homes on the market this week.
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Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boatsThis summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.
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A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
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Take over the world or throw a great big party on this private fort for sale in PembrokeThorne Island, dubbed the British Alcatraz, has been a £2 million labour of love. Now it could be yours.
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The perfect summer house? A country home, beach house and rural escape rolled into one in a prime spot in SussexIf there's a finer house than Grangewood House in which to enjoy the summer, we'd love to see it. Penny Churchill takes a look.
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A six-bedroom modern masterpiece mere minutes from Europe's best golf courseVilla Stern catches the eye with its distinctive design, and is imbued with luxury inside and out.
