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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Water you're waiting for? Britain's best heritage lidos were built to save swimmers from polluted seas full of potato peelings, oil and coal — and they're still in action todayThe seaside lido continues to offer safe swimming for holidaymakers irrespective of the tide, but they're also architectural gems worthy of our admiration.
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Ironmongers' Hall: The medieval marvel destroyed by a First World War bomb, and it's inspiring 21st century renaissanceIronmongers’ Hall in London EC2 — home of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers — is one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies. This year it is celebrating the centenary of its Tudor-style Hall; John Goodall takes a look, and tells the remarkable story of the building. Photographs by Will Pryce for the Country Life Picture Library
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The majestic New Forest estate formerly owned by a billionaire adventurer — famous for driving 'the world's fastest kettle' — has come up for saleGreat estates in the unspoilt setting of the New Forest are always a welcome sight on the market, and Newton Park is a wonderful example with a sad story to tell. Anna White tells more.
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A Hampshire Manor for sale that dates back to the days of Alfred the Great, with the most beautiful staircase we've seen in yearsThe ten bedroom property features an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, spa complex and stables, and it was restored by the same architect who worked on Downing Street.
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The new property hotspots where you can have it all: Beautiful houses, great schools and idyllic lifestyleAcross the country people are selling up and heading to the towns where there's no compromise on dream homes, outstanding schooling and the good life, according to analysis from two of Britain's top estate agents. Anna White explains.
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Where Venice once ruled: The roving Venetians left handsome imprints across the Greek world, from its religion to its rambling villasMatthew Dennison explores the lingering traces of Venice's vanished empire — and the best places to buy where it once stood.
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A delightful 16th century home with some of Kent's most beautiful gardens has come on to the marketThe Grange puts the 'garden' into the Garden of England.
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A pristine Scottish island for sale at the price of a garage in FulhamA dot on the map of the west coast of Scotland has come on to the market, where you'll be surrounded by sea, living off grid and be neighbours with the local seal colony.
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18 beautiful homes, from charming cottages to a Highland mansion with unbeatable views, as seen in Country LifeOur look at some of the best homes to come to the market via Country Life in the past week includes Georgian manor houses, charming commutable homes and the grandest home in Newcastle.
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The gorgeous Somerset home of the designer behind one of Glastonbury's chicest spotsThe Manor in Hinton Blewitt is a glorious Georgian home that ticks every box.
