Arrival

Where We Are

Oak House
Bran Mill Lane
Nr Aston Magna
Moreton-in-Marsh
Gloucestershire
GL56 9LJ

Check-in & Check-out

Check-in	4pm
Check-out	10am
Check-out for Sundays	4pm
Contact for check-in: Alison	07906 290961

PLEASE NOTE: We reserve the right to change check-in/check-out times in exceptional circumstances.

Useful Contacts

Emergencies

In the case of a serious emergency, dial 999

Other emergency contacts can be found below.

Nearest Hospital

North Cotswolds Hospital
Stow Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0DS (15-minute drive)
0300 421 8770

Amenities

Banks

Moreton-in-Marsh is a 15-minute drive away and has a range of banks.

Post Office

Warner’s Budgens Supermarket, High St, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0AH (15-minute drive)

Petrol Station

Esso
Stow Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0DS (15-minute drive)
01608 651494

Getting To Us

Best postcode to use for satnavs	GL56 9LJ
Nearest train station	Moreton-in-Marsh (15-minute drive)
Nearest airport	Birmingham (1-hour drive)
Taxis	ETC, Moreton-in-Marsh | 01608 650343 / 07800 957646 / 07800 957651 Cotswold Taxis | 07710 117471

Directions

It is essential that everyone travelling to Oak House has directions with them – we are easy to find with the directions but difficult without!

N.B. We have learnt that most satellite navigation systems will take you the wrong way across a redundant farm track when you enter this postcode, (you will then have to reverse half a mile down a muddy track!), with the exception of the Tomtom system which brings you straight to our entranceway. Unless you have Tomtom please follow the directions below. It is important to give this same advice to anyone you may have ordered deliveries from or anyone else visiting the property on your behalf e.g. taxis. If using a route planner (www.theaa.com) please enter Aston Magna (not Paxford) as your destination and follow our directions from Aston Magna (below). We are midway between Paxford and Aston Magna but the Paxford route is longer and harder to follow. Please note that when entering Aston Magna as your destination on AA route finder, it may give directions to turn left or right off the A429 (“The Fosseway”) (depending on your start point) but does not mention that there is a sign to “Aston Magna”. When you arrive at the property drive down the long winding gravel drive signposted to Oak House and Brook House. Please do not carry straight on to our neighbour’s property, signposted “Stapenhill Fam House”. The first property on your left is Oak House and parking is adjacent to Oak House. Continue down the gravel drive and you will find Brook House straight ahead of you.

From the North
Travel South on the A429 (“The Fosseway”) towards Moreton-in-Marsh. About two miles before Moreton-in-Marsh take the right hand turn signposted to Aston Magna. Drive through countryside for a few minutes and immediately upon arriving at the village of Aston Magna take the right hand turn signposted “Paxford 2 miles” (this is a small sign on the left hand side of the road at the edge of the village). Drive past Church Farm Stables and a Severn Trent water plant and continue along the country road bordered by open fields for 2-3 minutes and as soon as you arrive at a small cluster of houses look out for the “Bran Mill B & B” sign on your left. Drive straight past Bran Mill B & B for 50m, over a stone-walled bridge and 25 metres after this on the left hand side is the drive and sign for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Turn left into this drive then take the right hand fork for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Please do not carry straight on to our neighbour’s property signposted to “Stapenhill Farm House”.

From the South
Travel North on the A429 (“The Fosseway”) towards Moreton-in-Marsh. Drive through the town and straight out of Moreton-in-Marsh. About 2 miles after Moreton-in-Marsh take the left hand turn signposted to Aston Magna. Drive through countryside for a few minutes and immediately upon arriving at the village of Aston Magna take the right hand turn signposted “Paxford 2 miles” (this is a small sign on the left hand side of the road at the edge of the village). Drive past Church Farm Stables and a Severn Trent water plant and continue along the country road bordered by open fields for 2-3 minutes and as soon as you arrive at a small cluster of houses look out for the “Bran Mill B & B” sign on your left. Drive straight past Bran Mill B & B for 50m, over a stone-walled bridge and 25 metres after this on the left hand side is the drive and sign for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Turn left into this drive then take the right hand fork for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Please do not carry straight on to our neighbour’s property signposted to “Stapenhill Farm House”.

From the East
Travel West on the A44 to Moreton-in-Marsh. At the roundabout in the centre of Moreton-in-Marsh take the right hand exit, signed A429 Stratford. Travel North out of Moreton-in-Marsh on the A429 (“The Fosseway”). About two miles out of Moreton-in-Marsh take the left hand turn signposted to Aston Magna. Drive through countryside for a few minutes and immediately upon arriving at the edge of the village take the right hand turn signposted “Paxford 2 miles” (this is a small sign on the left hand side of the road at the edge of the village – do not drive into Aston Magna). Drive past Church Farm Stables and a Severn Trent water plant and continue along the country road bordered by open fields for 2-3 minutes and as soon as you arrive at a small cluster of houses look out for the “Bran Mill B & B” sign on your left. Drive straight past Bran Mill B & B for 50m, over a stone-walled bridge and 25 metres after this on the left hand side is the drive and sign for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Turn left into this drive then take the right hand fork for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Please do not carry straight on to our neighbour’s property signposted to “Stapenhill Farm House”.

From the West
Travel East on the A44 to Moreton-in-Marsh. At the first roundabout in Moreton-in-Marsh take the left exit, signed A429 Stratford. At the second roundabout head straight on through and out of Moreton-in-Marsh. Travel North out of Moreton on the A429. About two miles out of Moreton-in-Marsh take the left hand turn signposted to Aston Magna. Drive through countryside for a few minutes and immediately upon arriving at the edge of the village take the right hand turn signposted “Paxford 2 miles” (this is a small sign on the left hand side of the road at the edge of the village – do not drive into Aston Magna). Drive past Church Farm Stables and a Severn Trent water plant and continue along the country road bordered by open fields for 2-3 minutes and as soon as you arrive at a small cluster of houses look out for the “Bran Mill B & B” sign on your left. Drive straight past Bran Mill B & B for 50m, over a stone-walled bridge and 25 metres after this on the left hand side is the drive and sign for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Turn left into this drive then take the right hand fork for “Oak House” and “Brook House”. Please do not carry straight on to our neighbour’s property signposted to “Stapenhill Farm House”.

Directions from Paxford
If you do find yourself in Paxford, please follow the following directions. Coming from the direction of Blockley with the The Churchill Arms pub on your right, turn right as if going to the Churchill. If travelling from the direction of Chipping Campden or travelling into Paxford from the A429 with The Churchill Arms pub on your left, turn left to the pub. Drive past the pub and veer to the right past the old Hovis sign, taking the right hand turn out of the village (this is the road to Aston Magna and there is a sign saying road unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles). Drive through open countryside for a couple of minutes. Drop down the hill, round a sharp right bend, followed by a sharp left hand bend. As you come round this left bend you will see a cluster of houses, one of which is Bran Mill B and B. Just before this, on the right, is the drive and sign to Oak House and Brook House. Turn right here and take the right hand fork to Oak House and Brook House (please do not carry straight on signposted to Stapenhill Farm House).

For help with finding the house on your arrival day please call Alison on 07906 290961, or if you are unable to contact Alison, please call Michael on 01242 235151.

Cooking & Dining

Chef & Catering Services

DineInDulge
A unique & truly special private chef experience brought direct to you. Combining a personal chef hire service with restaurant-quality cuisine, DineInDulge is designed to be affordable, accessible & simple to book for anyone.
www.dineindulge.co.uk/?ref_code=KATETOMS

Côte at Home
Get bistro-quality food delivered to your door. From starters, mains and desserts, to picnics, breakfasts and barbecue favourites – the professional chefs at Côte at Home can freshly prepare a wide range of dishes, which you can simply serve up, or pop in the oven or microwave to heat. That means less time spent prepping and cooking, and more time enjoying your holiday!
https://coteathome.co.uk/?aff=Z49Q55Y2

Love Bites
An excellent catering company that provide adventurous, tasty canapés for any event, be it a small family gathering or birthday party. Contact them soon as they also get booked up quickly. Local produce that the area is renowned for As we’re sure you’re well aware, the Cotswolds is a foodie’s paradise: literally everything and anything is grown and raised on these vast, green expanses. The buying and selling of organic foods has long been a tradition within these villages, and the successes of the Cotswolds farmers markets has now led to a national trend in‘localised ethical shopping’, a movement spearheaded by the Prince of Wales, who has his own market shop in Tetbury, and firmly believes strong local markets creates a strong local economy and a vibrant society.
www.lovebites.events | [email protected]
Kelly: 07774 725187
Rachel: 07979 690163

The Holistic Chef
The Holistic Chef, Jamie Raftery, can offer bespoke menus to suit all occasions and dietary requirements. He has also worked alongside some of the best chefs, including Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal.
07585 708693 | www.holisticchef.co.uk

Local produce that the area is renowned for
As we’re sure you’re well aware, the Cotswolds is a foodie’s paradise: literally everything and anything is grown and raised on these vast, green expanses. The buying and selling of organic foods has long been a tradition within these villages, and the successes of the Cotswolds farmers markets has now led to a national trend in ‘localised ethical shopping’, a movement spearheaded by the Prince of Wales, who has his own market shop in Tetbury, and firmly believes strong local markets creates a strong local economy and a vibrant society.

Great Places to Eat & Drink

Pubs

The Churchill Arms, Paxford
A great dining pub within walking distance of Oak House.
www.thechurchillarms.com

The Howard Arms, Ilmington
Previous Dining Pub of the Year winner with a lovely pub garden.
www.howardarms.com

The Horse and Groom, Bourton-on-the-Hill
Run by the sons of the owners of the Howard Arms.
www.horseandgroom.info

The Ebrington Arms, Chipping Campden
www.theebringtonarms.co.uk

The Noel Arms, Chipping Campden
www.noelarmshotel.com

Restaurants

Russells of Broadway
A Remy Martin Award Winner
www.russellsofbrodaway.co.uk

The Lygon Arms, Broadway
The Cotswolds House Hotel, Chipping Campden
www.cotswoldhouse.com

Best places to eat out with children

Moreton-in-Marsh
Pop into Ask Pizza for a quick meal or visit The Cotswold Tearoom for tea, cakes and light lunches. The Cotswold Cheese Shop serves a good selection of delicatessen food for picnics.

The Ebrington Arms, Ebrington
Less than 15 minutes drive away is a friendly pub with a pub garden serving fresh, local food. There is a separate dining room suitable for around 20 people – please phone to book. Tel (01386 593223)

Stratford-upon-Avon
Popular for a day out. Lots of shops and restaurants including Carluccios.

Hicks Terrace, The Cotswold House Hotel, Chipping Campden
Lovely gardens and terrace serving delicious, fresh food.

Shopping for Food

Takeaways

There is a Chinese takeaway on Sheep Street in Chipping Campden (also serving fish and chips).

The Volunteer Inn in Chipping Campden has a good Indian menu.

Cotswold Spice on the A429 Fosseway offers Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine and a stylish and spacious interior that is ideal if you want to dine out.

There are also Thai and Indian restaurants serving takeaways in Moreton-in-Marsh.

Local Supermarkets

Blockley Village Shop and Café. A lively, community-run shop in Blockley. www.blockleyshop.com
Warner Budgens, Moreton-in-Marsh. Great quality food with lots of local produce.
Tesco Express, Moreton-in-Marsh, in the centre of Moreton

Butchers

Rightons, Shipston on Stour
PG Checkett, Moreton-in-Marsh

Greengrocers

Drinkwaters, Chipping Campden

Bakers

Le Petit Croissant, Chipping Campden

Organic/Local Produce

Taste of the Country, Shipston on Stour

Daylesford, near Kingham (the largest, smartest organic shop in the country!)
www.daylesfordorganic.com

Wine Merchants

Toke’s
www.tokesfoodanddrink.co.uk/

Home Deliveries

Tesco – www.tesco.com
Ocado – www.ocado.com

For home deliveries please enter in the notes: Oak House, between Paxford and Aston Magna, near Bran Mill. The postcode is GL56 9LJ

Things to Do

Cotswold Tours & Travel

Tour company offering 35 unique luxury experiences across the Cotswolds and South West of England. From sheepdog demonstrations, private house and estate tours, private falconry experiences on their family farm, private castle and garden tours, blacksmith experiences, farming experiences in the countryside, learning how to play polo and even baking an afternoon tea in a cottage are just a few experiences Cotswold Tours & Travel can offer.

www.cotswoldtoursandtravel.com

[email protected]

Quad Bikes

The nearest site is about 40 minutes away in Warwickshire at Adventure Sports and worth the trip for quads and full on action with 4×4 off roading, argo cats and much more.

Clay-Pigeon Shooting and other Country Pursuits

Visit Rob Ireland Country Pursuits for an exciting range of country pursuits. From a couple of hours of clay pigeon shooting or archery to a whole day of activities with a steak barbecue, you can design your own day. Rob’s website is www.robireland.co.uk and his phone number is 07860 783013.

Horse Riding

For horse riding there is The Vine Stables, near Broadway offering hacks and lessons for individuals or groups. Their telephone number is 01386 584250 and the website is www.cotswoldsriding.co.uk

Adventure Sports

Paintballing is held in a wood nearby. Visit www.letsgoout.co.uk/to/cotswold-paintball-games-moreton-in-marsh for details or phone 07836 657397. There’s also information on the website about country pursuits – which are provided by Rob Ireland (see above).

Photography

Make the most of being together with a photography session at your Cotswolds country house from James Crockford, a fantastic photographer who will come to your holiday house to take photos of family and friends. Follow the link below to see some lovely examples of James’ photography at our Cotswolds houses.
www.jamescrockford.com/portraits/bigcottage/

Pampering

Glo Pamper
At Glo Pamper mobile massage & beauty therapists bring spa quality treatments to you. Their organic and truly indulgent service delivers tailor-made treatment packages for individuals, couples and groups of all ages to the comfort of the house. To book please use the contact details below and remember to quote ‘kate & toms’. Guests are advised to book well in advance.
0207 096 0385 | www.glo-pamper.co.uk

Wine Tasting

Little Oak Vineyard in Chipping Campden aim to produce wine of the highest possible quality using a range of grape varieties, primarily Siegerrebe. Offering wine tastings at the vineyard to give you an insight into operation and a tasting of the products. You can also book to join them for lunch, which consists of local hams, cheeses, chutneys, bread, and an extra glass of your favourite still wine. www.littleoakvineyard.com

Wine Cellar Tour

The Hidden Secret of Shipston
Extensive tour of the Cellars and Board Room finishing with Tutored Tasting of some fine wines and free time to browse in the shop.
6 New Street, Shipston-on-Stour, CV36 5EN (20-minute drive)
01608 661 409 | [email protected]

Distillery Tour

Cotswolds Distillery
Nestled in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, The Cotswolds Distillery is the first of its kind in the area, and the closest working distillery to London. Surrounded by an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the distillery has been built in traditional Cotswolds stone and set in beautifully landscaped gardens. The shop and tasting room is open Mon-Sat from 9am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm and has been designed with visitors in mind. Much like a home from home you can sit back, relax and enjoy a tasting in front of the cosy log fire. Tours run at 11am and 2pm daily.
Phillip’s Field, Whichford Road, Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 5HG (20-minute drive)
01608 238 533 | www.cotswoldsdistillery.com

Top Things to Do for Children

Cotswold Wildlife Park

Burford. Open every day except Christmas Day. Fantastic parkland setting with a train ride through the grounds in peak season, an adventure playground, café and of course lions, zebras, hippos, penguins, fruit bats and monkeys to name just a few of the animals.
www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk Tel (01993 823006)

Batsford Arboretum and the Falconry Centre

Bourton-on-the-Hill. Next door to each other, the Batsford Arboretum has some lovely woodland walks and is spectacular in the Spring and Autumn. There is also a great café with wonderful views, delicious homemade cakes and a garden centre, www. batsarb.co.uk. At the Falconry Centre you can watch exciting displays of falconry, www.cotswold-falconry.co.uk

Cotswold Farm Park

Near Guiting Power. Open March – September. Especially for younger children, a great place to feed the animals, ride on a tractor and learn about rare breeds. www.cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk Tel (01451 850307)

Warwick Castle

Definitely a whole day out. Arrive early to avoid ticket queues. Jousting, archery, falconry, medieval displays and mighty trebuchet catapult throughout the Summer. Ice rink in December. Open all year. Info 0870 442 2000/ booking 0870 442 2371 | www.warwick-castle.com

Moreton-in-Marsh

For a quick trip out there is a lovely playground opposite Warner Budgens in Moreton-in-Marsh suitable for younger children. Pop into Ask Pizza for a quick meal or visit The Cotswold Tearoom for tea and cakes.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Apart from all the connections with Shakespeare, Stratford is a great place for picnics, boating and shopping. You can park at the Butterfly Farm Car Park (follow directions to the Butterfly Farm as soon as you enter Stratford). There are always boats to hire or boat trips in the summer and the Butterfly Farm is worth a visit – great for a rainy day as it’s warm and dry inside!
01789 299288 | www.butterflyfarm.co.uk

Bourton-on-the Water

Touristy but very pretty with the stream running through and lots to do for children including: Birdland Park and Gardens – open all year. www.birdland.co.uk/Miniature Village; Cotswolds Motor Museum with the TV character Brum. www.cotswold-motor-museum.co.uk; and a Miniature Railway exhibit within the Toy Shop on the main High Street Hidcote Manor Gardens Open March to September. One of the most visited National Trust gardens in the UK, Hidcote is a beautiful place and fun for children as there are lots of garden “rooms” and grounds to run around in.

Sudeley Castle

Winchcombe. Explore the castle, the gardens and the big fort in the adventure playground. The wooden fort is full of hidey-holes and towers. Closed in the Winter months.
www.sudeleycastle.co.uk

Corinium Museum Cirencester

Fascinating museum about the Romans. Holds holiday events.
www.coriniummuseum.org

Woodstock and Blenheim Palace

A little further afield (about 40 minutes) but a great day out. As well as the Palace there is an adventure playground, butterfly farm and miniature train. Check for limited opening hours in the Winter months.
www.blenheimpalace.com

In Woodstock there are lots of shops to explore and there is the local Oxfordshire museum on the High Street – worth a quick visit and enjoy a coffee and cake in the airy glass-fronted café.

Heritage Motor Centre and Museum Gaydon

Open all year. Perfect for car enthusiasts and older children. Outdoor activities in peak periods include Land Rover 4×4 driving, Go Karting and Miniature Roadway. Open all year apart from Christmas week.
www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk Tel (01926 641188)

Useful Information

Guest Reviews