The Trust owns many Oxford places that we all take for granted.
South Park and Shotover Country Park owe their existence to the Trust, who gave them to the City Council in the 1950s. Punting on the Cherwell leads to the Victoria Arms at Marston, owned by the Trust, and in the western hills the open land at Boars Hill, which so many people visit to walk and admire the open views to the ‘dreaming spires’ made famous by poet Matthew Arnold, is ours. Meadowland at Old Marston, North  Hinksey, Old Headington, Wolvercote and the Glebe Field at Iffley all contribute to the rural feel of these ‘villages within a city’ which are such a special part of Oxford’s character. Add to this the winding river banks and the meadows of the Thames at Swinford by the Toll Bridge, and at Kennington and Sandford to the south, and a glorious picture begins to emerge of Oxford with its green fingers running into and around the City. East St Helen Street, Abingdon, is the home of the Trust’s medieval merchant’s house, where our custodian is pleased to show off the splendid 15th century wall paintings. In Oxford, a visit to the Trust’s offices will take you back to an earlier St Ebbes when our row of 17th century cottages were part of a very different area, where today we sit alongside the developing site of the Westgate shopping centre.

Full listing of Trust Holdings

Where possible, the Trust welcomes visitors to its land. In keeping with sound environmental management much of it is grazed for at least part of the year. Visitors are therefore requested to

• Respect the animals on the land
• Keep to recognised footpaths or field boundaries where possible
  &
• Respect the Countryside Code.

The Trust does not accept responsibility for any loss or injury suffered on its land.

© 2002-9, Oxford Preservation Trust