About Woodstock
Woodstock grew up beside the royal hunting park at Woodstock Manor — and was given a second life when Queen Anne built Blenheim Palace next door for the 1st Duke of Marlborough in 1705. The town's tight grid of Georgian streets serves the palace gates and not much else, but it does it well.
Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim in 1874, and is buried at Bladon, two miles down the road. The estate is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Cotswold Guide Top Tips
- An annual Blenheim ticket costs little more than a single visit — and the park is one of the great walks in southern England.
- Park free in the town centre and walk through the Hensington Gate, rather than queueing for the palace car park.
Attractions in Woodstock
Where to eat & drink
The Feathers Hotel
17th-century townhouse hotel, with the world record (until 2014) for most gins on a single bar.
The Woodstock Arms
Proper market-town pub, log fires, locals at the bar.
Hampers Food & Wine
Indie deli on Oxford Street; assemble a Blenheim picnic here.
Brothertons Brasserie
Long-standing brasserie under the colonnade on High Street.
Getting there
By car
8 miles north of Oxford on the A44, 60 miles from London. The S3 Stagecoach bus runs every 30 minutes from Oxford. No railway station.
Best time to visit
Late spring and autumn for the Blenheim grounds at their best; July and August are busy with palace day-trippers but the formal gardens are at peak. The town is much quieter in winter, when only the ground floor of the palace opens.
Upcoming events in Woodstock
Find accommodation near Woodstock
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering cottages within easy reach of Woodstock — browse availability for your dates on Booking.com.
Find accommodation near Woodstock →Attractions near Woodstock
Within 10 miles, ordered by distance.
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Major footpaths that pass through
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Lechlade
Where the Cotswolds meet the Thames
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