Finstock

Extract from Discovering Wychwood by Charles Keighley

4 km (2.5 miles) S of Charlbury. Literally, 'place of the woodpecker'. A small hilly parish, which faces SE over the Evenlode valley. The village is surrounded by small to medium sized fields, a mixture of grass and arable, with prominent hedgerows. Topples Wood, in the SE corner of the parish, is c.600 years old and is predominantly oak and ash, with a rich understorey of hawthorn, hazel and field maple and a ground flora including primrose and yellow archangel. SE of the village lie areas of limestone grassland.

• Village Stores and PO. The Crown PH and Plough Inn with food and accommodation.
• Holy Trinity Church is Victorian, with an Edwardian chancel.
• Very few trains stop at Finstock station, in the valley towards Charlbury.
• Public footpath into Wychwood Forest from opposite the church; and from lower down Charlbury Road.
• A walk leads NE along the edge of Cornbury deer park. Walks also towards Wilcote and Ramsden.