Minster Lovell
Extract from Discovering Wychwood by Charles Keighley
1206, but there must have been a pre-existing church of importance. The existing St Kenelm's Church was built in the 15th century and has a cruciform plan, central tower and spatially interesting interior.
The nearby Hall, also 15th century, was built by the 7th Lord Lovell and was formerly one of the great aristocratic houses of Oxfordshire until its 18th-century owner, the Earl of Leicestershire, sold off its stone and materials to pay for his new edifice at Holkham Hall, Norfolk. Now a romantic riverside ruin, managed by English Heritage. Interesting barn and dovecote nearby.
Attractive thatched cottages line the village street, which leads to the Old Swan and restaurant. The Mill, with excellent modern vernacular additions, is now a conference centre. Nearby Charterville Allotments across the river were laid out idealistically in 1847 by Chartist leader Feargus O'Connor MP, with each cottage and smallholding having sufficient land for tenants from towns to maintain themselves - and to give the right to vote through possession of property. The scheme failed but the cottages remain. .
- White Hart public house with food and accommodation, and New Inn public house.
- Spar grocery shop.
- The river cuts through the parish and its valley has small grassy fields divided by hedgerows, trees and woodland. Elsewhere are medium sized arable fields, with low sometimes gappy hedges. There are several woodland blocks in the Windrush valley and the valley lying immediately north of Little Minster.
- Important habitats include wet permanent pasture and marsh adjoining the river, valuable for wildfowl and marshland flora.
- Also limestone grasslands on the steeper slopes of the valley.
- Good walks down stream on south bank towards Witney, and on north bank towards Crawley.
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