Spelsbury
Extract from Discovering Wychwood by Charles Keighley
3 km (2 miles) north of Charlbury towards Chipping Norton. Spelesberie in 1086. 'Speol's stronghold'. Spelsbury is a quiet village, especially the cul-de-sac which leads down to All Saints Church. With Norman origins, this was rebuilt 1740-1774 and contains interesting monuments to the Lees, and their descendants, of Ditchley.
- Almshouses 1688. Spelsbury is situated on the north side of the Evenlode valley, between two brooks which flow to the river. Coldron Mill, where the brooks meet, originated at least 1000 years ago. In their valleys are small fields, a mixture of grass and arable, surrounded by tall prominent hedgerows and strips of woodland.
- Above the village are larger fields, some with gappy walls and hedgerows.
- An ancient saltway runs through the north of the parish.
- Dean Grove, a block of ancient woodland, lies south-west of the village, and to east of the parish are the plantations of Ditchley.
- There are a number of important wildlife habitats, including limestone grasslands on the roadside verges and green lanes.
- Marshy ground in the south-west of the parish is rich in rush and sedge species.
- Dean Grove and newer plantations provide ornithological interest.
- Dean Common, the Wychwood Project's first community wood, which contains a variety of habitats, lies to west of the parish on restored sand pits.
- Walks east towards Taston and south-west to Coldron Mill, Dean Grove, Dean Common and the Oxfordshire Way.
- The Wychwood Way runs through the north-east of the parish.
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