Cider Press & Lime Tree provide a tranquil, restful base to explore this lovely area

Burford is a picturesque market town 20 miles west of Oxford and within easy reach of the Cotswolds. The area is known for its lovely rolling countryside, pretty villages and excellent shopping in towns like Cirencester, Cheltenham and of course Burford itself.

In Burford you will find a good selection of shops and galleries, tea shops, excellent pubs and restaurants. For everyday needs there is a chemist (the oldest in the country still practising in the same building), a well stocked supermarket, a traditional butchers shop, a newsagent, a post office and 2 banks.

Burford was a wealthy centre of the wool trade in the Middle Ages, and has many historic buildings, most in honey coloured stone; for example the Tolsey ( the ancient toll house) which now houses the town museum, the Methodist Church, originally built as a private house, and The Great House. The magnificent Church is full of historic interest, and has changed little since about 1500. Here you can find a Celtic stone carving of a horse goddess, a Norman font, still used for baptisms, and a plaque commemorating Levellers who were shot in the churchyard for mutiny in 1649.

There are a number of walks in the area, including one you can do from the Mill along the valley of the Windrush river, past willow trees and through the meadows to neighbouring villages such as Swinbrook and Asthall.

Burford Garden Centre is close to the town, with its extensive range of plants and equipment for the garden and household, and the Cotwold Wild Life Park is close by. Our visitors have also enjoyed visiting Blenheim Palace, Oxford, Cirencester with its museum of Roman life and local National Trust houses.

Local fairs and events include the Advent Fair held at the end of November, and the Burford Festival happens every other year, so look out for it in July 2011!

For more information about Burford look at the town website www.burfordtown.com