CLANFIELD

Clanfield is a very pretty village, particularly so on a Spring day when the pretty clumps of daffodils bring a cheerful touch of colour to the grassy verges and gardens. A stream runs through the village beside the road, spanned in places by stone bridges. Next to the Radcot road there is a path which runs along beside the stream passing in places under weeping willow trees as it links the two small village greens.

One of the small greens is in the centre of the village at the road junction, where there are also two inns. Nearby is the Norman parish church, St. Stephen's, which dates from about 1200, and the bell tower from the early 14th century. For the history and full information about St. Stephen's Church click here.

About half a mile to the west of the village, at Little Clanfield, there were at one time two water mills on Little Clanfield Brook. One of them, Little Clanfield Mill, is now a private house but its machinery remains operational.

Just south of the village is Friars Court, a moated farmhouse with attractive gardens. Although the present house dates from about 1650 the site can trace its history back to 1142 when it was established as the first ‘hospitaller’ in Oxfordshire by the charitable, religious order of the Knights Templar Order of St. John of Jerusalem. It was a place of rest for travellers and, when Radcot Bridge (a mile or so to the south) was built, the additional passing traffic led to Friars Court becoming an important stopping point. Today Friars Court is a popular venue for weddings.

Clanfield is about 3 miles south of the Carterton and about 2.5 miles west of Bampton on the A4095.