TAYNTON

The little village of Taynton is only about a mile away from Oxfordshire's border with Gloucestershire and so typical is this Cotswold stone village that you could be excused for thinking you are deep in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds.

The village was renowned for its stone quarries, and Taynton limestone was used in many important buildings throughout the Thames Valley. The stone was quarried in in the locality since at least the 14th century, and was used for many of the older colleges of Oxford University, Windsor Castle, the original pre- 1666 St Paul's Cathedral, and Blenheim Palace.

The parish church is the Church of St. John the Evangelist. Although much of the church is Perpendicular Gothic dating from the end of the 15th century, parts of the church date from 1360. For information about St. John's Church click here.

Taynton is about a mile and a half north-west of Burford along the little lane that leads to the Gloucestershire village of Great Barringdon in the pretty Windrush valley.