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Buscot and Coleshill Estates
Villages and countryside criss-crossed with trails
Coleshill, near Swindon, Wiltshire, SN6 7PT
Important notice
Blakes kitchen will be closed from Monday 8th of July for improvement works and will re-open on Saturday the 13th of July.
Opening times for 16 July 2024
Asset Opening time The Buscot and Coleshill Estates Dawn - Dusk Mill and Replica Bunker Closed MTWTFSS123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930311234OpenPartially openClosedAvailable for functions
Dogs
welcome on leads near livestock and under close control at all times.
Book shop
Pub
in Coleshill Village
Cafe
in Buscot village and in Coleshill Carpenters Yard.
Toilet
Car park
at Buscot car park, and Coleshill Car Park.
Dogs must be kept on leads near livestock and kept under close control at all times. Accessible toilets in the Carpenters Yard. Toilets near the tea-room in Buscot Village. Baby-changing facilities.
Accessible toilet
Accessible toilet in Carpenters' Yard, Coleshill.
Steps/uneven terrain
Ramped access/slopes
By road
Coleshill village on B4019 between Faringdon and Highworth. Buscot village on A417 between Faringdon and Lechlade. At Buscot village in the National Trust car park, National Trust members park free and for non-members it costs £4 per day or £2 for up to 2 hours. To drive between Buscot and Coleshill village it can take up to 10 minutes.
Parking: at Buscot village; Coleshill estate office
By train
Swindon 10 miles
Planning your visit
Article
Visiting the Buscot and Coleshill Estates with your dog
Buscot and Coleshill Estates is a one pawprint rated place. Before you arrive with your dog, please read these guidelines to ensure a safe walk for you and for others.
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School visits at the Buscot and Coleshill Estates
Discover exciting interactive days out for school children, covering nature, the environment and history – and a chance for teachers to design their own course.
Highlights
Coleshill Heritage and Rural Skills Centre
Learn heritage conservation skills via beginners’ courses, book a space for your local group or rent a unit if you are a professional craftsperson seeking a community environment.
Coleshill Model Farm
Farm buildings built in the 1850s showcase intensive-farming techniques.
Villages
The two villages of Buscot and Coleshill, sit in the middle of 7,000 acres of traditionally-farmed estates.
Eating
Blakes kitchen offer selection of cakes and savouries, sandwiches and hot food to order.
Second-hand bookshop
The Wheelrights second-hand bookshop offers a selection of pre-loved books.
Things to see and do
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Things to do at the Buscot and Coleshill Estates
Walk farm tracks and landscaped parkland, picnic by tranquil sections of the Thames, admire historic house Buscot Park and discover a watermill and wartime secrets in Coleshill.
Courses at the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre
We're sharing and developing heritage conservation skills through the National Trust Heritage and Rural Skills Centre based at Coleshill. We offer a programme of courses for professionals, beginners and hobbyists - take a look at our upcoming events to find out more and book.
Top trails
Trail
Buscot Red Walk
Discover Buscot village and the surrounding area, including the smallest lock currently on the River Thames and two Second World War bunkers.
Trail
Lechlade Walk
This serene riverside walk from Buscot village to Lechlade and back follows a path along the River Thames, taking in the first lock on the river and a Second World War bunker.
Trail
Buscot Purple Woodland Walk
Enjoy exploring the nearby woodland on this scenic three-mile circular walk, which offers memorable views across the surrounding countryside.
Trail
Coleshill red walk
Coleshill's red walk is a great way to get some gentle exercise, starting at the estate yard, formerly a Victorian model farm, then onto a 'Capability' Brown-style 18th century parkland.
Trail
Coleshill brown walk
Coleshill brown walk is a gentle woodland stroll. Perfect for wildlife spotting all year and bluebells in late spring. If you bring the kids (or the big kids), have a go at building a den.
Trail
Buscot Green Farm walk
Enjoy Buscot's Green Farm Walk around Eaton Hastings and take in memorable views of the River Thames, farmland and the historical Oxfordshire village.
Eating and shopping
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Eating and shopping at the Buscot and Coleshill Estates
The two estates and their villages offer convenient spots for refreshments, lunch or cream teas, a cosy country pub and a smattering of local shops.
Places to stay
Lock Cottage
A charming and cosy Thames-side cottage with a pretty garden close to the Thames Path.
Old Slaughter House
A charming cottage that’s perfect for a simple country break.
Upcoming events
Event
Guided Tours - Coleshill Home Farm and Skills Centre
Thursdays and Saturdays, 1pm and 2.30pm: discover the historic Coleshill Home Farm and learn more about the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre now housed here.
Event
Rupert Aker exhibition at the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre
31 July - 1 September, Tuesdays-Sundays 11am-3pm: an exhibition of artworks by Cotswold-based artist Rupert Aker.
Event
Faringdon Town Tours
Faringdon has a rich and fascinating history from mention in the Domesday Book through the Middle Ages, as a Royalist stronghold in the Civil War and, from the 1930s to 1950s, home to the eccentric Lord Berners.
Event
Family Activity Afternoon: Rivers
Spend the afternoon exploring the River Cole, river dipping and Willow fish weaving.
Event
Second World War Walk
Discover Coleshill's hidden Second World War history on this informative walk through village, woods and parkland at the home of the British Resistance.
Event
Village Open Day
9 June, 14 July and 11 August: discover what Coleshill has to offer on one of our Village Open Days.
Event
Family Activity Afternoon: Organic Garden
Learn about growing fruit and vegetables, then mix your own nature paints.
Event
Family Activity Afternoon: Secrets & Spies
Learn all about Coleshill's WW2 history, including code breaking and a chance to explore a secret bunker.
About Buscot and Coleshill Estates
These two very English villages and their surrounding patchwork quilt of fields, woodland spinney, water meadow and parkland, are just perfect for relaxing and exploring.
Perched on the West Oxfordshire border, these traditionally farmed estates spanning 7,000 acres are criss-crossed by miles of circular walks and family trails for you to discover.
Settled on one of the most tranquil and unspoilt stretches of the River Thames, Buscot is a haven for wildlife with the chance to glimpse kingfishers, otters and more. Dating back to the Domesday Book, Coleshill, home of the Heritage and Rural Skills Centre, is a rural place of innovation, swathed in history. Nearby, woodland copses give way to sweeping fields and parkland with far-reaching views.
Eleven let farms and 850 acres of woodland form a major part of the estates, alongside the Carpenters Canteen Cafe in Coleshill, the Radnor Arms in Coleshill and Buscot Village tearoom.
History
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History of the Buscot and Coleshill Estates
During the Second World War, Coleshill was the HQ for a secret band of saboteurs known as the Auxiliers, trained to fight back ruthlessly if the Germans invaded.
Support us
Article
Volunteer story: Coleshill at war
Volunteer Roger Green was unaware of Coleshill's hidden Second World War history when he began here. Find out how he has since immersed himself in it and passes on his expertise.