Who has not heard or read about the charm and beauty of the villages in England? When I was a kid I used to see many postcard pictures of these villages either in magazines or in paintings. At that time I never thought one day I will roam in the streets of those villages, capturing the same postcard pictures, and later flaunt them on Instagram or in my blog post. In this post, I will share about East Hagbourne – a picturesque village in England.

If you are visiting the United Kingdom as a tourist, chances are you will choose to visit the most popular touristy places – and that really makes sense because you want to make the most out of the little time you have to visit a place. But for us, it’s different – we are staying in the UK. So we have luxury and time to visit some offbeat places or less popular places along with popular ones like London and Scotland.

Also read: Cotswolds, The stunning English Countryside

About East Hagbourne

Steeped in history and full of beautiful old cottages and houses, East Hagbourne is an attractive village and civil parish. It is located about 11 miles south of Oxford.

This village has many well-preserved yeoman’s houses, most dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Once you enter this village you can’t take your eyes off of the lovely old cottages, red Georgian and a few Victorian-style houses.

Main attractions of this village

East Hagbourne is a small village with a population of approximately 1900 people. Tourists often visit popular nearby towns like Oxford or Wallingford. But some travellers who want to explore more about the English countryside would love to visit this village. Here are the main attractions of this village:

St. Andrew’s, Church of England

St. Andrew’s, Church of England was built and rebuilt, at the beginning of the twelfth century. That time this church had a nave and chancel. Only a few walls remain from this time.

The current tower was built in the mid-fifteenth century and features a very unusual Sanctus bell-cote. The original bell of this church still in daily use. The pulpit of this church is also from the fifteenth century.

St. Andrew’s is a beautiful church with a deep and fascinating history. The church has many noteworthy features that make it unique and one of the finest churches of England.

Upper Cross

The Village Cross or Upper Cross, at the junction of Main Road and Church Close, is a 15th-century stone cross. This cross is standing with an 18th-century sundial, on a base of 5 deep stone steps.

Beautiful buildings and houses

East Hagbourne has at least 45 listed buildings (A listed building may not be demolished, extended, or altered without special permission from the local planning authority). The majority of East Hagbourne’s listed buildings are individual houses and cottages, particularly on Main Road and Church Close, which are mid-17th century. These houses and buildings are the living proof of East Hagbourne’s long and varied history.

Popular towns near East Hagbourne

Though East Hagbourne is a small village, it is surrounded by popular towns of England. Some of them are:

Didcot

Didcot is located 1 mile away from East Hagbourne village. This town is not very popular among tourist and basically known for its railway museum and former power stations.

These days, the main popularity of this town is because of the three large science and technology centres in the surrounding villages:

• Milton (Milton Park),
• Culham (Culham Science Centre)
• Harwell (Harwell Science and Innovation Campus which includes the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory).

Oxford

One of the most popular towns in England – Oxford attracts many tourist and students worldwide. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university known to the English speaking world.

This town also has buildings in every style of English architecture from the late Anglo-Saxon period.

Abingdon-on-Thames

Abingdon-on-Thames is a quaint, bustling market town nestled on river Thames. It is located 6 miles south of Oxford. You can stroll around the town and soak in the wealth of architecture and historical treasures, along with the beautiful Thames River.

This town has a claim on being the oldest town in England. There are some archaeological proofs that show the pre-Neolithic settlement. Abingdon has been occupied from the early to middle Iron Age and the remains of a late Iron Age defensive enclosure lies below the town centre.

Wallingford

Wallingford-on-Thames is a quintessentially English market town in South Oxfordshire. This town has plenty of things to see and do.

Wallingford also has a strong presence in murder mystery fiction. Famous writer Agatha Christie lived and worked in Wallingford. It is believed that she got inspired by local landmarks and residents in Winterbrook for stories such as Miss Marple.

Conclusion

Believe me, if you love travelling and exploring places then you will always find a place to escape. No matter near or far, in your country or in a foreign land there is always a place that attracts travellers and photographers. We – as a family – always try to explore the nearby places first. Luckily our current location is surrounded by many beautiful English villages – East Hagbourne being one them. We often go there for an evening stroll, cycling or just enjoying the view with the cows and sheeps grazing on the pasture.

Let me know

Have you ever visited any of the villages of England? If yes, how was your experience?

This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla, and generously sponsored by Bugshield Clothing – Enjoy Outdoors More!

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