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South Oxfordshire
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The countryside of South Oxfordshire is varied and extremely attractive. In the east of the region is the western edge of the Chiltern Hills, known for its ancient beech woods and picturesque villages, which fall gently westwards towards the Thames, and part of South Oxfordshire is within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Panoramic views from the Chilterns of the Oxfordshire Plain and distant hills are provided by the infamous Stokenchurch cutting, which brings the M40 motorway into the region from the east. The villages of the Chilterns often use local flint as a building material, and this is a particular characteristic not seen much elsewhere. In the south the Berkshire Downs are the main influence and here and there you find chalk to have once been the building material of choice. The Berkshire Downs are part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Beauty, which also includes the area to the west of Dicot and includes the Sinodun Hills, more commonly referred to as the Wittenham Clumps which provide fine views of the River Thames and the Oxfordshire landscape. In the north of the region is another area of higher ground known a the Midvale Ridge. This started to the west near Swindon and identifies the northern boundary of the region for part of its length. The main river of the region is the River Thames, which flows through South Oxfordshire from east to west. One of the most beautiful stretches of the River Thames is here, with many attractive riverside towns and villages such as Henley-on-Thames, Wallingford and Goring. The region's second river is the River Thame, which rises in the Vale of Aylesbury and cuts through the Midvale Ridge on its way to its confluence with the Thames at Dorchester. The market town of Thame and Didcot - famous for its power station which is a prominent landmark for miles around - are in the region, and also the large villages of Chinnor, Wheatley and Watlington. The
villages in South Oxfordshire are listed alphabetically below: |
