Charney Bassett is an attractive compact village, well away from any main roads. It is more or less in the centre of the Vale, positioned on the River Ock centrally between the towns of Wantage and Faringdon and the village of Kingston Bagbuize. In the centre of the village is a small triangular green and the village pub and the remains of what was probably an ancient cross, although only the stump remains. This is now the village war memorial.

The name Charney is thought to be derived from Churn or Charn, believed to be the Celtic name for Ock and the 'ey' indicates an island settlement in the marsh. It is thought that Bassett may be from either Ralph Bassett, a local C11/C12 landowner, or a corruption of Bass, the name of an early copyhold tenement in the village.

The village church is St. Peter's Church. It is built on the foundations of a Saxon church and it is thought that there could have been a Christian community locally since the seventh century. The Saxon church was rebuilt by the Normans but little of the original Norman church remains now. The present building seems to have gradually evolved with various improvements and alterations carried out in the C14, C16 and C18 centuries.

Charney Manor was built as a grange and belonged to the Benedictine Abbey of Abingdon. It is now owned by the Society of Friends and is used by them as a Meeting House, and also a guest house and conference centre.

Near the church is the Grade II listed C19 Charney water mill. It is thought that a mill has been on this site since the 12th century. The present mill has been undergoing restoration by the Vale of White Horse Industrial Archaeology Group since around 1975 and has all its machinery intact.