A short drive from Newton Grove is the Rousham Park House and Garden.

Tucked alonside the river Cherwell, Rousham represents the first phase of English Landscape design and remains almost as William Kent left it, one of the few gardens of this date to have escaped alteration. Many features which delighted 18th century visitors to Rousham are still in situ, such as the ponds and cascades in Venus’ vale, the Cold Bath and seven arched Praeneste, Townsend’s building, the Temple of the Mill and in the skyline, a sham ruin known as the Eyecatcher.

Whilst we only visited the gardens, the house, built in 1635 by Sir Robert Dormer is still in the ownership of the same family.

Rousham is uncommercial and unspoilt with no tea room and no shop. We brought a picnic and comfortable shoes for a long afternoon in the gardens.