New Homes in Oxford

Welcome to Oxford

Whether you’re exploring botanic gardens, taking the kids to museums or enjoying some retail therapy, the historic city of Oxford is a great place to live. If you’re on the lookout for lots of culture, good transport links and excellent local amenities, a new home in Oxford could tick all the right boxes for you and your family. 

A quick history

Oxford dates back to Anglo-Saxon times, when it was a 9th century fortified town. In the 11th century, the Normans built a castle in Oxford, and the university was founded a century later in 1167. In the 1200s there were a number of riots in the town, caused by tensions between students and the ordinary townspeople.

Over the centuries, Oxford became more and more dependent on the economy surrounding the university, along with the town market. In the 16th century, it was made a city, and later Oxford was connected to London by rail in 1844. Car manufacturing became important in the early 20th century, bringing wealth to the local area. 

Business and industry

Oxford’s industry is largely centred around car manufacturing, publishing and the university. Today major employers in and around the city include BMW (UK), the Unipart Group of Companies, the
University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, Newsquest (Oxfordshire) and Oxford University Press. 
Large public sector employers include Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust and Oxfordshire County Council, while the city is also becoming more and more popular with startups.

Things to do in the area

Oxford is a cultural city, with lots of museums to explore including the Museum of the History of Science, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, the Pitt Rivers Museum and the Museum of Oxford. Shopping districts include Cornmarket, Queen Street and Templars Square Shopping Centre, while the Covered Market is a unique home for local sellers and boutiques.

The city has lots of green spaces to explore, from South Park and Florence Park to the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, while the Chiltern Hills and the Cotswolds are only a short drive away. If you’re on the lookout for evening entertainment, Oxford is home to the New Theatre, the Oxford Playhouse and the Sheldonian Theatre.

Other places of interest in Oxford include Bates Collection of Musical Instruments, The Bodleian Library and Blackwell’s Bookshop Norrington Room.

Travel and commuting

Located close to the M40 motorway and with regular rail services into London and beyond, Oxford is well-connected for commuters. From the train station, the journey to London Paddington takes one hour, while Swindon can be reached in 35 minutes by train or just under one hour by car.

When you want to go on holiday, London Heathrow is the nearest major airport, just under one hour away from the city by car, while Birmingham Airport and London Luton are only slightly further away.