Sandford-on-Thames

village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire, England

Sandford-on-Thames is a village in Oxfordshire, just south of Oxford. It combines the charming peace of a small old-English village with easy access to the nearby city centre, making it a pleasant base from where to explore both Oxford and the surrounding English landscapes.

St Andrew's Church is in the heart of the village

Understand

This village and Parish Council is just off the A4074, which bypasses the village, beside the River Thames in Oxfordshire. Grown from just 18 families in the Doomsday Book to just 200 people at the start of the 17th century to a population of 1,000 today.

The village was described as "a very good place to drown yourself in" in the book Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome (based on a boat trip on the River Thames), probably referring to the "Big Lasher", a weir behind the lock keepers cottage that creates strong currents and eddies and is particularly dangerous having claimed quite a few lives. The site includes an obelisk commemorating 6 students who died here in 3 separate incidents.

Get in

Being 4 mi (6.4 km) south of Oxford centre, many of the same transport links for Oxford can also be used to get into Sandford-on-Thames.

By road

From Oxford city centre take the Iffley Rd south, A4158 to the Southern Bypass, continue heading south through Littlemore on Oxford Rd which becomes Sandford Rd, then Henley Rd.

By train

Sandford-on-Thames has no station. Take the train to Oxford and walk or taxi to Sandford-on-Thames.

By bus

Service 3/3A operated by Oxford Bus and Stagecoach Oxford runs Rose Hill, Iffley Road and Oxford City Centre. Also serving Littlemore, Sandford-on-Thames, Oxford Science Park and Kassam Stadium.

By bicycle

National Cycle Route 5. Reading to Holyhead runs past the village (though on the other side of the River Thames). 2 miles to the path by road. (updated Jun 2017)
🌍 National Cycle Route 57. Farmington, Gloucestershire near Northleach to Welwyn Garden City passes 3 miles from the village (via Regional Cycle Route 10). Although still under construction (2017) the route to the east is completed to Chesham. (updated Jun 2017)

On foot

🌍 Thames Footpath National Trail. Footpath following the River Thames from close to its source in Kemble, Gloucestershire to the Thames Barrier at Charlton. (updated Jun 2017)

Get around

The village is small enough to see on foot.

See

Sandford Lock

🌍 St Andrew's Church, Church Road, robert.morgan@theology.ox.ac.uk. For close on a thousand years, the parish church of St Andrew has stood at the heart of the village of Sandford-on-Thames.

Do

🌍 Talking Shop’s Market & Cafe, Henley Rd, Sandford-on-Thames OX4 4YN. F (Shop & Cafe) 9:30AM-4:30PM, Sa (Market & Cafe) 9AM-midnight. Local produce and cafe. (updated Jun 2020)

Buy

🌍 Sainsbury's (Supermarket), Heyford Hill, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XR (1 mile N of village), ☏ +44 1865 771146. M-F 7AM-11PM, Sa 6AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM. (updated Jun 2017)

Eat

Kings Arms

🌍 Kings Arms (Pub & Food), Church Rd, Sandford-on-Thames OX4 4YB, ☏ +44 1865 777095. Pub: M-Sa noon-11PM, Su 11:30AM-10PM; Food: M-Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-9:30PM. This traditional English pub along the river side serves good quality pub food for lunch and dinner. 2-course dinner menu from ₤13. (updated Jun 2017)

Drink

🌍 The Catherine Wheel, Henley Rd, Sandford on Thames OX4 4YP, ☏ +44 1865 580226. (updated Jun 2017)

Sleep

🌍 Oxford Thames Hotel, Henley Rd, Sandford on Thames OX4 4GX, ☏ +44 1865 334444. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A 4-star hotel and event venue with 84 en suite bedrooms, 9 meeting and event suites, a leisure club and bar and restaurant, all in its 2 medieval barns and 15th-century manor house. £84-£329.
🌍 Mill House (B&B), Burra Close, Sandford-on-Thames OX4 4YE. (updated Jun 2017)

Connect

🌍 Post Office, 40 Cowley Rd, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4LD (1 mile N of village). M-Sa 8:30AM-7PM; Su 10AM-4PM (from 9:30AM for browsing). (updated Jun 2017)

Go next

Oxford City Centre 4 miles to N
Abingdon 8½ miles to SW
Didcot 10 miles S of village
Wallingford 9½ miles to SE
Thame 16 miles to E
Woodstock 13 miles to NW
Bicester 18 miles N

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