Mursley sits on a ridge; springs surround the village and feed the Great Ouse. Fields, buildings and archaeological traces offer different ways to explore: you can focus on the landscape and farming, visit individual historic sites or plan a circular walk. This lets you decide what you would like to focus on during your stay.
Countryside and walks around Mursley
From Cooks Lane, views extend across fields where old farming systems can be seen in the ridge-and-furrow patterns. The term refers to the pattern of ridges and furrows that makes earlier forms of farming visible in the surface of the fields. The landscape therefore also tells the story of how it has been used. The approaches to Mursley from Stewkley or Swanbourne run along lanes bordered by trees and hedges. The white-painted water tower on Whaddon Road is also visible within the Mursley Conservation Area. The fields, approach roads and water tower each offer a different view of the village landscape.
Village history and historic buildings
In 1230, Mursley received a market charter from the Prior of Snelshall (Whaddon) for a weekly Thursday market. Beecham’s Row represents another aspect of the village’s history: Thomas Beecham had the terrace of twelve cottages built for his employees. The market charter and the named row of houses offer two specific insights into Mursley’s history.
St Mary the Virgin is a medieval parish church and a Grade II*-listed 14th-century building. The church contains monuments to the Fortescue family. It was restored and partly rebuilt in 1867. The stated opening hours are also relevant when planning a visit: the church is open seven days a week from 9 am to 5 pm, and until dusk in winter. If you are making a special trip, check the times in advance.
The medieval earthwork of the “Moated Site 80M West of Cedars Farm” is visible near Mursley. It is designated Scheduled Monument 1018667. The earthwork includes a roughly 22-metre-square island, about 0.4 metres above the surrounding ground. This clearly defined archaeological feature complements the church’s architectural history with a different kind of historic trace.
Village life and a circular walk
Mursley Sports Ground covers about four and a half acres and includes a pavilion and a children’s play area. The annual Coronation Sports Day is held on the site on the first Saturday in June. If you would like to plan your stay around this date, check the event date for the relevant year.
Another way to explore is the Mursley–Swanbourne–Mursley route: a well-signposted circular walk between two villages in North Buckinghamshire. This offers a route as a focus alongside exploring individual village features. Which option you choose depends on whether you would rather explore the buildings and landscape or make the circular walk the main focus.
Discover more destinations
Beaconsfield, Princes Risborough, Easington, Botley, Flackwell Heath, Burnham, Penn, Chalfont Saint Peter
For the overview of the wider area: Buckinghamshire.
