Faringdon combines a ridge with the Folly woodland, waymarked circular walks, historic buildings and a regular market. You can focus your stay on the landscape and walks, architectural history or the market.
Folly Hill and the routes around Faringdon
Faringdon lies on a ridge between the Ock and Thames river valleys and offers far-reaching views of the surrounding area. On Folly Hill stands the 100-foot Faringdon Folly Tower. It is set in a four-acre circular woodland with Scots pines and broadleaf trees.
Two waymarked circular walks differ in both their approximate length and their starting points. The Folly Pink Walk is about three miles long and starts at Market Place. Its route passes through Badbury on the way to the Folly. The Badbury Blue Walk is approximately six miles long; it starts at Southampton Street Car Park. Along the way, the circuit passes over Badbury Hill and Badbury Clump, as well as the National Trust’s Great Coxwell Barn. At the stated distance, the Blue Walk is about twice as long as the Pink Walk, and the two routes pass through different places.
If you would like to walk with a pushchair, a guide to three pushchair-friendly walks around the town is available for Faringdon. All of the waymarked cycling routes start and finish in Faringdon.
Church and Old Town Hall: different building periods
All Saints’ Church dates from the 12th century and is listed as a Grade I building because of its exceptional architectural and historical significance. One distinctive architectural detail is a cannonball embedded in the wall at the end of the nave.
Faringdon’s Old Town Hall stands on classical stone columns at Market Place and dates from the late 17th century. It was funded and built through public subscription after the Civil War. Together, the two buildings provide two different points of reference in time: the church dates back to the 12th century, while the town hall belongs to the late 17th century. Their respective features—the church’s significance and the town hall’s design and origins—offer different insights into Faringdon’s architectural history.
Market days at Market Place
A traditional market is held at Market Place every Tuesday from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. There is also a farmers’ market there on the first Tuesday of each month. Its offerings include cheese, meat products, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and chutneys. The two markets follow different schedules: the traditional market is weekly, while the farmers’ market takes place monthly on the first Tuesday.
If you would like to plan your visit around a market day, check the current schedule before travelling. Faringdon offers several specific focuses for planning: the shorter of the two walks described, starting at Market Place; the longer circular route from Southampton Street Car Park; the historic buildings; and the market days. You can choose which of these will shape your stay based on the themes and approximate route lengths described.
Discover more destinations: Murcott, Deddington, Beckley, Henley On Thames, Thame, Clanfield, Didcot, Kingham
For the wider travel overview: Oxfordshire.
