Tew

the A361 is the main road from Banbury to Chipping Norton. Hardly a great arterial highway, but the high, broad land beyond South Newington encourages a bit of open driving, drinking in the views over the fields on our right, glimpsing into the pretty valleys of Warwickshire. At this speed, however, our only interest in the dark trees to our left is not hitting any.

For decades, centuries even, the world passed by this wood, and the village it contained.

Then, one weekend in May, 1987, ten thousand people, and two and a half million quid, made their way to Great Tew, down this little side road here.

The people came to gobble strawberries, guzzle champagne, and to gawp at the contents of Tew Park, which were up for sale.

The Villagers of Great Tew went in with them, because this was the first time the public had been admitted to Tew Park in seventy years.

It's a Sign

Boulton, Robb & Johnson