Chesney Manor Campsite

View prices & book 9.7 35 reviews
Aerial view of camping field
Aerial view of camping field
Camper enjoying the lake
Surrounded by nature
Morning view
Campers enjoying the sun
:)
The lake
View of the fishing lake
1/48
New
Camper enjoying the lake
Surrounded by nature
Morning view

  • Peaceful adults-only site in the grounds of an Oxfordshire manor house
  • Blenheim Palace, Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon within 40 mins' drive
  • Traditional thatched pub with meals five minutes' walk away
A smart manor house stay, but on a budget? That’s what’s on offer at Chesney Manor Campsite, on the edge of the tiny Oxfordshire village of Barford St Michael. As the name implies, here you’ll be staying in the fabulous grounds of a country manor house – and one with a history that dates all the way back to its mention in the Domesday Book, no less. The estate spreads out over 22 acres, with parkland and medieval lakes around the moated manor house itself. It’s a peaceful setting indeed, set off a country lane where you’re more likely to encounter horses than passing vehicles. There are several walks and footpaths through and around the estate for those who’d like to explore on foot and look out for wildlife – deer, herons and swans are among the residents here. Keeping that rural atmosphere nicely serene is the fact that this is an adults-only site – and one with plenty of space for all guests to relax and make the most of the setting without any feeling of being crowded in. Despite the grand surroundings it’s a very simple setup on site, so please note that there are no guest toilets or showers. You’re welcome to bring your barbecue along for some outdoor cooking – perhaps picking up local produce at the indie shops or market in Deddington, five minutes’ drive away. For those who’d rather eat out, there’s a lovely thatched pub five minutes’ walk away serving breakfast, lunch and dinner – and several more pubs dotted around the local countryside and villages.

Site type

Touring caravan pitches 36
Tent pitches 36
Motorhome pitches 36
Open all year
Opens
Please note
  • This site has no on-site toilet and shower facilities.

Admission

  • Guests under the age of 18 are not allowed on site.

Dogs

  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.
  • Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.

General

  • There are no bins onsite: all rubbish will need to be taken home with you.

Occupancy

  • Bookings must not consist of more than 1 different households.
  • Group bookings of 2 or more adults are not permitted (couples and immediate family members excepted).
  • No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
  • Single-sex bookings of 2 or more people (couples and immediate family members excepted) are not permitted via Pitchup.com.

Reception

  • There is no reception on-site: on arrival please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Safety

  • Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
  • Swimming in the lake is not allowed.

Vehicles

  • Commercial vehicles (vehicles used for work-related purposes, carrying goods or fare-paying passengers) and sign-written vehicles are not permitted on site.
  • Units heavier than 6999 kg are not allowed.

Languages spoken

English

No availability here for your search criteria

Reviews

9.7

Overall rating from 35 Pitchup.com customers

  • 82%
    10
  • 8%
    9
  • 2%
    8
  • 2%
    7
  • 2%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Accommodation
 No rating
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 9
Wifi
 7
Peaceful

100% would recommend this site to a friend

100% would stay here again

What customers say

This is a beautiful, peaceful campsite set in idyllic English countryside with abundant nature and wildlife. Reviewers consistently praise the tranquil atmosphere, spacious pitches, and the friendly, welcoming owners. A local pub is just a short walk away, offering good food. As a wild camping site with limited facilities, it is ideal for self-contained visitors seeking rest and relaxation. The owners have exciting plans for future improvements. Some guests noted the ground can be uneven and recommended levelling blocks.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 25/08/2026

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 4
Arrival date (latest first)

I see different wildlife every visit.…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Suki M. 13 reviews

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked I see different wildlife every visit. Last time it was a kingfisher and moorhens and tree creepers , this time it was a barn owl, a tawny owl, a beautiful vixen , woodpeckers , herons and bats. For any nature lover, this place is for you . Be prepared to be woken up by a polyphony of bird song.. it’s beautiful .
And within walking distance is a lovely, welcoming pub to have a really good meal ! What more could you want.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Unique spot

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Suki M. 13 reviews

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked I have stayed before and it never disappoints . This place is unique . Don’t let the lack of facilities put you off .. a cheap fisherman’s toilet and you get to be in the most wonderful place , FULL of wildlife and so, so quiet and peaceful . It’s so easy to pop to Oxford ( the park and ride is cheap ) and places like Blenheim Palace as well as all the beautiful Cotswold villages. The more people stay, the quicker facilities will be put in, so , just try it , you can’t go wrong for the price!

Recommend to friends Visit again

Super tranquil spot

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Rich G. 12 reviews

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Everything! A mega camping spot. The views. Tranquility. Ease of just pulling up and finding a spot. Everything camping out should be. Could have stayed for a week.

Disliked Leaving.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely location Very peaceful Excellent pub…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 7
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 No rating
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Tina D. 8 reviews

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Lovely location
Very peaceful
Excellent pub close by
Nice walks

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely peaceful location, very clean and…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 5
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Chris H. 2 reviews

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Lovely peaceful location, very clean and plenty of space. Welcoming hosts and great plans for the future I’m sure. Will be back 100%

Disliked There are currently limited facilities but as I’m in a self sufficient van that wasn’t an issue at all.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quiet and peaceful field with lovely…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Quiet and peaceful field with lovely views. Short walk to a very nice pub

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful site in a lovely setting

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 No rating
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 No rating
Wifi
 No rating
Suzanne E. 9 reviews

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Lovely peaceful site surrounded by fields just outside a very pretty village. We camped in a great flat pitch just by the lake, under a huge tree.

Disliked Nothing. A lovely bit of almost wild camping.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Amazing value

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 8
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 7
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Jay A. 1 review

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Nice and quiet , the local pub was very nice too!

Disliked Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

We absolutely loved our little stay…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
 9
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 8
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Abi P. 1 review

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked We absolutely loved our little stay here. A really pretty, peaceful site with plenty of space to walk the dog. Lovely host. If you’re self contained and don’t need facilities, this location is great to explore more of the Cotswolds! Would definitely stay again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Love the wild camp feel & peace? Then this is for you. Chocks helpful.

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
 10
Value for money
 10
Facilities / Activities
 10
Customer service
 10
Child friendliness
 No rating
Cleanliness
 10
Wifi
 No rating
Anonymous

Non-electric grass touring pitch

Liked Loved the views, the simplicity, peace, nature and area. Friendly owners. Water tap was a bonus. Wild camping feel. We will certainly return.

Disliked The field is on a slope (not an issue for us though as we used chocks to fix) so, I would recommend that others bring them. We unfortunately had to leave early due to an emergency at home.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Features

Dogs allowed

Adults only

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Adults only Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Camping 2.0

Jumbo tent pitches

Themes

Lake and/or mountain Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available No hot water Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Nearby farmers' market

Type

Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Cycling nearby Horse riding nearby Restaurant nearby

Location

Chesney Manor Campsite

South Newington Road

Barford St Michael

Banbury

Oxfordshire

England

OX15 0RJ

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

51.99138°N
1.37398°W

Nearest transport

Coach
5.2 mi Bus Station
11.2 mi Caversfield Turn
11.4 mi Manorsfield Road
Rail
4.5 mi Kings Sutton Rail Station
5.1 mi Banbury Rail Station
5.9 mi Heyford Rail Station
Airport
11.3 mi London Oxford Airport
26.4 mi Coventry Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Attractions and activities nearby include: - Broughton Castle: 15 minutes’ drive - Hook Norton Brewery: 15 minutes - National Trust - Upton House and Gardens: 20 minutes - Cotswolds Distillery Visitor Centre: 20 minutes - Blenheim Palace: 25 minutes - Diddly Squat Farm Shop: 25 minutes - Daylesford Farm Shop: 25 minutes - Sulgrave Manor: 35 minutes - Oxford: 40 minutes - Stratford-upon-Avon: 40 minutes.

Food and drink

  • The George Inn Pub 0.2 mi
  • The Duck on The Pond Pub 1.5 mi
  • Horse & Groom Inn Pub 1.8 mi
  • Tandoor Tavern At The Horse & Groom Inn Restaurant 1.8 mi
  • Joiners Arms Pub 1.9 mi
  • Red Lion Pub 2 mi
  • Elephant and Castle Pub 2 mi
  • May Fu 2 Restaurant 2.3 mi
  • The Unicorn Pub 2.3 mi
  • The Crown & Tuns Pub 2.4 mi

Groceries

  • Co-op Food Supermarket 4.4 mi
  • Sainsbury's Supermarket 4.5 mi
  • The Co-operative Food Supermarket 4.6 mi
  • Morrisons Supermarket 4.9 mi
  • The Co-operative Food Supermarket 5 mi
  • V5 Superstores Supermarket 5 mi
  • International Supermarket 5 mi
  • MAXI Fresh Co Supermarket 5.1 mi
  • Bao Giang Oriental Supermarket 5.1 mi
  • Hook Norton Brewery Shop Off-licence 5.1 mi

Public transport

  • Green 0.2 mi
  • Summer Ley 0.4 mi
  • Mead Road 0.5 mi
  • St Johns Way 1.2 mi
  • Manning Close 1.4 mi
  • New Road Stores 1.6 mi
  • Milcombe Hall 1.6 mi
  • Kings Road 1.7 mi
  • Queens Street 1.7 mi
  • Village Hall 1.7 mi

What’s nearby

  • Hillside Farm Golf Driving Range Golf course 2.3 mi
  • Rye Hill Golf Club Golf course 2.6 mi
  • Tadmarton Heath Golf Club Golf course 3 mi
  • Aynho Wharf Marina 4.2 mi
  • The Calthorpe Centre Shopping centre 4.9 mi
  • Mirage Nightclub 5 mi
  • Zinc Nightclub 5 mi
  • Fever Nightclub 5 mi
  • Castle Quay Shopping Centre 5.2 mi
  • Soverign Wharf Marina 5.4 mi

Local services

  • BP Fuel station 1.7 mi
  • Bloxham Pharmacy 2.1 mi
  • Deaddington Pharmacy 2.3 mi
  • Deddington Health Centre Doctors 2.4 mi
  • Esso Fuel station 4.1 mi
  • Sainsbury's Fuel station 4.4 mi
  • Hightown Surgery Doctors 4.4 mi
  • Hightown Surgery Doctors 4.4 mi
  • Horton Pharmacy 4.5 mi
  • The Horton General Hospital 4.6 mi

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Must see

Blenheim Palace 10.4 mi

Chastleton House 11.6 mi

Compton Verney 14.6 mi

Stowe Landscape Gardens 15.4 mi

Silverstone Circuit 16.1 mi

National Trust

Farnborough Hall 10.4 mi

Chastleton House 11.6 mi

Canons Ashby 14.3 mi

Stowe Landscape Gardens 15.1 mi

Buckingham Chantry Chapel 16.4 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Hempton - Nether Worton - Barford St Michael 1 mi

South Newington - Wigginton 1.5 mi

South Newington Circular 1.5 mi

Milcombe - South Newington - Barford St Michael 1.7 mi

Over Worton - Duns Tew 2.2 mi

Local events

  • Cheltenham Festival (Tuesday, 16 March 2027 – Tuesday, 16 March 2027)

    Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 30 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Want to know more about camping in Oxfordshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Chesney Manor Campsite have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Chesney Manor Campsite dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Chesney Manor Campsite? Attractions and activities nearby include: - Broughton Castle: 15 minutes’ drive - Hook Norton Brewery: 15 minutes - National Trust - Upton House and Gardens: 20 minutes - Cotswolds Distillery Visitor Centre: … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Chesney Manor Campsite?
    Camping and touring
    Arrive:  2:30 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  2:30 p.m. –  8 p.m.
    Depart by:  10:30 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Chesney Manor Campsite? From £20 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.