Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote

The ruins of Minster Lovell Hall sit in a quiet fold of the Windrush valley, about three miles south of Witney, and what strikes you first is how little remains of what was once a proper medieval manor house. Stone walls jut from the grass at odd angles, giving you just enough to imagine the place - a 15th-century home for the Lovell family, burnt out and left to crumble after they fell out of favour. The dovecote still stands, which is the real prize: a solid stone cylinder with a conical roof, the sort of structure that fed a medieval household through winter.

You can wander around freely and at no cost, which makes it worth the detour if you're already in the valley. The site gets busy with walkers and families on fine weekends, but midweek it's genuinely peaceful. Allow an hour if you're thorough, half that if you're just passing. There's a small car park and the Church of St Kenelm sits just across the way if you want to pad out the visit.

It's the kind of place that appeals more to history types and keen walkers than to families after a day-long activity. Kids will do the circuit in twenty minutes unless they're properly into medieval ruins. If you're camping at Grove Farm Glamping Pods or Cotswold Edge over near Ducklington, it's a straightforward run down to the hall - pair it with a walk along the river and a pint in Witney and you've got an afternoon sorted.