Local Information on Brightwell cum Sotwell
Lying just to the west of the historic town of Wallingford on Thames, the charming village of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell derives its name from a combination of the three principal smaller parishes which originally trace back to the 10th century.
In the Domesday Book of 1087 the Lord of the Manor is given as the Bishop of Winchester. There is a wealth of history linked to the village and it is a particularly attractive village to wander through, with many beautiful old houses and cottages of great architectural and historic interest. Sotwell House is moated and Tudor in origin, Brightwell Manor is mainly Georgian, Dobsons is a fine old timbered and beamed Tudor house and the Elizabethan Small’s House, until recently owned by New College in Oxford, is thought to have been a bishop’s palace. The old church of St Agatha is built on ancient foundations, but is mainly 12th century with 14th century additions.
The village is also known for its rich accumulation of songs, rhymes and mummer’s plays, many still remembered today and sung at Christmas, Shrove Tuesday and May Day.
Today the village is flourishing but still retains its unspoilt rural tranquillity, assisted by the by-pass which runs just to the north of the village. Local amenities in the village include a Post Office service and an inn which provides good food. Wallingford, being an important market town on the River Thames, is 2 miles away and offers a comprehensive range of shops and facilities.
There are good road communications with Didcot, where there is a mainline station with fast services up to London (Paddington) in well under the hour, Abingdon, the A34 dual carriageway linking north south to Oxford and the M4 respectively. The important towns of Henley on Thames and Reading are also within easy reach, as is the M40.
Schools within 5 Miles Brightwell cum Sotwell
Train Stations within 5 Miles of Brightwell cum Sotwell
Local Information
Supermarket: Waitrose (2 miles) 
Hotel: George (2 miles)
Brightwell cum Sotwell Property