A country rich with historical buildings; designing bespoke kitchens in Oxfordshire is always a privilege.  One such commission allowed us to re-design a bespoke kitchen pantry for the National Trust house at Buscot Park which hadn’t been touched since the 1940s.

Oxfordshire was recorded as a county in the 10th century and lies between the River Thames to the south and the Midlands to the north.  The Cotswolds lie to the west and The Chilterns to the east.  Bordered by Wiltshire to the south-west of the county; Guild Anderson’s bespoke kitchen design studio and workshop are a little over an hour and half away.

Oxford is the county town, known as a centre for research and development thanks to work carried out by the University of Oxford which was founded in 1096.  The “dreaming spires” of the University of Oxford are among the reasons for which Oxford is the sixth most visited city in the UK by international visitors.  Notable University buildings include Sheldonian Theatre, built 1664–68 to the design of Sir Christopher Wren, and the Radcliffe Camera, built 1737–49 to the design of James Gibbs.

The area was part of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th century, generating much wealth, particularly in the western portions of the county in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds.

Some of the most significant period properties lie in the countryside surrounding Oxford itself.  Blenheim Palace, close to Woodstock, was designed and partly built by the architect John Vanbrugh for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, after he had won the battle of Blenheim. The gardens, were designed by the landscape gardener “Capability” Brown. Sir Winston Churchill was born in the palace in 1874.

Other important period properties include Chastleton House, a 17th century Jacobean mansion, and Stonor Park, with origins dating back to medieval times it is one of the oldest family homes still lived in today.  Others include Mapledurham House, an Elizabethan stately home and The Abbey in Sutton Courtenay, a medieval courtyard house.   All of these houses offer enormous inspiration to the Guild Anderson design team.