Past Events

Come and join us at the inaugural meeting of the Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden Nature & Environment Book Club. At our first meeting we will be discussing Dave Goulson’s, Silent Earth. Given the proximity of this date please still come along even if you haven’t managed to finish the book. All insights will be valuable additions to the discussion. We will also be deciding the titles for the next Book Club events. The next two dates are Sunday 13th July…

View Tickets Join us for a workshop here in Asthall Manor’s Kitchen Garden on how to take effective cuttings from your fruit, vegetables and herbs. Complete beginners through to keen amateurs all welcome. In this all-day workshop you will learn the fundamentals of different cutting techniques alongside a bit of helpful theory. This will include understanding and making softwood cuttings, root cuttings, plant divisions and layering. During the workshop you will carry out some fun, practical work to embed your…

Discover the hidden world of reptiles: Meet in the Ballroom (W3W masks.students.followers) at 10.30 for a talk by Dr Angela Julian, the national co-ordinator of Amphibian & Reptile groups of the UK Then walk around the grounds for practical observation of how we monitor the populations using easily available materials. This event is facilitated by the Mid Windrush Land & Nature Group, which is a working group of Burford BEAGles This is a FREE EVENT; to book your place, email…

Join us for a workshop on low intervention beekeeping here at Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden. Complete beginners through to keen amateurs all welcome.In this all-day workshop you will learn the basics of keeping healthy bees in a low intervention, chemical free manner with a bit of helpful theory. We will look at different approaches ranging from hands off bee hosting through to low interference honey harvesting. Conventional beekeeping emphasises beekeeper inputs and beekeeper control. We will be looking at bee-centred…

Join us for a workshop on the benefits of gardening with wildlife here at Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden. Complete beginners through to keen amateurs all welcome. A thriving and diverse population of insects and animals, big and small is key to the growing of healthy, nutritious (aka tasty) food. Healthy wildlife means healthy plants means healthy people. In this all-day workshop you will learn the fundamental benefits of gardening with wildlife while growing food for people. You’ll develop an understanding…

Three days of inspirational music and events to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Oxford Chamber Music Foundation. Asthall Manor and Asthall church will host concerts, workshops and lots of spontaneous uplifting music connected to nature and the natural world. Presented by the Oxford Chamber Music Festival and artistic director Priya Mitchell The weekend also includes a painting workshop by Kieran Stiles, as well as a dynamic painting and music improvisation in the garden.   Friday 23rd May, 7-8pm concert…

The Mitford sisters were writers, travellers and political archivists with dramatically differing views. Following their previous sell-out success, In The Footsteps Of The Mitfords returns, as Scary Little Girls and Chipping Norton Theatre bring the experiences, opinions and relationships of the celebrated sisters to life through their letters, fiction, and memoirs. All in the stunning setting of their childhood home, Asthall Manor, near Burford. Booking essential, dress for all weathers and bring footwear you can explore in! The walk includes…

Hippocrates, the founder of Western Medicine, was famous for saying, ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’. In a world of fast food, processed food and obesity as an epidemic, food as medicine is now more important than ever. But is eating ‘vegetables’ enough? How can we make sure that we are getting the most nutrition possible out of our plants? Join Jean Smith, social anthropologist and keen vegetable grower, for Let Food be thy Medicine. On…