The Oxfordshire edge of the Cotswolds rewards the unhurried traveller, and The Mason’s Arms, a 17th-century Cotswolds inn with a celebrated kitchen and eight characterful rooms, is a fine place to slow right down.
Most visitors to the Cotswolds make a beeline for the famous names, Bourton-on-the-Water, Bibury, the Slaughters. Clanfield, out on the quieter Oxfordshire side near the upper Thames, sees far fewer coaches, which is a large part of its charm. At its centre is The Mason’s Arms, an inn that has been welcoming travellers since 1610.
Where you will sleep
There are just eight bedrooms, each designed individually, with antique furnishings, original beams and the kind of interiors that feel considered rather than styled. They suit the old building well, and with so few of them the inn keeps a pleasingly intimate feel.
An old Cotswolds inn, gently revived
For years this was The Clanfield Tavern. Country Creatures, the group that also runs The Double Red Duke directly across the road, has restored the Grade II-listed inn while keeping hold of everything that makes it special, from the worn wooden floors to the cosy corners by the bar.
It still works as a village pub first, which is exactly why it is such a pleasant place to stay. You are sharing the bar with locals, not just fellow guests.
Dinner downstairs
Food is a big part of the draw. The Mason’s Arms has been named in the Top 50 Gastropubs 2026, and the cooking is generous, seasonal and unfussy. There is an à la carte menu, a blackboard of daily specials and, on Sundays, a traditional roast that makes a strong case for booking a second night.
Exploring from Clanfield
Burford, often called the gateway to the Cotswolds, is a short drive away, with its independent shops and tea rooms lining that steep High Street. Closer still, Radcot Bridge, a couple of miles south, is often said to be the oldest surviving bridge over the Thames, and Kelmscott Manor, William Morris’s much-loved country retreat, is just beyond.
Walkers can pick up stretches of the Thames Path nearby, and Oxford is within easy reach for a day of colleges, museums and bookshops. Making a longer trip of it? Read about our stay at HYLL in the North Cotswolds.
A night of fire and fireworks
Its biggest night of the year shows what the inn is capable of. Fools Delight, held on Bonfire Night, turns the place into something closer to a travelling show, with a four-course feast, fire breathers, walkabout jugglers, live music from The Silver Daggers and fireworks to round things off.
This year’s, on Thursday 5 November, has already sold out, but the circus is due back next year, so it is one to plan a trip around. Follow @masonsarmsclanfield on Instagram to be first to hear when tickets go on sale, and in the meantime, book a table for Sunday lunch by the log fire.
Travel Life Tips!
With only eight rooms, bedrooms go quickly on big event nights, so if you fancy next year’s Fools Delight, ask about dates early.
Kelmscott Manor opens seasonally and on selected days, so check before you set out.
Get to Burford early in the morning, before the day-trippers arrive, and you will have the High Street almost to yourself.
On a two-night stay, The Double Red Duke across the road makes an easy second dinner without moving the car.
The Mason’s Arms
Bampton Road, Clanfield, Oxfordshire OX18 2RZ
01367 604600
For bedrooms, table bookings and upcoming events, visit www.countrycreatures.com/masons-arms
Instagram: @masonsarmsclanfield
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More from Oxfordshire
Our sister title Oxford Life covers the best of the city and county, and has its own take on this Clanfield favourite. Read Oxford Life on The Mason’s Arms
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