Oxford Hawkwell Hotel
Oxford, Oxfordshire

Our English country house, in the town of Oxford, is set within three acres of well designed mature tree lined gardens. On arrival there is at once a sense of calm...a tranquil oasis. The hotel is in the leafy village of Iffley which is situated near the River Thames, just a short drive from the centre of town, complete with its own Norman Church next door to the hotel; Hawkwell House provides peace in a busy world, and unusually for the area free on site parking. We have 66 en-suite bedrooms which are sumptuously decorated and offer luxurious accommodation with en-suite facilities, direct dial telephones, state of the art televisions, modem points as well as a hospitality tray. Arezzo is our award winning restaurant, the heart of the house and overlooking the fountain patio, is centre stage to a stunning menu of contemporary, yet highly individual dishes. Lovers of fine food and wine will enjoy accomplished meals punctuated by fastidious service and epicurean skill. The versatility of our six meeting rooms provide the right setting for conferences, seminars, training sessions, receptions and parties accommodating up to 200.

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Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). It is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined by Matthew Arnold in reference to the harmonious architecture of the university buildings. The River Thames runs through Oxford, where for a distance of some 10 miles it is known as the Isis. Oxford was first occupied in Saxon times, and was initially known as "Oxenaforda". It began with the foundations of St Frideswide's nunnery in the 8th century, and was first mentioned in written records in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle for the year 912. In the 10th century Oxford became an important military frontier town between the kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex and was on several occasions raided by Danes. St Frideswide is the patron saint of both the city and university. Oxford grew up under the shadow of a convent, said to have been founded by St Frideswide as early as the eighth century. Its authentic history begins in 912, when it was occupied by Edward the Elder, King of the West Saxons. It was strongly fortified against the Danes, and again after the Norman Conquest, and the massive keep of the castle, the tower of St. Michael's Church (at the north gate), and a large portion of the city walls still remain to attest the importance of the city in the eleventh century. West of the town rose the splendid castle, and, in the meadows beneath, the no-less-splendid Augustinian Abbey of Osney: in the fields to the north the last of the Norman kings built the stately palace of Beaumont; the great church of St Frideswide was erected by the canons-regular who succeeded the nuns of St Frideswide; and many fine churches were built by the piety of the Norman earls.