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If you are planning to visit Juniper Hill (Lark Rise) and
Cottisford (Fordlow) we should be pleased to arrange for a local Flora Thompson
enthusiast to give you a guided tour, pointing out many of the places she
mentioned in her books. The area remains a quiet, largely arable, backwater of
rural Oxfordshire and the unique layout of Juniper Hill remains virtually
unchanged since the time of which she wrote.
Many of the local features she mentioned can still be identified.
We are happy to provide this service voluntarily, but please give us plenty of notice and also let us know (A) how many of you there will be and (B) how long you wish to take over the tour. The tour usually takes about 2 hours, and includes an opportunity to see a portfolio of local photographs and maps. Detailed arrangements can be adapted to suit your numbers and the time you have available.
If you have read "Lark Rise" you will already
know that the real hamlet of Juniper Hill is utterly different from the
spacious "set" in Wiltshire on which the episodes of the BBC TV
series are filmed. Narrow unsurfaced
private roads, on which there is no space at all for parking, lead to most of
the houses. We ask all visitors to Juniper
Hill and Cottisford to be considerate to residents by ensuring that they do not
obstruct access in any way or intrude onto private property. And to take great care over their own safety
on both the public roads and the private roads: please note, the latter can be
very rough at times.
If you have not yet read "Lark Rise" we strongly advise that you do so before arranging a visit. This, the first book of Flora Thompson's famous trilogy, is the most factual of the books and describes the hamlet and its inhabitants during her childhood: it has scarcely been touched upon in the TV series. Reading it beforehand will greatly enhance your visit.
We hope you enjoy your visit here. You can contact us via
email at: mailto:enquiries@florathompson.co.uk