Dorchester Abbey

dorchester abbeyDorchester Abbey was founded as a Saxon Cathedral over 1,400 years ago, became an Augustinian Monastery and is now a thriving Parish Church.  It is a stunning historic building in a wonderful setting and welcomes a vast array of visitors, event audiences and pilgrims every year.

Find our more about our Abbey on its website.

Festival Refreshments

Dorchester Festival prides itself on the quality of its cake and tea and coffee!  Available all weekend in the Big Festival Tent during daytime events.

Weekend BBQ lunches 4th/5th/6th May and a huge choice of street food at the Food & Gift Fair 11th/12th May.

Beer on tap from the Big Tent bar throughout the weekends and at all Big Tent events.  Excellent wines chosen by Welch & Co.

Dorchester Abbey Tea Room open as usual Saturday, Sunday, BH Mon 2.30-5pm and Wednesday, Thursday 3-5pm

Places to Stay and Eat

There are 2 hotels – The White Hart and The George, a pub – The Fleur de Lys and Snug –  a farm cafe in Dorchester.

Find out more and book here

Parking

Please follow signs to the parking areas in the Recreation ground at the Oxford end of the village and/or ‘Abbey View’ to the South. Abbey view tends to be used only when the weather is dry.
The Abbey is a 5 – 10 minute walk from parking.
Should the parking be full or shut due to bad weather, visitors should park on the roads near the Recreation Ground and along the Henley Road as indicated by the green lines on the map.
Abingdon Road, High Street and Henley Road are the bus route through the village and must be kept clear at all times so that the buses can pass. Please do not park your vehicles where they may prevent the passage of emergency vehicles.
There are a limited number of disabled parking spaces available and some within the Abbey grounds which can which can be booked – please telephone our box office to make arrangements for these.

Dorchester on Thames

Dorchester on Thames is a charming, historic village that sits at the confluence of the rivers Thame and Thames, just 9 miles south of Oxford.
As well as being a marvellous place to live, it is also the ideal centre for exploring some of England’s finest countryside, loveliest villages, stateliest of homes and oldest seats of learning.
A small Oxfordshire village of just over one thousand inhabitants, Dorchester on Thames is located eight miles south-east of Oxford and close to the spot where the River Thame meets the River Thames. One of the oldest communities in the area, the village, local walks and Dorchester Abbey are popular with visitors.
Not to be confused with our Dorset namesake, Dorchester on Thames is perhaps best known for the magnificent Abbey Church of St Peter and St Paul.
Find out more about Dorchester from our village website here

googlemap dorchester festival dorchester abbey

How to get here

All the events are in or near to Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester on Thames, OX10 7HH.
We are just 10miles south of Oxford, 18miles from Reading and 7miles from Abingdon.  Our nearest station is Didcot Parkway, but Oxford and Reading are also close by.  There are regular buses from Oxford and Reading, which stop on the bypass, just a 15min walk from the Abbey
If you drive please follow event parking signs and park considerately in our small village.