West Hagbourne is an attractive small village about two miles south of the expanding town of Didcot in South Oxfordshire and separated from the southern edge of the town by open farmland. This open farmland has until recently officially been protected from development by the planners but unfortunately this protection has now been withdrawn! To see a map showing exactly where the village is click the Bing maps link and zoom in to show West Hagbourne to the east of Harwell

Despite its proximity to Didcot, West Hagbourne is a rural village and there are several active farms within the parish. Tractors and other farm vehicles are seen daily as they pass through and the village has a number of attractive old houses, several of which are listed. The oldest house in the village is the house at York Farm, parts of which are thought to date from 1264/65. The house is architecturally important as one of the earliest complete timber-framed houses to survive in England, although unfortunately many of the early features were destroyed when the house was 'modernised' in the seventeenth or eighteenth century. However much of the original timber framing does still remain. Running the length of the village is West Hagbourne Conservation Area, and in the heart of the village is a village duck pond. The attractive brick bus shelter is the village's war memorial.

At the extreme western edge of the village is the village pub, the Horse and Harrow. Morlands, the former Abingdon brewery, started their brewing in nearby West Ilsley in 1796, and the Horse and Harrow is interesting as it was one of the very first pubs owned by Morlands. In fact the history of West Hagbourne dates back to the days of King Alfred and the village is mentioned in the Domesday Book. At various times since 1803 bronze and iron age and Romano British artifacts have been found in chalk pits on nearby Hagbourne Hill. The original bronze and iron age artifacts, mainly axe and spear heads, horse bits, etc. are known as The Hagbourne Hoard and these are permanently displayed in the British Museum. The later Romano British finds were items such as pottery and coins.

Please come and look at our attractive village and perhaps try one of the nature walks. The pictures of village scenes were taken by local photographers.