Last year, Henley-on-Thames was the highest-ranking place in the county of Oxfordshire for towns to live in the UK.

And we can certainly see why thanks to its beautiful riverside walks and vibrant cultural scene. Let’s not forget its prestigious rowing events.

Previously, it was named 17th out of the 50 most desirable towns to live in by the Daily Telegraph.

The likes of Boris Johnson, Liam Gallagher, George Orwell and who can forget Winston Churchill have all lived here.

So, let’s take a look at the historic town in more detail.

Where is Henley-on-Thames?

The town is located along the River Thames in Oxfordshire. Henley-on-Thames is just nine miles northeast of Reading, seven miles west of Maidenhead and 23 miles southeast of Oxford.

Last year, it was voted by The Times as one of the best places to live in the English countryside. The famous faces who have lived in the town have helped boost house prices in the area too.

According to Rightmove, properties in Henley-On-Thames had an overall average price of £734,899 over the last year.

A lot of the properties sold in the town were detached houses, selling for an average price of £1,100,758. Meanwhile, terraced properties sold for an average of £601,995, with flats fetching £473,672.

Overall, prices sold in Henley-On-Thames over the last year were down nine percent on the previous year and similar to the 2021 peak of £728,914.

Meanwhile, for those who are looking to rent in Henley-on-Thames the average rent will set you back £1,950pcm, according to Home.co.uk.

What is there to do in Henley-on-Thames?

There is something for everyone when it comes to visiting the town. Whether you’re into history, tours or great food and drink you can go and explore what Henley-on-Thames has to offer. Let’s take a look at the top things to do, according to Tripadvisor.

The Henley Distillery Gin Experience

This experience offers you the chance to become a Distiller. As part of the tour which costs £20, you will have the chance to try some of the gins as well as distil your very own one with a choice of over 100 botanicals.

The experience lasts for 45 minutes where you can also sample three different gins and three different rums. It runs from 11am – 12pm on Saturdays.

One review on Tripadvisor said: “The gin experience was amazing and I would definitely recommend. We learnt about the history of gin to the modern day. It was a very interesting and inspiring story of how the Henley distillery was created.”

Another commented: “Wow, this private gin experience was such a treat and so much fun. We learnt so much, we laughed a lot and had enormous fun. Thank you to Jacob and Kate who hosted this event and made it very special and helped us create some amazing memories. I cannot recommend this enough.”

Nuffield Place

For the history buffs, you will want to head to Nuffield Place which is part of the National Trust.

It is a country house near the village of Nuffield in the Chiltern Hills in South Oxfordshire. Nuffield Place is the home to one of the most prolific philanthropists of the 20th century – Lord Nuffield.

Lord Nuffield became one of the richest men in England and a self-made millionaire after employing people to manufacture cars.

Lord Nuffield was buried at Holy Trinity Parish Church in the village, with Nuffield Place becoming a museum.

One visitor said: “We were very lucky to have, If I remember correctly, Phillip, who was extremely knowledgable about the property, Lord and Lady Nuffield and of course Morris motors. He brought every room to life, with his knowledge and the manner in which he told the story of the property.”

A second said: “All the volunteer guides were so friendly and informative, in fact, they were the best guides I have ever come across and as a family, we have been to many national trust properties up and down the country.

“They certainly knew their stuff and wanted to share their knowledge with us. The house is as it was left with all original fixtures and fittings which created a warm and loving home, it almost felt like the owners had just popped out and that you the guest were just house-sitting.”

Greys Court

Finally, another place well worth visiting is Greys Court. The Tudor country house and gardens are located in the southern Chiltern Hills at Rotherfield Greys, near Henley-on-Thames.

The public can now go and visit the National Trust site which boasts plenty of history.

One reviewer said: “Located off the beaten track behind Henley. The house is well worth a visit as you can stroll around all the rooms. The NT staff are really helpful.”

A second user added: “Another fabulous National Trust property. The walled gardens are fabulous. It is not one walled garden, but a number of connected ones. The house is also very nice to walk around. There many very helpful guides dotted through the house.”