Need a winter diversion or somewhere to have a fine breakfast then Steve Roake suggests the Aston Martin Museum a little known hidden place worthy of a visit. The entrance fee is jolly reasonable as well. Aston Martin is a name synonymous with Wendover as Steve Roake explains.
Sometimes you come across something which is quintessentially quirky, totally British and a sheer delight to spend time at, luxuriating in the richness of the charm and history. Such a place is the delightfully hidden gem that is the Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum which is tucked away in the sleepy hollow that is Drayton St Leonards near Wallingford in Oxfordshire.
I was very fortunate to be told of this hidden gem by a close friend and visited on one of its three openings a day (pre-book) some three or four months ago when I visited with my girlfriend. Such was the magnitude of the visit, that it moved me to organise a visit for the TIPEC Porsche owners club with nine Porsches setting off from Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire around 10am. We toured the great British countryside via Reading and the magnificent A4074 highway towards the venue. Such is the stature of the road, that once clear of the metropolis of Reading you could be forgiven for thinking you are in the heart of the countryside as you progress swiftly past Woodcote and on towards Ipsden. The vista simply opens up and you can see fields for miles as you crest the hill near Ipsden and survey the lush tundra that is laid before your eyes. Checking the rear-view mirror, I still had another eight cars in tow so the signs are good.
Onwards towards our destination, at a spirited yet legal pace we progressed, it may only be 35 miles from the start point but I’m enjoying every mile. The GPS clicks down on the mileage, and I’m conscious not to miss the final details as this place has very little and very small signage once you get close. A right turn at the roundabout by the famous biker’s pub in Shillingford and you know you are close – real close. However, you could still miss this little piece of Automotive history if you aren’t careful. Ultimately, we make it into the village of Drayton St Leonards and select the right lane to trundle to the beautiful barn venue built in 1350 for the monks of Dorchester Abbey.
For me the first visit was all about the building. This timber framed aisled barn of seven bays has been repurposed for its current requirements having previously been a grain barn and has had a mezzanine floor added for the housing of all the Aston Martin Heritage memorabilia, and whilst it may not be the biggest display of automotive history they rotate the car displays every three or four months to house, six of the twenty-four exhibits they have to keep enthusiasts happy.
The curator and font of all knowledge is a chap called Dom is literally a most knowledgeable fellow who previously sold the brand in a previous vocation. To say he makes the visit is not an understatement and in a period of between ninety mins and two hours regales the history of the brand from inception, to its current period via jovial tales of its past including the various owners who have tried over the years to turn a profit.
One of the most interesting points relates to how the company got its name and, how through persistent hill climbs based at Aston Clinton near Wendover over a chalk hill at Upper Icknield Way, Lionel Martin and his partner Robert Bamford achieved remarkable success from the three quarter of a mile climb on public roads, trying to establish their fledgling concern but ultimately failing by spending too much time racing and not enough selling their wares. It was Lionel’s wife Kate who cottoned on to the success of the races and suggested if they were to try selling cars elsewhere other than the Rothchild’s Estate, then adopting the name Aston to go with Martin, would ensure that when entrants for further events were named, they would be ahead of the competition alphabetically and therefore more likely to be remembered.
Back to the barn and its amazing interior with all the trusses made from Elm, it is a real feat of engineering to think they were hand made on site with wooden pins holding the whole structure together. I simply can’t suggest a visit to this venue is more-worthy of your entrance fee (but pre-book to avoid despair), on this occasion the club graciously paid for our visit out of club funds so many thanks for the generous gesture. However once completed you will be in need of nourishment and should you care to turn left out of the lane, there is situated some ten bends further around the winding lane a brilliant café next to a lake called the Wandering Kitchen which is also worthy of your custom
Visits are by booking through the website at https://amht.org.uk
Entrance fee £10.00 (£7.00 for ld duffers) and £5.00 for children over five.
The Wandering Kitchen is at Queenford Lakes, Wallingford OX10 7PQ (Mon-Friday 9.00-4.00, Saturday 9.00-9.00 and Sunday 10.00-4.00 Breakfast served until 11.00)
https://thewanderingkitchen.co.uk/
Steve Roake-July 2024