United Kingdom · England · Oxford
Summertown, Oxford — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Summertown is a suburb in North Oxford, a square mile of houses and shops along Banbury Road north of St Giles.
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Where to stay in Summertown
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Banbury Road is the axis. Staying in Summertown means a bed north of St Giles, with the shops and restaurants of South Parade at hand and Oxford's centre reached down the boulevard rather than stepped into. Moreton Road and Marston Ferry Road mark the quieter southern edge.
If you are here for the schools, the studios on Woodstock Road, or a base with St Andrew's Church and the Church of St Michael and All Angels on the doorstep, this is the address.
Few places to stay in Summertown — most visitors book in Oxford nearby.
About Summertown
What are the main landmarks in Summertown?
Two churches carry the register, St Andrew's Church and the Church of St Michael and All Angels, with Somerville House and 20 Northmoor Road listed among the houses. Shops line Banbury Road. South Parade, a smaller street of shops and restaurants, links Banbury Road to Woodstock Road.
Broadcast studios sit on both roads: BBC Radio Oxford and the BBC's Oxford television studios on Banbury Road, JACK FM and Glide FM on Woodstock Road.
What is the history of Summertown?
What Summertown lists, it lists in buildings. St Andrew's Church and the Church of St Michael and All Angels stand for the parish side of the suburb, while Somerville House and 20 Northmoor Road are the houses the register keeps. Several independent schools hold ground in it.
Broadcasting came after, and Banbury Road and Woodstock Road carry the studios that hold much of Oxford's broadcast media.
Where is Summertown?
The suburb reaches Hernes Road at its north end and Moreton Road and Marston Ferry Road at its south, with Banbury Road running the length between.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Summertown?
South Parade: shops and restaurants one street off Banbury Road. Banbury Road north of St Giles: riding the boulevard into Oxford each morning.
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Updated September 2026