Jeremy Clarkson Reveals Giant 100,000 Sq Ft Car Park at Farmer’s Dog Pub, Seen from Orbit
Jeremy Clarkson has installed a colossal 100,000 sq ft reinforced metal car park at his Oxfordshire pub, The Farmer’s Dog, so large it can reportedly be seen from space. The six-acre structure is made from 530 thick aluminium sheets, each measuring 15ft by 12ft, linked together to form a durable surface capable of handling the heavy influx of vehicles visiting the pub. Clarkson commissioned the metal cover primarily to protect significant archaeological remains discovered beneath the car park, which are thought to be connected to the nearby 1,400-year-old Asthall Barrow burial mound—believed to contain the cremated remains of a high-status Viking or Anglo-Saxon warlord.
The project was prompted by a geophysical survey conducted after Clarkson applied for retrospective planning permission to formalize the field’s use as an overflow car park, despite using it in this way for the past year. The survey revealed significant archaeological material beneath the surface, heightening concerns about potential damage to the scheduled monument. Historic England and John Moore Heritage Services both warned that heavy traffic and car park activity could negatively impact the barrow and its surroundings. The parish council also suggested alternative protective measures, such as a grassed surface with a reinforced membrane and educational interpretation boards for visitors.
The installation, which weighs hundreds of tonnes, reportedly cost Clarkson a significant sum to hire and install. The pub, acquired for £1 million last summer, has been fully booked since opening in August 2024. Clarkson had previously faced traffic and parking chaos with his hugely popular Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chadlington, where visitors parked on grass verges and narrow roads, prompting complaints from neighbours. To prevent similar issues at The Farmer’s Dog, Clarkson leased the field from local landowners Edward and Patricia Walker, charging £2 per car, half of which goes to the Walkers.
Despite careful management by parking wardens, locals have raised objections, noting that the car park is larger than permitted under the planning application, which only allows for 360 vehicles, while up to 1,000 have been spotted parked at times. Concerns include mud on the road, confusing signage, a car park entrance near a blind bend, and pedestrian safety. The planning decision is still pending, and a closure of the car park would be a major blow to the pub, which relies heavily on drive-in visitors.
Clarkson defended the metal covering as necessary to balance preserving the archaeological site with accommodating the pub’s high visitor numbers. The Asthall Barrow, dating from the seventh century AD, is a scheduled monument and one of the best-preserved examples of Anglo-Saxon burial mounds in Oxfordshire. Such barrows were constructed for individuals of high rank and served as visible markers of social status and territorial claims. The metal surface is intended to prevent damage to both known and potentially undiscovered archaeological features while maintaining access for patrons.
This ambitious expansion underscores Clarkson’s determination to safeguard the historical site while keeping The Farmer’s Dog operational, though the outcome now hinges on whether planning authorities approve the retrospective application.