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Banbury, Oxfordshire, England, with view of the Banbury Cross: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banbury_Cross_-_2.jpgAuthor: Chris Evans
Banbury is a market town in Cherwell District, on the northern part of Oxfordshire, England. Situated on the River Cherwell, it is 34 km (21 mi) to the north of Oxford and 103 km (64 mi) from London, and has a population of 48,000 people (2012 estimate).
The history of Banbury dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is believed to have been established by a Saxon chieftain in the 6th century. Archaeological excavations have yielded evidence of human habitation in the area as far back as 200 BC, which is the Iron Age. During the Domesday Book survey of 1086, the town belonged to the Bishop of Lincoln.
In 1135 Banbury Castle was built by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln. During the English Civil War, Banbury was pro-Parliamentarian. It even served as the base of operations for Oliver Cromwell. However Banbury Castle was a stronghold of Royalists supporting King Charles I. So it was not surprising that the castle was demolished after the war.
Banbury Market Place: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banbury_Market_Place_-_2.jpgAuthor: Tom Bastin
Industrialization came to Banbury in the 18th century, accelerated with the completion of the Oxford Canal from Hawkesbury Junction. This supplied Banbury with a cheap and ready supply of coal, enabling it to develop speedily.
Today Banbury is the commercial and retail hub for the surrounding region, which has remained predominantly rural. It has the largest coffee-processing facility in the world, opened by Kraft Foods in 1964. The town is famous for its local specialty, the Banburry cakes. It hosts the annual Banbury Hobby Horse Festival every July since 2000.
Visiting Banbury
From London, take the M40 motorway to Junction 11 to reach Banbury.
Building in Banbury Market Place: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Market_Place_-_Banbury_-_3.jpgAuthor: Tom Bastin
Places of Interest in Banbury
- Banbury Cross: Monument erected in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal (eldest child of Queen Victoria) to Prince Frederick of Prussia. There are earlier crosses in Banbury but these were call destroyed by Puritans in 1600. The English nursery rhyme "Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross" refers to one of the crosses that were destroyed in 1600.
- Banbury Museum: Museum near Spiceball Park. It provides details of the town's history.
- Castle Quay Shopping Centre: Shopping center beside the Oxford Canal in the heart of Banbury. Among the outlets here include BHS, Boots, Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and WH Smith.
- Fine Lady upon a White Horse: Equestrian statue unveiled by The Princess Royal (Princess Anne) in 2005. It is within sight of the present Banbury Cross.
- Spiceball Park: The largest public park in Banbury, located to the east of the Oxford Canal and west of the River Cherwell.
- St Mary's Church, Banbury: Church in Banbury built in the 1790s to replace an earlier church that was damaged during the English Civil War.
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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.
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