Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon) is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Gloucestershire to the west. The city of Oxford is the largest settlement and county town. The county is largely rural, with an area of 2605 km2 and a population of 691,667. After Oxford (162,100), the largest settlements are Banbury (54,355) and Abingdon-on-Thames (37,931). For local government purposes Oxfordshire is a non-metropolitan county with five districts. The part of the county south of the River Thames, largely corresponding to the Vale of White Horse district, was historically part of Berkshire. The lowlands in the centre of the county are crossed by the River Thames and its tributaries, the valleys of which are separated by low hills. The south contains parts of the Berkshire Downs and Chiltern Hills, and the north-west includes part of the Cotswolds; all three regions are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The county's highest point is White Horse Hill (261 m), part of the Berkshire Downs.

History

Oxfordshire was recorded as a county in the early years of the 10th century and lies between the River Thames to the south, the Cotswolds to the west, the Chilterns to the east and the Midlands to the north, with spurs running south to Henley-on-Thames and north to Banbury. Although it had some significance as an area of valuable agricultural land in the centre of the country, it was largely ignored by the Romans and did not grow in importance until the formation of a settlement at Oxford in the 8th century. Alfred the Great was born across the Thames in Wantage, in the Vale of White Horse. The University of Oxford was founded in 1096, although its collegiate structure did not develop until later on. The university in the county town of Oxford (whose name came from Anglo-Saxon Oxenaford = "ford for oxen") grew in importance during the Middle Ages and early modern period. The area was part of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th century, generating much wealth, particularly in the western portions of the county in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Morris Motors was founded in Oxford in 1912, bringing heavy industry to an otherwise agricultural county. The role of agriculture as an employer declined rapidly in the 20th century; currently under one per cent of the county's population are involved due to high mechanisation. Nevertheless, Oxfordshire remains a very agricultural county by land use, with a lower population than neighbouring Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, which are both smaller. During most of its history, the county was partitioned as fourteen divisions called hundreds, namely Bampton, Banbury, Binfield, Bloxham, Bullingdon, Chadlington, Dorchester, Ewelme, Langtree, Lewknor, Pyrton, Ploughley, Thame and Wootton. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, the main army unit in the area, was based at Cowley Barracks on Bullingdon Green, Cowley. The Vale of White Horse district and parts of the South Oxfordshire administrative district south of the River Thames were historically part of Berkshire, but, in 1974, Abingdon, Didcot, Faringdon, Wallingford and Wantage were added to the administrative county of Oxfordshire under the Local Government Act 1972. Conversely, the Caversham area of Reading, now administratively in Berkshire, was historically part of Oxfordshire, as was the parish of Stokenchurch, now administratively in Buckinghamshire. The areas of Oxford city south of the Thames, such as Grandpont, were transferred much earlier, in 1889.

Geography

Oxfordshire includes parts of three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In the north-west lie the Cotswolds; to the south and south-east are the open chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs and the wooded hills of the Chilterns. The north of the county contains the ironstone of the Cherwell uplands. Long-distance walks within the county include the Ridgeway National Trail, Macmillan Way, Oxfordshire Way and the D’Arcy Dalton Way.

Extreme points

Rivers and canals

From the mid-point western edge to the southeast corner of Oxfordshire, via the city in the middle, runs the Thames with its flat floodplains. This river forms the historic limit with Berkshire, remaining so on some lowest reaches. The Thames Path National Trail follows the river from upper estuary to a source. Many smaller rivers in the county feed into the Thames, such as the Thame, Windrush, Evenlode and Cherwell. Some of these have trails running along their valleys. The Oxford Canal links to the Midlands and follows the Cherwell from Banbury via Kidlington into the city of Oxford, where these join the navigable Thames. About 15% of the historically named Wilts & Berks Canal, in sporadic sections, has been restored to navigability, including the county-relevant 140 metres near Abingdon-on-Thames where it could, if restored, meet the Thames.

Green belt

Oxfordshire contains a green belt area that fully envelops the city of Oxford and extends for some miles to protect surrounding towns and villages from inappropriate development and urban growth. Its border in the east extends to the Buckinghamshire county boundary, while part of its southern border is shared with the North Wessex Downs AONB. It was first drawn up in the 1950s, and all of the county's districts contain some portion of the belt.

Economy

Politics

The Oxfordshire County Council, since 2013 under no overall control, is responsible for the most strategic local government functions, including schools, county roads and social services. The county is divided into five local government districts: Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of White Horse (after the Uffington White Horse), West Oxfordshire and South Oxfordshire, which deal with such matters as town and country planning, waste collection and housing. In the 2016 European Union referendum, Oxfordshire was the only English county as a whole to vote to remain in the European Union by a significant margin, at 57.06% (70.27% in the City of Oxford), despite Cherwell (barely) voting to leave at 50.31%.

Education

Oxfordshire has a comprehensive education system with 23 independent schools and 35 state secondary schools. Only eight schools do not have a sixth form; these are mostly in South Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts. Oxfordshire has a large number of leading independent schools, including public schools such as Radley College. The county has two universities: the ancient University of Oxford and the modern Oxford Brookes University, which are both located in Oxford. In addition, Wroxton College, located in Banbury, is affiliated with Fairleigh Dickinson University of New Jersey.

Buildings

The "dreaming spires" of the University of Oxford are among the reasons for which Oxford is the sixth most visited city in the United Kingdom by international visitors. Among many notable University buildings are the Sheldonian Theatre, built 1664–68 to the design of Sir Christopher Wren, and the Radcliffe Camera, built 1737–49 to the design of James Gibbs. Blenheim Palace, close to Woodstock, was designed and partly built by the architect John Vanbrugh for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, after he had won the battle of Blenheim. The gardens, which can be visited, were designed by the landscape gardener "Capability" Brown, who planted the trees in the battle formation of the victorious army. Sir Winston Churchill was born in the palace in 1874. It is open to the public. Chastleton House, on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire borders, is a great country mansion built on property bought from Robert Catesby, who was one of the men involved in the Gunpowder Plot with Guy Fawkes. Stonor Park, another country mansion, has belonged to the recusant Stonor family for centuries. Mapledurham House is an Elizabethan stately home in the south-east of the county, close to Reading. The Abbey in Sutton Courtenay is a medieval courtyard house. It has been recognised by the Historic Building Council for England (now Historic England) as a building of outstanding historic and architectural interest. It is considered to be a 'textbook' example of the English medieval manor house and is a Grade I-listed building.

Settlements

Places of interest

• Museum icon.svg Abingdon County Hall Museum – housed in a 17th-century county hall building • NTE icon.svg Ashdown House – 17th-century country house in the Lambourn Downs • Museum icon.svg Ashmolean Museum – Oxford University's museum of art and archaeology • Museum icon.svg Banbury Museum, Banbury • Bicester Village • HH icon.svg Blenheim Palace and garden – UNESCO World Heritage Site • HH icon.svg Broughton Castle – 14th-century fortified manor house • NTE icon.svg Buscot Park, Buscot – 18th-century country house and landscape garden • Museum icon.svg Champs Chapel Museum of East Hendred – village museum in a 15th-century Carthusian chapel • Museum icon.svg Charlbury Museum • NTE icon.svg Chastleton House – 17th-century country house (limited access) • UKAL icon.svg Chiltern Hills – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty • HR icon.svg Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway – operated with steam and diesel locomotives • Museum icon (red).svg Chipping Norton Museum • HR icon.svg Cholsey and Wallingford Railway • Museum icon (red).svg Cogges Manor Farm Museum, Witney – a living museum of country life • Museum icon (red).svg Combe Mill Museum, Long Hanborough – working museum of stationary steam engines • Zoo icon.jpg Cotswold Wildlife Park and garden, Bradwell Grove, Holwell • UKAL icon.svg Cotswolds – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty • HR icon.svg Didcot Railway Centre – museum of the Great Western Railway • AP Icon.svg Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester-on-Thames – 12th-century church of former Augustinian abbey • NTE icon.svg Great Coxwell Barn – 14th-century tithe barn • NTE icon.svg Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys – 16th-century country house • HH icon.svg Hampton Gay Manor – ruins of 16th-century manor house (no website) • Harcourt Arboretum, Nuneham Courtenay • HH icon.svg Heythrop Hall – 17th-century country house: now a hotel, golf & country club • Hook Norton Brewery – working Victorian "tower" brewery that offers guided tours • HH icon.svg Kelmscott Manor – Home of William Morris • HH icon.svg Mapledurham Estate – 16th-century country house and 15th-century watermill • HH icon.svg Milton Manor House – 18th-century country house • EH icon.svg Minster Lovell Hall – dovecote and ruins of 15th-century manor house • Museum icon (red).svg Museum of Bygones, Claydon – private museum including stationary steam engines • UKAL icon.svg North Wessex Downs – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty • AP Icon.svg CL icon.svg Museum icon.svg Museum icon (red).svg Oxford • Museum icon (red).svg Oxford Bus Museum and Morris Motors Museum, Long Hanborough • UKAL icon.svg Oxford Canal – 18th-century "narrow" canal • Museum icon.svg The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock • UKAL icon.svg The Ridgeway • Museum icon (red).svg River and Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames • UKAL icon.svg River Thames • Rollright Stones – megalithic stone circle and Whispering Knights burial chamber, near Little Rollright • HH icon.svg Rousham House – 17th-century country house and landscape garden • Rycote chapel – 15th-century chapel with original furnishings • St Katharine's church, Chiselhampton – 18th-century parish church with original furnishings (no website, limited access) • St Mary's church, Iffley – 12th-century Norman parish church • Country parks.svg Shotover Country Park, Headington • Country parks.svg Spiceball Country Park, Banbury • HH icon.svg Stanton Harcourt manor house (limited access), with garden and 15th-century chapel and Pope's Tower (no website) • HH icon.svg Stonor Park – country house and 14th-century chapel of the recusant Stonor family • Museum icon.svg Swalcliffe Tithe Barn – 15th-century • Museum icon.svg Thame Museum • Museum icon.svg Tolsey Museum, Burford (no website) • UKAL icon.svg Uffington White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy burial chamber in the White Horse Hills • Museum icon.svg Vale and Downland Museum, Wantage • Museum icon (red).svg Wallingford Museum • Museum icon.svg Wheatley Windmill – 18th-century tower mill