Banbury

Although it is perhaps the nursery rhyme, 'Ride a Cock Horse', that has made Banbury one of the best-known towns in England, it is not the only reason. It has been suggested that the 'Fine Lady' of the nursery rhyme may have been Lady Godiva or Elizabeth I. The original cross of the rhyme was pulled down long ago, at the end of the 16th century and the present cross you see today, erected in 1859, to celebrate the wedding of the then Princess Royal to Prince Frederick of Prussia.

Fame has also come in the form of Banbury Cakes; a special fruit and pastry cake that is still produced today. At one time, Banbury Cakes were so popular, they were being sent to customers in Australia, India and America.

Although Banbury has been a name in history since the year 500, it really found wealth and good fortune following the opening of the Oxford Canal in 1790, connecting Banbury with the Midlands and bringing new industries and growth which continued with the arrival of the railways. Many of the building you see now have been built after the fire that ravaged Banbury in 1628. Though some original buildings have survived to the present day, most were lost forever.

Today Banbury is an expanding market and industrial town that is both steeped in history and modernity, with a cosmopolitan feel, brilliant shopping and a huge choice of things to see and do.