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Oxfordshire[lower-alpha 1] is a landlocked county in the far west of the government statistical region of South East England. The ceremonial county borders Warwickshire to the north-west, Northamptonshire to the north-east, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, Wiltshire to the south-west and Gloucestershire to the west.

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Oxfordshire
Ceremonial county
Flag Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Sapere Aude ('Dare to be Wise')[1]
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South East England
Time zone	UTC±00:00 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+01:00 (British Summer Time)
Members of Parliament	Victoria Prentis (C) Robert Courts (C) Layla Moran (LD) John Howell (C) Anneliese Dodds (L) David Johnston (C)
Police	Thames Valley police
Ceremonial county
Lord Lieutenant	Marjorie Glasgow BEM
High Sheriff	Mrs Amanda Ponsonby MBE[2] (2020–21)
Area	2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi)
• Ranked	22nd of 48
Population (mid-2019 est.)	687,524
• Ranked	35th of 48
Density	264/km2 (680/sq mi)
Ethnicity	90.9% White, 4.8% Asian/Asian British[3]
Non-metropolitan county
County council	Oxfordshire County Council[4]
Executive	Liberal Democrat Green Alliance
Admin HQ	Oxford
Area	2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi)
• Ranked	15th of 26
Population	691,667
• Ranked	17th of 26
Density	266/km2 (690/sq mi)
ISO 3166-2	GB-OXF
ONS code	38
ITL	UKJ14
Website	www.oxfordshire.gov.uk
Districts
Districts of Oxfordshire
Districts	City of Oxford Cherwell South Oxfordshire Vale of White Horse West Oxfordshire

The county has major education and tourist industries and is noted for concentrations of performance motorsport, car manufacturing and technology companies. The University of Oxford is widely considered one of the leading universities in the world and is linked to a concentration of local technology and science activities at locations such as the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, while Oxford University Press is the largest among a concentration of print and publishing firms.

As well as the city of Oxford, other centres of population are Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington and Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford; Carterton and Witney to the west; Thame and Chinnor to the east; and Abingdon-on-Thames, Wantage, Didcot, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames to the south. All its zones south of the Thames: the Vale of White Horse and parts of South Oxfordshire were within the historic county of Berkshire, including the highest point, the 261-metre (856 ft) White Horse Hill.[5]

Oxfordshire's county flower is the snake's-head fritillary.[6]

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, 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 importance of agriculture as an employer declined rapidly in the 20th century; currently^[when?] under one percent of the county's population are involved due to high mechanisation.^{[citation needed]} 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

• Northernmost point: 52°10′6.58″N 1°19′54.92″W, near Claydon Hay Farm, Claydon
• Southernmost point: 51°27′34.74″N 0°56′48.3″W, near Thames and Kennet Marina, Playhatch
• Westernmost point: 51°46′59.73″N 1°43′9.68″W, near Downs Farm, Westwell
• Easternmost point: 51°30′14.22″N 0°52′13.99″W, River Thames, near Lower Shiplake

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^{[clarification needed]} 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

GDP

1995	7607
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000	10594
2001
2002
2003	12942

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Oxfordshire at current basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British pounds sterling.[7]

Year	Regional gross value added[8]	Agriculture[9]	Industry[10]	Services[11]
1995	7,607	120	2,084	5,404
2000	10,594	80	2,661	7,853
2003	12,942	93	2,665	10,184

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 completely 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[12] 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.[13]

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.[14] 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 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.[15] It is considered to be a ‘textbook’ example of the English medieval manor house[16] and is a Grade I-listed building.[17]

Settlements

It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled List of settlements in Oxfordshire by population. (Discuss) (May 2022)

Rank	Town	Population	Year	Definition	Notes
1	Oxford	150,200	2011	Oxford non-metropolitan district
2	Banbury	46,853	2011	Civil parish
3	Abingdon-on-Thames	33,130	2011	Civil parish	In Berkshire until 1974.
4	Bicester	32,642	2011	Civil parish
5	Witney	27,522	2011	Civil parish
6	Didcot	25,140	2011	Civil parish	200 dwellings in the south-east of the town lie in neighbouring East Hagbourne parish. In Berkshire until 1974.
7	Carterton	15,769	2011	Civil parish
8	Kidlington	13,723	2011	Civil parish	Does not include Gosford.
9	Henley-on-Thames	11,619	2011	Civil parish
10	Wallingford	11,600[18]	2011	Civil parish	In Berkshire until 1974.
11	Thame	11,561	2011	Civil parish	Includes hamlet of Moreton.
12	Wantage	11,327	2011	Civil parish
13	Grove	7,178	2011	Civil parish
14	Faringdon	7,121	2011	Great Faringdon civil parish	In Berkshire until 1974.
15	Chipping Norton	6,337	2011	Civil parish
16	Chinnor	5,924	2011	Civil parish
17	Benson	4,754	2011	Civil parish
18	Eynsham	4,648	2011	Civil parish
19	Wheatley	4,092	2011	Civil parish
20	Kennington	4,076	2011	Civil parish
21	Sonning Common	3,784	2011	Civil Parish
22	Woodstock	3,100	2011	Civil parish
23	Charlbury	2,830	2011	Civil parish
24	Watlington	2,727	2011	Civil parish
25	Bampton	2,564	2011	Civil parish
26	Deddington	2,146	2011	Civil parish

Emergency services

• Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
• South Central Ambulance Service
• Thames Valley Air Ambulance
• Thames Valley Police
• British Transport Police

Places of interest

Key
	Abbey/Priory/Cathedral
	Accessible open space
	Amusement/Theme Park
	Castle
	Country Park
	English Heritage
	Forestry Commission
	Heritage railway
	Historic House
	Places of Worship
	Museum (free/not free)
	National Trust
	Theatre
	Zoo

See also

• Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
• High Sheriff of Oxfordshire
• Oxfordshire Artweeks, an annual art festival each May
• Oxford University (including links to the individual colleges)
• Oxford Canal

Notes

References

Further reading

• Currie, Christopher Richard John (1992). "Larger Medieval Houses in the Vale of White Horse" (PDF). Oxoniensia. 57: 81–224. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
• Powell, Philip (2005). The Geology of Oxfordshire. Dovecote Press. ISBN 1-904349-19-6.

External links

• "Oxfordshire" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). 1911. pp. 415–418.
• Oxfordshire County Council
• Thisisoxfordshire Oxfordshire news, sport & information
• The Oxfordshire Association
• Flags of Oxfordshire
• Visit South Oxfordshire
• Banbury & District National Trust Association Archived 12 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
• Images of Oxfordshire at the English Heritage Archive
• Oxfordshire at Curlie

На других языках

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[de] Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire [.mw-parser-output .IPA a{text-decoration:none}ˈɒksfədʃə] (abgekürzt Oxon, aus dem lateinischen Oxonia) ist eine Grafschaft im mittleren Süden Englands.

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- [en] Oxfordshire

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[ru] Оксфордшир

О́ксфордшир[1] (англ. Oxfordshire [ˈɒksfərdʃər] или [ˈɒksfərdʃɪər]) — церемониальное неметропольное графство на юге Англии. Входит в состав региона Юго-Восточная Англия. Столица и крупнейший город — Оксфорд. Население — 620 тыс. человек (35-е место среди графств; данные 2007 г.).

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