Banburyshire
| Banbury | |
|---|---|
 Banbury Town Hall |
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 Banbury
|
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| Banbury shown within Oxfordshire | |
| Area | 21.04 km2 (8.12 sq mi) |
| Population | 46,853 |
| • Density | 2,227/km2 (5,770/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SP4540 |
| • London | 63 mi (101 km) SE |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BANBURY |
| Postcode district | OX16 |
| Dialling code | 01295 |
| Police | Thames Valley |
| Fire | Oxfordshire |
| Ambulance | South Central |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | Banbury town council |
Banbury /ˈbænbri/ is a market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England, 64 miles (103 km) northwest of London, 38 miles (61 km) southeast of Birmingham, 27 miles (43 km) south of Coventry and 21 miles (34 km) north-by-northwest of the county town of Oxford. It had a population of 46,853 at the 2011 census.
Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area, which is predominantly rural. Banbury's main industries are car components, electrical goods, plastics, food processing, and printing. Banbury is home to the world's largest coffee-processing facility (Jacobs Douwe Egberts), built in 1964. The town is famed for Banbury cakes – similar to Eccles cakes but oval in shape.
The name Banbury derives from "Banna", a Saxon chieftain said to have built a stockade there in the 6th century (or Ban(n)a possibly a byname meaning 'felon', 'murderer'), and "burgh" meaning settlement. The Saxon spelling was Banesbyrig. The name appears as "Banesberie" in Domesday Book. Another known spelling was 'Banesebury' in Medieval times.
During excavations for the construction of an office building in Hennef Way in 2002, the remains of a British Iron Age settlement with circular buildings dating back to 200 BC were found. The site contained around 150 pieces of pottery and stone. Later there was a Roman villa at nearby Wykham Park.
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Wikipedia