Most people associate the nursery rhyme ‘Ride a cock horse’ with Banbury. It is located bordering the most beautiful part of England, the Chermwell Valley. It is located on the River Chermwell in north Oxfordshire, England and falls to the northwest of London.

The present Banbury Cross at Horsefair here was erected in 1859. The old St. Mary’s Church is down the road and has grand interiors and a stately tower. The Cross erected at the wedding of the Princess Royal with Prince Frederick of Prussia.

Old Banbury was a great wool-producing place. Most of the town was burned down in 1628. Railway lines and the Oxford Canal were added later and this developed the town drastically. The Canals connect the city with the Midlands.

It is well known for its special fruit cake called Banbury Cakes which you can buy at any bakery and is similar to Eccles cake. These were exported as far as Australia at the same time. It is still considered as an industrial city. Alcoa Industries are famous manufacturers of aluminum.

Thursday and Saturday are shopping days and the High Street is the place to be. Food, hardware, pets and many more gadgets are for sale. There are some great cafes for a cuppa.

There are great job prospects due to rapid growth in recent years after the formation of the European Union. You can find many Poles in the workforce. Christianity and the island are the main religions.

Banbury is named after a local Saxon lord named – Banna. There are free guided tours of the city and the Information Center has more details. The city also hosts the annual animal festival called the Hobby Horse Festival.

The Banbury Museum is a place to summarize the city’s history, pastries and agriculture. In today’s world, it is an important prosperous commercial city. You can find printing, electrical and food processing factories here.