The county is largely rural, with an area of 1,006 sq mi (2,605 km2) and a population of 691,667. After Oxford (162,100), the largest settlements areBanbury (54,355) andAbingdon-on-Thames (37,931). For local government purposes Oxfordshire is anon-metropolitan county with five districts. The part of the county south of theRiver Thames, largely corresponding to theVale of White Horse district, washistorically part ofBerkshire.
Oxfordshire was recorded as a county in the early years of the 10th century and lies between theRiver Thames to the south, theCotswolds to the west, theChilterns to the east and the Midlands to the north, with spurs running south toHenley-on-Thames and north toBanbury.
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 inWantage, 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 ofOxford (whose name came fromAnglo-SaxonOxenaford = "ford foroxen") 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; as of 2023, 1.2 per cent of the county's population are involved in agriculture, forestry, or fishing[7] 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.
In October 2024, the French theme-park operatorPuy du Fou has received support from the United Kingdom government for its proposal to develop a £600 million site in Oxfordshire. Correspondence released to the public indicated that a UK trade minister expressed a willingness to assist with the project.[8]
Oxfordshire is a county in south-central England. Its landscape is characterised by two bands of hill ranges in the north and south of the county separated by a low-lying clay vale around theRiver Thames.
The northernmost point of the county is near Claydon Hay Farm,Claydon at52°10′6.58″N1°19′54.92″W / 52.1684944°N 1.3319222°W /52.1684944; -1.3319222. This is where the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire meets the counties of Warwickshire and Northamptonshire. This northernmost area of Cherwell is within theNorthamptonshire Uplands (National Character Area 80), a range of ironstone-capped limestone hills and valleys. The area within the Northamptonshire Uplands includes the market town ofBanbury.[9]
South of the Costwolds, Oxfordshire opens up into the undulating farmland of the upper Thames clay vales (NCA 108).[11] The clay vales encircle theMidvale Ridge (NCA 109), a band of low-lying limestone hills running through the centre of the county.[12] These two landscapes are the population centres of the county, containing Oxford itself as well as other key towns such as Witney, Bicester and Abingdon.
From the mid-point western edge to the southeast corner of Oxfordshire, via the city in the middle, runs theThames with its flat floodplains. This river forms thehistoric limit withBerkshire, remaining so on some lowest reaches. TheThames Path National Trail follows the river from upper estuary to a source.
Many smaller rivers in the county feed into the Thames, such as theThame,Windrush,Evenlode andCherwell. Some of these have trails running along their valleys. TheOxford 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 namedWilts & Berks Canal, in sporadic sections, has been restored to navigability.
Oxfordshire contains agreen 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 DownsAONB. It was first drawn up in the 1950s, and all of the county's districts contain some portion of the belt.
In the2016 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%.[citation needed]
Brasenose Lane in Oxford city centre, a street onto which three colleges backThe University of Oxford's Chemistry Research Laboratory
Oxfordshire has a comprehensive education system with 23 independent schools and 35 state secondary schools. Only eight schools do not have asixth form; these are mostly in South Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts. Oxfordshire has a large number of leading independent schools, including public schools such asRadley College.
There are currently 44 public libraries in Oxfordshire, all operated under Oxfordshire County Council.[18] For members of the library service, the libraries offer a borrowing service for members to borrow books, audiobooks, e-books, and more.[19] In addition to lending library materials, the libraries also offer many different programmes for children and adults.
Hand-drawn map of Oxford, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire byChristopher Saxton from 1576
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.[20] Among many notable University buildings are theSheldonian Theatre, built 1664–1668 to the design ofSir Christopher Wren, and theRadcliffe Camera, built 1737–1749 to the design ofJames Gibbs.
^Christopher Gale (7 July 2012)."Abingdon County Hall Museum".Abingdonmuseum.org.uk.Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved8 August 2016.
^"Home page". Chipping Norton History Society and Museum.Archived from the original on 16 May 2017. Retrieved27 June 2017.
^"Home".Combemill.org.Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved23 August 2014.
^"Oxfordshire". Milton Manor House.Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved23 August 2014.
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