Oxfordshire

**Oxfordshire** (short **Oxon**, from the Latinised form _Oxonia_) is a county in the South East of England, bordering on Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Warwickshire.

It is divided into five local government districts: Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of the White Horse (after the _Uffington White Horse_), _West Oxfordshire_ and _South Oxfordshire_.

The county has a major tourism industry. The area is known for the concentration of motorsport companies and facilities. Oxford University Press has headed a concentration of print and publishing firms; the university is also linked to the concentration of local biotechnology companies.

The main centre of population is the city of Oxford. Other significant settlements are Bicester, Banbury, and Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford; Witney to the west; Thame and Chinnor to the east; and Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot and Henley-on-Thames to the south. Future population growth in the county is hoped to be concentrated around Banbury, Bicester, Didcot and Witney, near the South Midlands growth area.

The highest point of the county is Whitehorse Hill, in the Vale of White Horse, reaching 856 feet (261m).

## History

The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century.

Historically the area has always had some importance, it has been good agricultural land resting between the main southern cities and Oxford (whose name came from Anglo-Saxon _Oxenaford_ = "ford for oxen"). The area was part of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th century. The Great Western Railway reached Didcot in 1839. Morris Motors was founded in Oxford in 1912 and MG in Abingdon in 1929. The importance of agriculture as an employer has gone down in the 20th century; today less than one percent of the county's population are involved.

The Vale of the White Horse and parts of South Oxfordshire south of the River Thames were historically part of Berkshire, but were added to the administrative county in 1974.

## Towns and cities

- Abingdon (In Berkshire until 1974)
- Banbury
- Bicester
- Burford
- Carterton
- Chipping Norton
- Didcot (In Berkshire until 1974)
- Faringdon (In Berkshire until 1974)
- Henley-on-Thames
- Oxford
- Thame
- Wallingford (In Berkshire until 1974)
- Wantage (In Berkshire until 1974)
- Witney
- Woodstock

## Places of interest

- Blenheim Palace — UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway — A heritage railway operated with steam and diesel locomotives
- Cholsey and Wallingford Railway
- Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
- Didcot Railway Centre — Museum of the Great Western Railway
- Kelmscott Manor — Home of William Morris
- Oxford
- River and Rowing Museum
- River Thames
- Rousham House and Gardens
- Wallingford Museum

## Related pages

- University of Oxford (including links to the individual colleges).
- Oxford Canal
- Blewbury

## Other websites

- Oxfordshire County Council
- Results of the 2005 county council election
- Thisisoxfordshire Oxfordshire news, sport & information
- Flags of Oxfordshire

## Infobox (english county)

- **official name**: Oxfordshire
- **image caption**: Clockwise from top left: the Radcliffe Camera, part of the University of Oxford; Islip, Oxfordshire, Islip, in the Cherwell (district), Cherwell district; and the Uffington White Horse
- **region**: South East England
- **lord lieutenant office**: Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
- **lord lieutenant name**: Marjorie Glasgow
- **high sheriff office**: High Sheriff of Oxfordshire
- **high sheriff name**: John May (2025–26)
- **area total km2**: 2605
- **area total rank**: 22nd
- **ethnicity**: 86.9% White, 6.4% Asian/Asian British/Asian Welsh, 3.1% Mixed, 2.1%, Black/Black British/Black Welsh
- **county council**: Oxfordshire County Council
- **admin hq**: Oxford
- **largest city**: Oxford
- **area council km2**: 2605
- **area council rank**: 19th
- **iso code**: GB-OXF
- **gss code**: E10000025
- **nuts code**: TLJ14
- **districts map**:
- **districts list**: # Oxford
# West Oxfordshire
- **mps**: List of parliamentary constituencies in Oxfordshire, 7 Members of Parliament
- **police**: Thames Valley Police