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

 Historic house Blenheim Palace — UNESCO World Heritage Site
 Heritage railway Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway — A heritage railway operated with steam and diesel locomotives
 Heritage railway Cholsey and Wallingford Railway
 Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens
 Heritage railway Didcot Railway Centre — Museum of the Great Western Railway

 Historic house Kelmscott Manor — Home of William Morris
 Historic house Museum (free)Museum (not free) Oxford
 Museum (not free) River and Rowing Museum
 Accessible open space River Thames
 Historic house Rousham House and Gardens
 Museum (not free) 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

Category:Ceremonial counties of England