The market town of Banbury in Oxfordshire lies on the River Cherwell and is situated just 34km north of Oxford. Its history as a busy market town, as well as its thriving industry and modern amenities makes for a fascinating destination for visitors.
Banbury still boasts many original 19th century buildings throughout the town, including the original facade of the old Corn Exchange, which now houses Castle Quay Shopping Centre, the cities main shopping facility. Banbury Castle is a major tourist arraction with Banbury United FC being the towns main sporting attraction. Just seven kilometres outside of the centre is Sulgrave Manor, home to George Washington's ancestors and dating back to Shakespeare's time. Seven kilometres in the other direction sits the National Trust site of Upton House, a 1930s mansion and gardens built for partying by the Shell Oil heir, Walter Samuel.
The historic industry of wool trading has long since left Banbury, making way for more modern services, which nowadays include finance and IT. However, along with many large corporate businesses, Banbury still houses some major industry leaders in aluminium, printing and food manufacturing as well as the largest coffee producing facility in the world owned and run by Kraft Food. Summer months see cricket played at Banbury Cricket Club.