Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is a county in South East England, bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Gloucestershire to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Oxford, which is well-known for its famous university.

The county covers an area of about 1,006 square miles and has a population of around 763,218 people. Besides Oxford, other important towns include Banbury, Bicester, Abingdon-on-Thames, Didcot, and Witney. Oxfordshire is mostly rural, with beautiful natural areas like the Berkshire Downs, Chiltern Hills, and parts of the Cotswolds.

The River Thames flows through the central lowlands, and the highest point in the county is White Horse Hill, which stands at 261 metres above sea level.

History

Main article: History of Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire has been a county since the early 10th century. It is located between the River Thames to the south, the Cotswolds to the west, the Chilterns to the east, and the Midlands to the north.

The area didn’t become important until a settlement formed in Oxford in the 8th century. The famous University of Oxford began in 1096 and grew over time. In the 1900s, a car company called Morris Motors started in Oxford, bringing new jobs to the area. Today, farming is still common in Oxfordshire, even though fewer people work in that field now.

Geography

Oxfordshire is a county in south-central England. It has rolling hills in the north and south, with a low area in the middle around the River Thames.

The northern part of Oxfordshire includes the town of Banbury and is part of the Northamptonshire Uplands. The southern area features the beautiful Cotswolds with its special stone. The middle part of the county has farmland and important towns like Oxford, Witney, Bicester, and Abingdon.

The Thames river runs through Oxfordshire, and many smaller rivers such as the Windrush, Evenlode, and Cherwell flow into it. There are also canals like the Oxford Canal that connect to other places.

Oxfordshire has a green belt around the city of Oxford to help protect the area from too much building.

Economy

Politics

See also: Oxfordshire County Council

The Oxfordshire County Council has managed important local services like schools, roads, and community support since 2013. The county is split into five areas: Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of White Horse (named after the Uffington White Horse), West Oxfordshire and South Oxfordshire. These areas handle planning, waste, and housing.

In 2016, people in Oxfordshire voted to stay in the European Union, with 57.06% choosing to remain. This was the only English county to do so by a big margin, although the area of Cherwell narrowly voted to leave.

Proposed local government reorganisation

Main article: Upcoming structural changes to local government in England § Oxfordshire

As of 2026, there are plans to change how local government works in Oxfordshire. These plans could create one, two, or three new authorities instead of the current county council and five districts. People could share their thoughts about these plans from February 5, 2026, to March 26, 2026.

Education

See also: List of schools in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire has a good education system with 23 private schools and 35 state secondary schools. Only eight schools do not have a sixth form, and these are mostly in South Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts. The county has many well-known private schools, including Radley College.

The county is home to two universities: the famous University of Oxford and the modern Oxford Brookes University, both located in Oxford. Additionally, Wroxton College in Banbury works with Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.

Public libraries

There are 44 public libraries in Oxfordshire, all run by Oxfordshire County Council. Library members can borrow books, audiobooks, e-books, and more. The libraries also offer many programs for children and adults.

Buildings

Oxford is famous for its beautiful buildings, especially those of the University of Oxford. Two important buildings are the Sheldonian Theatre, built between 1664 and 1668, and the Radcliffe Camera, built between 1737 and 1749.

Not far from Oxford is Blenheim Palace, a grand home built for a famous general after a big battle. Chastleton House and Stonor Park are also important old homes in the area. Mapledurham House is a beautiful old home near Reading, and The Abbey in Sutton Courtenay is a special old building that shows what homes looked like a long time ago.

Settlements

See also: List of places in Oxfordshire and List of civil parishes in Oxfordshire

Places of interest

Main article: List of museums in Oxfordshire

See also: List of attractions in Oxford

Oxfordshire is full of interesting places to visit! Here are just a few:

• Abingdon County Hall Museum – housed in a 17th-century building
• Ashdown House – a beautiful 17th-century home in the Lambourn Downs
• Ashmolean Museum – Oxford University's museum of art and history
• Banbury Museum, in Banbury
• Bicester Village, a popular shopping area
• Blenheim Palace and its gardens – a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Broughton Castle – a 14th-century fortified home
• Buscot Park, in Buscot – an 18th-century home and garden
• Champs Chapel Museum of East Hendred – a small village museum in a 15th-century chapel
• Charlbury Museum
• Chastleton House – a 17th-century home (limited access)
• Chiltern Hills – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway – a fun railway with steam and diesel locomotives
• Chipping Norton Museum
• Cholsey and Wallingford Railway
• Cogges Manor Farm Museum, in Witney – a living museum showing life in the past
• Combe Mill Museum, in Long Hanborough – a working museum with old steam engines
• Cotswold Wildlife Park and garden, near Holwell
• The beautiful Cotswolds – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Didcot Railway Centre – a museum about the Great Western Railway
• Dorchester Abbey, in Dorchester-on-Thames – a 12th-century church
• Great Coxwell Barn – a large 14th-century barn
• Greys Court, in Rotherfield Greys – a 16th-century home
• The ruins of Hampton Gay Manor – a 16th-century home (no website)
• Harcourt Arboretum, in Nuneham Courtenay
• Heythrop Hall – a 17th-century home, now a hotel and golf club
• Hook Norton Brewery – a working Victorian brewery with tours
• Kelmscott Manor – the home of writer William Morris
• Mapledurham Estate – a 16th-century home and old watermill
• Milton Manor House – an 18th-century home
• Minster Lovell Hall – the remains of a 15th-century home
• Museum of Bygones, in Claydon – a private museum with old engines
• North Wessex Downs – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Oxford Bus Museum and Morris Motors Museum, in Long Hanborough
• Oxford Canal – an old canal from the 18th century
• The Oxfordshire Museum, in Woodstock
• The Ridgeway – an ancient path
• River and Rowing Museum, in Henley-on-Thames
• The famous River Thames
• Rollright Stones – ancient stone circles and a burial chamber near Little Rollright
• Rousham House – a 17th-century home and garden
• Rycote chapel – a 15th-century chapel with original furniture
• St Katharine's church, in Chiselhampton – an 18th-century church with original furniture (limited access)
• St Mary's church, in Iffley – a 12th-century church
• Shotover Country Park, near Headington
• Spiceball Country Park, in Banbury
• Stanton Harcourt manor house (limited access), with a garden, chapel, and tower (no website)
• Stonor Park – a home and chapel from the 14th century
• Swalcliffe Tithe Barn – a 15th-century barn
• Thame Museum
• Tolsey Museum, in Burford (no website)
• Uffington White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy burial chamber in the White Horse Hills
• Vale and Downland Museum, in Wantage
• Wallingford Museum
• Wheatley Windmill – an 18th-century windmill