Banbury

United_Kingdom

Banbury Cross and the Fine Lady Upton House Banbury is a market town in the Cherwell district of Oxfordshire. It is known for the nursery rhyme - "Ride-a-cock-horse" and Banbury cakes. The local football team is Banbury United, they play at the Spencer stadium.

  • Banbury Cross. A memorial erected in 1859 at the centre of the town of Banbury, Oxfordshire, to commemorate the marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal (eldest child of Queen Victoria) to Prince Frederick of Prussia.
  • The Canal. Apparently the oldest dry dock in Britain.
  • Banbury Museum, Spiceball Park Rd, OX16 2PQ, +44 1295 753752. M-Sa 10AM-5PM; Su closed. Free entrance, but donations recommended.
  • Upton House and Gardens, OX15 6HT (7 miles north east of Banbury, +44 1295 670266.
  • Broughton Castle.

Banbury Cross. A memorial erected in 1859 at the centre of the town of Banbury, Oxfordshire, to commemorate the marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal (eldest child of Queen Victoria) to Prince Frederick of Prussia.

The Canal. Apparently the oldest dry dock in Britain.

Banbury Museum, Spiceball Park Rd, OX16 2PQ, +44 1295 753752. M-Sa 10AM-5PM; Su closed. Free entrance, but donations recommended.

Upton House and Gardens, OX15 6HT (7 miles north east of Banbury, +44 1295 670266.

Broughton Castle.

  • Banbury United, Spencer Stadium, OX16 5AB, +44 1295 263354.
  • Canal Boat-trips, Tooley’s, Banbury Museum, Spiceball Park Road, OX16 2PQ, +44 1295 272917. Tooley's Boatyard does a variety of narrowboat services and also offers boat trips down the canal.
  • MFA Bowl, Cherwell Centre, George St, OX16 5BH, +44 843 290 8938. Has a restaurant and an amusement arcade.
  • Odeon Cinema, Horsefair, OX16 0AH, +44 333 006 7777. The town's small cinema.
  • Spiceball Leisure Centre, Cherwell Drive, OX16 2BW, +44 1295 257 522. A leisure centre with a large swimming pool and gym. It also offers activities such as roller disco.
  • Spiceball Park. The town's park. Has amenities such as a large playground and ramps for skateboarding or BMX.

Banbury United, Spencer Stadium, OX16 5AB, +44 1295 263354.

Canal Boat-trips, Tooley’s, Banbury Museum, Spiceball Park Road, OX16 2PQ, +44 1295 272917. Tooley's Boatyard does a variety of narrowboat services and also offers boat trips down the canal.

MFA Bowl, Cherwell Centre, George St, OX16 5BH, +44 843 290 8938. Has a restaurant and an amusement arcade.

Odeon Cinema, Horsefair, OX16 0AH, +44 333 006 7777. The town's small cinema.

Spiceball Leisure Centre, Cherwell Drive, OX16 2BW, +44 1295 257 522. A leisure centre with a large swimming pool and gym. It also offers activities such as roller disco.

Spiceball Park. The town's park. Has amenities such as a large playground and ramps for skateboarding or BMX.

  • Banbury Charter Market, Market Pl, OX16 5LG. Th Sa 9AM-4:30PM. Has 30 different stalls selling fruit and vegetables, clothing and shoes, tools, greeting cards and garden plants. Available every Thursday and Saturday.

Banbury Charter Market, Market Pl, OX16 5LG. Th Sa 9AM-4:30PM. Has 30 different stalls selling fruit and vegetables, clothing and shoes, tools, greeting cards and garden plants. Available every Thursday and Saturday.

  • Castle Quay Shopping Centre, Castle St, OX16 5UN, +44 1295 256296. M-Sa: 8:30AM-6PM (M&S opens 8AM), Su: 10:30AM-4:30PM. A large shopping centre with most of your big name shops somewhere. Has a large Debenham's and M&S, along with a GAME, Waterstone's, H&M, Accessorize, etc.
  • Banbury Cross Retail Park, Lockheed Cl, OX16 1LX. A retail park with an Argos, Currys/PC World, Pets at Home, DFS, Costa Coffee and Tesco's.
  • Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, Acorn Way, OX16 3ER. M-Sa: 9AM-8PM, Su: 10:30AM-5PM. Newer retail park with a large M&S, a 24-hour McDonald's, Poundland, Primark, Fat Face, New Look, Costa Coffee, Starbucks and other chain stores.

Castle Quay Shopping Centre, Castle St, OX16 5UN, +44 1295 256296. M-Sa: 8:30AM-6PM (M&S opens 8AM), Su: 10:30AM-4:30PM. A large shopping centre with most of your big name shops somewhere. Has a large Debenham's and M&S, along with a GAME, Waterstone's, H&M, Accessorize, etc.

Banbury Cross Retail Park, Lockheed Cl, OX16 1LX. A retail park with an Argos, Currys/PC World, Pets at Home, DFS, Costa Coffee and Tesco's.

Banbury Gateway Shopping Park, Acorn Way, OX16 3ER. M-Sa: 9AM-8PM, Su: 10:30AM-5PM. Newer retail park with a large M&S, a 24-hour McDonald's, Poundland, Primark, Fat Face, New Look, Costa Coffee, Starbucks and other chain stores.

Three of the big four supermarkets:

  • Tesco Extra, Lockheed Cl, OX16 1LX, +44 345 677 9030. M-F 24 hour; Sa 6AM-midnight; Su 10AM-4PM. Banbury's largest Tesco branch is part of the Banbury Cross Retail Park. It has a cafe, clothing section and a petrol station nearby.
    • Tesco Express, 23 High St, OX16 5EG, +44 345 674 6354. 6AM-11PM.
    • Tesco Express, 1-2 Blacklock House, Middleton Rd, OX16 3QT, +44 345 671 9485. 6AM-11PM.
  • Sainsbury's, Oxford Rd, OX16 9XA, +44 1295 275130. Large branch with a cafe, petrol station, pharmacy and clothing.
  • Morrison's, Swan Cl Rd, OX16 5AQ, +44 1295 276170. Large branch with a cafe, petrol station and a garden centre.

Tesco Extra, Lockheed Cl, OX16 1LX, +44 345 677 9030. M-F 24 hour; Sa 6AM-midnight; Su 10AM-4PM. Banbury's largest Tesco branch is part of the Banbury Cross Retail Park. It has a cafe, clothing section and a petrol station nearby.

  • Tesco Express, 23 High St, OX16 5EG, +44 345 674 6354. 6AM-11PM.
  • Tesco Express, 1-2 Blacklock House, Middleton Rd, OX16 3QT, +44 345 671 9485. 6AM-11PM.

Tesco Extra, Lockheed Cl, OX16 1LX, +44 345 677 9030. M-F 24 hour; Sa 6AM-midnight; Su 10AM-4PM. Banbury's largest Tesco branch is part of the Banbury Cross Retail Park. It has a cafe, clothing section and a petrol station nearby.

  • Tesco Express, 23 High St, OX16 5EG, +44 345 674 6354. 6AM-11PM.
  • Tesco Express, 1-2 Blacklock House, Middleton Rd, OX16 3QT, +44 345 671 9485. 6AM-11PM.

Tesco Extra, Lockheed Cl, OX16 1LX, +44 345 677 9030. M-F 24 hour; Sa 6AM-midnight; Su 10AM-4PM. Banbury's largest Tesco branch is part of the Banbury Cross Retail Park. It has a cafe, clothing section and a petrol station nearby.

  • Tesco Express, 23 High St, OX16 5EG, +44 345 674 6354. 6AM-11PM.
  • Tesco Express, 1-2 Blacklock House, Middleton Rd, OX16 3QT, +44 345 671 9485. 6AM-11PM.

Sainsbury's, Oxford Rd, OX16 9XA, +44 1295 275130. Large branch with a cafe, petrol station, pharmacy and clothing.

Morrison's, Swan Cl Rd, OX16 5AQ, +44 1295 276170. Large branch with a cafe, petrol station and a garden centre.

Banbury cakes The town's own delicacy are the Banbury cakes – small, flat pastry cakes filled with currants, zest and spices.

  • The Granary, 6 Butchers Row, OX16 5JH, +44 1295 250628. Cafe that does Banbury cakes and other British teatime classics.

Chen's Cottage, 45 High St, OX16 5LA, +44 1295 264675.

A1 Chinese Restaurant, 80-84 Warwick Rd, OX16 2AJ, +44 1295 266067. Restaurant and takeaway.

The Granary, 6 Butchers Row, OX16 5JH, +44 1295 250628. Cafe that does Banbury cakes and other British teatime classics.

Thursday nights in Banbury are the well-known "Student Night", but have declined in popularity. Banbury is still busy with a slightly older crowd on a Friday, and is always generally busy on a Saturday.

  • MooMoo Clubrooms, 49-50 High Street, OX16 5LA (at The Exchange, +44 1295 275057.
  • Fever, 49-50 High St, OX16 5LA, +44 1295 275057.
  • Sound Exchange (Bliss). Renovations left the club half its former size. Still relatively busy on weekends.
  • Sound Exchange (Toko). Often quiet, past its glory days.

Many of the town's recommended pubs and bars are found on Parson's Street.

  • The Wine Vaults, 5-6 Parson's St, OX16 5LW, +44 1295 261281. Wine bar with friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, great prices.
  • Also Known As, 54-56 Parson's St, OX16 5NB. A "trendy" bar, live music on a Friday.
  • Ye Olde Reindeer Inn, 47 Parson's St, OX16 5NA, +44 1295 270972. Live music on Saturdays.
  • The Old Auctioneer, 44 Parson's St, OX16 5NA, +44 1295 270492. Pub that was an auction house. Apparently the town's third oldest building.
  • The Exchange, 49–50 High Street, OX16 5LA, +44 1295 259035. Wetherspoons pub.
  • The Bar With No Name- No one is ever in this bar.
  • Wetherspoons Sound Exchange. Underneath 2 of Banbury's clubs, good location.

The Wine Vaults, 5-6 Parson's St, OX16 5LW, +44 1295 261281. Wine bar with friendly staff, relaxed atmosphere, great prices.

Also Known As, 54-56 Parson's St, OX16 5NB. A "trendy" bar, live music on a Friday.

Ye Olde Reindeer Inn, 47 Parson's St, OX16 5NA, +44 1295 270972. Live music on Saturdays.

The Old Auctioneer, 44 Parson's St, OX16 5NA, +44 1295 270492. Pub that was an auction house. Apparently the town's third oldest building.

The Exchange, 49–50 High Street, OX16 5LA, +44 1295 259035. Wetherspoons pub.

MooMoo Clubrooms, 49-50 High Street, OX16 5LA (at The Exchange, +44 1295 275057.

Fever, 49-50 High St, OX16 5LA, +44 1295 275057.

Sound Exchange (Bliss). Renovations left the club half its former size. Still relatively busy on weekends.

Sound Exchange (Toko). Often quiet, past its glory days.

Map of places with Wikivoyage articles nearby

  • Oxford, the heart of the county and the home of the oldest English-speaking university
  • Bicester, market town, most well known for its Bicester Village outlet
  • Chipping Norton, an ancient market town
  • Woodstock, home of Blenheim Palace, 'the English Versailles' and the birthplace of Churchill
  • Stratford-upon-Avon, the home of Shakespeare.