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Banbury is a market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire , England . It had a population of 42,802 at the 2001 census although because of recent expansion the figure is now about 47,000, and is part of the Cherwell district. Banbury is a significant commercial and retail centre for the surrounding area which is predominantly rural. Banbury's main industries include car components, electrical goods, aluminium, food processing, and printing. Banbury is home to the world's largest coffee producing facility ( Kraft Foods in Banbury) producing enough coffee to provide for the entire United Kingdom three times over. The Kraft foods factory was first built in 1964 . Since 1932 , Alcan has had a aluminium proceing plant in Banbury to. The town is famed for Banbury Cakes — similar to Eccles Cake s but oval in shape. Since July 2000 it has hosted a unique gathering of traditional mock animals from around the U.K. and beyond, at the annual Banbury Hobby Horse Festival. The surrounding area is known informally by some as district and neighbouring areas. As Banbury lies on the border of Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties 'Banburyshire' includes parts of Northamptonshire and Warwickshire . Banbury is considered the commercial centre of the northern half of Oxfordshire. THE HISTORY OF BANBURY There was a Roman Villa at nearby Wykham Park, and Banbury developed in the Anglo-Saxon period under strong Danish influence. The town of "Banesberie" appears in the Domesday Book . Banbury's Mediæval prosperity was based on wool. Banbury Castle was built from 1135 by the Bishops Of Lincoln , and survived into the Civil War , when it was besieged. Due to its proximity to Oxford , the King's capital, Banbury was a Royalist town, but the inhabitants were known to be strongly Puritan . The castle was demolished after the war. Banbury played an important part in the English Civil War as a base of operations for Oliver Cromwell , who planned the battle of Edge Hill in the back room (which can still be visited), of a local inn, The Reindeer, still a noted hostelry to this day. Communications have always played a major role in the town's prosperity and prevented it from being just a quiet rural market town, it was a notable Stagecoach stop and both the Red Lion and White Lion were Coaching Inn s of note. Wealthy travellers would leave well supplied with Banbury Cakes. The construction of the the first rails reached Banbury, one line from the London And North Western Railway and one from the Great Western Railway . The railway lines to Brackley and Woodford Halse (both in Northamptonshire) closed in 1965, and the smaller of the two stations (in Merton road) closed shortly after, but the principal station on the Oxford/ Marylebone to Leamington Spa still flourishes as a popular commuter and tourist station. The former line from Banbury to the nearby iron-stone quarry beside Wroxton village opened in about 1900 and closed in 1967 after the iron-stone ran out. The small open-cast mine was heavily used during World War II . The town saw rapid expansion during the 1960s as housing was built for the overspill from London. Banbury's continued growth was accelerated by the completion of the M40 Motorway which has given faster access by road transport to London . Banbury was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835 . It retained a borough council until 1974, when under the Local Government Act 1972 it became part of the Cherwell district, an Unparished Area with Charter Trustees . A Civil Parish with a town council was set up in 2000 . {Link without Title} BANBURY CROSS At one time Banbury had many crosses, but these were destroyed by puritans on July 26 1600 . Banbury remained without a cross for another 250 years until the current Banbury Cross was erected in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter to Prince Frederick of Prussia. The current Banbury Cross is a stone, spire-shaped monument decorated in gothic form. Statues of Queen Victoria, Edward VII and George V were added in 1911. The cross is fifty-two feet six inches high, and topped by a gilt cross. The English Nursery Rhyme " Ride A Cock Horse To Banbury Cross " refers to a cross destroyed by puritans in 1602 . There are many theories about the identity of the "fine lady" referred to in the rhyme. It has been suggested that she was:
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GEOGRAPHY Banbury's latitude and longitude are (at Banbury Cross, which is usually considered the centre). Wards, neighbourhoods, and suburbs
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