Banbury: A History

Banbury was laid out as a planned new town in the 12th century by Alexander, Bishop of Lincoln. It incorporated a market place and was protected by the second in a series of castles. His grant of a charter launched the town as a regional trading centre especially noted for livestock – in which respect it remained unchallenged until the dramatic closure of ‘the Stockyard of Europe’ in 1998. Between those two events Banbury boasts a busy and eventful history. The author draws on earlier accounts,