Welcome to the Banbury edition of The Oxford Magazine.

More of a working town than many of in the county, Banbury, in the far north of Oxfordshire, has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

Famous for its cakes, cross and the ‘Ride a Cock Horse’ nursery rhyme, this flourishing town attracts shoppers from miles around, and the pedestrianised centre with its fair share of history is the right location for a wander.

The town sits at the edge of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds and is an ideal springboard for exploring the fantastic heritage in the area including the Cotswolds, Shakespeare’s Stratford Upon Avon and Warwick.

There are three resplendent country houses: Sulgrave Manor, Upton House and of course, Broughton Castle – a medieval fortified manor house with a most delightful walled garden.