Oxford

Oxford is just 24 miles from Reading, 26 miles from Swindon, 36 miles from Cheltenham and 43 miles from Gloucester. The rivers Cherwell and Thames pass through Oxford and meet near the city centre. The city is known as a centre of excellent through its famous universities. It is also home to motor manufacturing, publishing and technology based companies. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in Great Britain.

Oxford gets its name from Saxon times where it would have been known as Oxenaforda - literally Ford of the Oxen. During medieval times the city was a frontier point and often raided by the Danes. Oxord was damaged extensively during the Norman invasion of 1066. The university of Oxford gets its first mention in 12th century records and the city today is host to a collection of colleges and universities of which many are famous.

Oxford provided a much needed refuge for Charles I during the 1642 English Civil War. In the Second World War Morris Motors established a large scale factory here. Today it is still home to BMW produced Mini. This cosmopolitan student city has many bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs and a host of good independent as well as branded shopping outlets.

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