| Oxfordshire (abbreviated Oxon, from the
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| | Historically the area has always had some
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| Latinised form Oxonia) is a county in the
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| | importance, it has been valuable
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| South East of England, bordering on
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| | agricultural land resting between the
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| Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire,
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| | main southern cities and containing the
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| Berkshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire,
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| | prestigious settlement at Oxford (whose
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| and Warwickshire.
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| | name came from Anglo-Saxon Oxenaford =
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| It is divided into five local government
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| | "ford for oxen"). Ignored by the Romans,
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| districts: Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of the
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| | it was not until the formation of a
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| White Horse (after the Uffington White
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| | settlement at Oxford that the area grew
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| Horse), West Oxfordshire and South
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| | in importance. Alfred the Great was born
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| Oxfordshire.
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| | in Wantage. The University of Oxford was
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| The county has a major tourism industry.
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| | founded in 1096. The area was part of the
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| The area is noted for the concentration
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| | Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th
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| of performance motorsport companies and
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| | century. The Great Western Railway
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| facilities. Oxford University Press has
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| | reached Didcot in 1839. Morris Motors was
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| headed a concentration of print and
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| | founded in Oxford in 1912 and MG in
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| publishing firms; the university is also
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| | Abingdon in 1929. The importance of
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| linked to the concentration of local
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| | agriculture as an employer has declined
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| biotechnology companies.
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| | rapidly in the 20th century; currently
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| The main centre of population is the city
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| | under one percent of the county's
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| of Oxford. Other significant settlements
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| | population are involved.
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| are Bicester, Banbury, Kidlington, and
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| | In 1808 the county had fourteen hundreds,
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| Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford;
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| | namely Bampton, Banbury, Binfield,
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| Witney to the west; Thame and Chinnor to
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| | Bloxham, Bullingdon, Chadlington,
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| the east; and Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot
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| | Dorchester, Ewelme, Langtree, Lewknor,
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| and Henley-on-Thames to the south. Future
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| | Pyrton, Ploughley, Thame and Wootton.
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| population growth in the county is hoped
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| | The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light
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| to be concentrated around Banbury,
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| | Infantry was based at the Barracks on
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| Bicester, Didcot and Witney, near the
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| | Bullingdon Green, Cowley.
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| South Midlands growth area.
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| | The Vale of the White Horse and parts of
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| The highest point of the county is
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| | South Oxfordshire south of the River
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| Whitehorse Hill, in the Vale of White
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| | Thames were historically part of
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| Horse, reaching 856 feet (261m).
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| | Berkshire, but were added to the
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| Oxfordshire's county flower is the
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| | administrative county in 1974.
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| Snake's-head Fritillary.
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| | Conversely, the Caversham area of Reading
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| The county of Oxfordshire, at that time
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| | was historically part of Oxfordshire.
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| entirely situated to the north of the
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| | (See History of Oxfordshire for the
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| River Thames, was formed in the early
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| | traditional county boundaries).
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| years of the 10th century.
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