The Town of Bicester, Oxfordshire

Traveling and touring through the town oftown's fortunes steadily improved as population
Bicester, Oxfordshire can be an interestingand market activities grew through the years. By
experience. It is generally regarded as one of thethe mid-18th century, much of the property in
fastest-growing towns in the county, and it hasthe town was held by a small number of
become so due to its nearness to one of thelandowners.
main roadways to London (the M40) and otherThis unusual property ownership ratio led to a kind
large cities. This makes it a town with both aof division of the town into two spheres of
historical past and a very modern-day present.differing activities, with one side of the town,
The history of Bicester can be traced back toknown as the King's End, having a smaller
Saxon times. Its name is thought to have itspopulation and larger homes and the other side of
origins in the Latin language, meaning "the twothe town being the place where most commercial
forts." There are also ruins of a Roman fortactivities and transactions occurred. The natural
located in the immediate vicinity of the town,boundary between these two sides was a
some two miles away. There are also remains oftributary waterway of the River Ray.
a 12th century Augustinian priory in the center ofThe southeast England county of Oxfordshire, in
the town. Bicester is mentioned in the Domesdaywhich Bicester resides, enjoys a current population
Book, the 11th century property survey of Williamof around 636,000. It is noted for its tourist-type
I.opportunities and also for its concentration of
The town in those days was known as a markethigh-performance racing and motorsports facilities.
center, a status it held for more than severalThe county is also home to the University of
centuries thereafter. Its first market wasOxford, the world's oldest English-speaking
established in the mid-13th century, and theuniversity.