Other important towns

Thame (pronounced "Tame" with a silent "h") is aand the grave of Churchill in nearby Bladon.
market town in Oxfordshire, England, on the RiverThe name Woodstock is Anglo Saxon in origin. At
Thame between Aylesbury and Oxford. It has athat time, English kings would log in the area of
population of around 12,000. Situated just short ofWoodstock whose name stands for a clearing in
the county border, Thame lies close to thethe woods.
Buckinghamshire villages of Haddenham and LongThe little river Glyme, in a steep and picturesque
Crendon.valley, divides the town into New and Old
The town is 14 miles east of Oxford, 10 milesWoodstock.
south-west of Aylesbury and 47 miles fromThe Domesday Book describes Woodstock
London. To the west of Thame the A418 joins(Wodestock, Wodestok, Wodestole) as a royal
with the M40 motorway linking London toforest; it is said that King Alfred stayed at
Birmingham.Woodstock in the year 890. Another famous
Founded in Anglo-Saxon times, Thame grew upresident was Ethelred the Unready, who is said to
to service local agricultural activity and the nearbyhave held a council there. Henry I may have kept
Cistercian monastery at Thame Park, suppresseda menagerie in the park. Woodstock was the
at the Reformation. The church of St Mary thescene of King Henry II's courtship of Rosamund
Virgin dates from about 1240.Clifford (Fair Rosamund). The market of the town
Thame railway station closed in 1963, but thewas established when King Henry II gave
town is now served by Haddenham and ThameWoodstock a Royal charter in 1179.
Parkway railway station. On the third Thursday ofThe town was altered greatly during the 17th
September the town stages the largest one daycentury, when the Duke of Marlborough became
agricultural show in the United Kingdom.a permanent resident. The local inn, the Bear, was
W. Lucy & Co. has been based in the town sincecapable of accommodating vast numbers of
2005. The town's two largest employers are CPMvisitors and horses.
and Travelodge, who both have their HeadThe parish church (dedicated to St Mary
Offices located on the periphery of town.Magdalene) has a doorway of Norman origin. It
Famous citizens include courtier Lord Williams offeatures a musical clock which chimes every hour.
Thame, who founded Lord Williams's GrammarThe town hall of Woodstock was built in 1766
School in the town in 1559, and John Hampden.after the designs of Sir William Chambers, and
Thame is home to the very successful Chinnorthere are a number of 17th century buildings in
Rugby Club who play in National Division 3 South,the centre. The almshouses were erected in 1798
they are the youngest club ever to play at thisby Caroline, duchess of Marlborough. Chaucer's
level.House was once home to the poet Geoffrey
TriviaChaucer.
According to J. R. R. Tolkien's story "Farmer GilesIn the past the town prospered on manufacturing
of Ham", Thame got its name because of itsgloves (since from the 16th century). Today it is
resident tame dragon.largely dependent on tourists, many of whom visit
In 1940, a local truck driver called WillocksBleinheim Palace. The Palace was designed by John
McKenzie whilst walking along the banks of theVanbrugh, in a heavy Italo-Corinthian style. It was
River Thame, discovered a hoard of gold coinsdesignated to John Churchill, the first Duke of
and rings, thought to be at least four hundredMarlborough. Most of the Palace was paid for by
years old. The Ashmolean Museum declared it tothe nation. Churchill was given this palace in honour
be 'Treasure Trove', and the collection can still befor his victories over the French and the
found on display. One of the rings features aBavarians at Blenheim in 1704.
distinctive cross with two horizontal sections. ThisThe greater part of the art treasures and curios
has been adopted as the official logo of thewere sold off in 1886, and the great library
Thame Town Council.collected by Charles Spencer, earl of Sunderland,
Thame is home to Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees.the son-in-law of the first duke of Marlborough, in
Woodstock is a small town in Oxfordshire,1881. The magnificent park contains Fair
England. It is located about 12 kilometres north ofRosamund's Well, near which stood her bower. On
Oxford, 72.75 miles W.N.W. of London.the summit of a hill stands a column
The Princess Elizabeth was famously kept acommemorating the duke. Blenheim Park forms a
prisoner here, in the gatehouse of Woodstockseparate parish.
Manor (the manor itself being too dilapidated toThe Oxfordshire Museum, the county museum of
house her).Oxfordshire, is housed in a large historic house,
The town is well known as the site of BlenheimFletcher’s House, in the centre of
Palace, where Winston Churchill was born in 1874,Woodstock.