Day 2 of my English Tourism Week 2026 in Banbury – and let’s start off today with a question.
If you asked to guess what Banbury is most famous for – and you weren’t allowed to say “being near Bicester Village” – what might you say?
Well, if you read yesterday’s post you might say Banbury cakes. But let’s pretend you didn’t read it and you suggest ….?
Yes! The nursery rhyme. You know the one:
Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross To see a fine lady upon a white horse With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes She shall have music wherever she goes.
For many people, that rhyme is their very first (and only) introduction to Banbury. And they are often delighted to learn that there really is a Banbury Cross.
The one we see today in the town centre isn’t one of the original medieval crosses. There were three – the White Cross, the Bread Cross, and the main Market Cross. Those were removed by the Puritans around 1600-1602. I mean, what do you expect from people who would frown on pastry.
Anyway, you can see the marker where the original Market Cross stood in the marketplace near the entrance to Castle Quay.
The current Banbury Cross, the one in the roundabout at the end of the High Street, was built in 1859 to celebrate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s daughter, Victoria, to Prince Frederick of Prussia. And it has its own fine lady, in the form of a statue across the way.
The statue is a much more recent addition, installed in 2005 and now one of the most photographed sights in town. Quite rightly too – it’s a striking statue and, thanks to its placement, full of excellent photographic angles and backgrounds.
But here’s another question and one that has been debated for generations:
Who exactly is the Fine Lady?
There are several theories.
Some believe she represents Queen Elizabeth I, who is known to have visited Banbury in the 1500s. Not sure I buy that.
Others suggest she might be Celia Fiennes. Sure there’s a vague local link but still not convinced.
And some historians think the rhyme may never have referred to a specific person at all. Probably the most likely.
Whatever the answer, the rhyme, the cross, and the Fine Lady have become part of Banbury’s identity.
So if you’re in town this week for English Tourism Week, take a moment to stop by Banbury Cross.
You’ll find the Fine Lady still riding proudly through the centre of town – rings on her fingers, bells on her toes, and a nursery rhyme that has been carrying Banbury’s name across the world for a very long time.
What better way to begin English Tourism Week in Banbury than with something Banbury has been famous for for centuries: the Banbury Cake.
At first glance, it is just a pastry – an oval parcel of flaky pastry filled with currants and spice. But Banbury cakes have a surprisingly long-standing story.
The oldest printed recipe for Banbury cakes was published by Gervase Markham in his book The English Huswife, first published in 1615. (Pictures below) It was quite a popular title in its day (a bestseller of its time, going through nine editions and at least two other reprints by 1683). Whether that was down to the popularity of the Banbury cake recipe, we cannot say.
Now, Banbury was known to be a stronghold of strict Puritans so it was only a matter of time before the Puritan authorities frowned officially on Banbury cakes (along with many festive foods associated with saints’ days). Despite that, the cakes endured. I suppose giving them an air of the forbidden just made them even more popular. Happens all the time, doesn’t it?
By the 18th and 19th centuries, they’d become one of Banbury’s best-known exports. Those passing through the town carried them away, and they were shipped far and wide – Australia, the East Indies and America just to name a few. What made them so good for long haul shipping? Their high sugar and spice content.
There is even a long-standing story that Queen Victoria enjoyed Banbury cakes and was given a supply every summer.
They are sometimes mistaken for Eccles cake but Banbury cakes are flatter and more oval, with a filling that often carries a sharper hit of spice and lemon peel.
There were two shops in Banbury most closely associated with the cakes over the years – The Original Cake Shop, located at 12 Parsons Street and Betts’ Cake Shop at 85 High Street. Four hundred years later, Banbury Cakes are still part of the town’s identity – and a rather tasty piece of local history and – with my marketing hat on – impressive brand longevity.
Not bad for something that began as a small local pastry.
So, the question of the day is: Have you ever actually tried a Banbury Cake? What did you think?
Earlier this month, news trickled out that there was to be a brand-new UK Town of Culture competition — a sort of sister effort to the more established City of Culture programme. And someone who writes about a UK town quite a lot, I got to thinking – what if Banbury were to put itself forward? What would that involve and — perhaps a bigger question — does Banbury have the cultural points to make a serious bid?
On the assumption that the City of Culture process would almost certainly form the blueprint for Town of Culture, I gave the documentation a read through and this list is the result.
5 points that credible submissions should include and how, IMO, Banbury stacks up.
1. A clear purpose and a long-term vision
Winning isn’t about throwing a year-long festival. It’s about culture as a driver of regeneration, community identity, pride and economic growth. Local participation, skills development, creative industries, tourism and long-term legacy all matter.
Banbury would need to show:
How culture boosts access and inclusion
How creativity fuels the local economy
How community cohesion is strengthened
How the benefits would last well beyond “the year of culture”
In short: it’s not about one big event. It’s about cultural transformation.
2. A compelling story — the “why Banbury, why now?”
Strong bids tell a story rooted in local identity, history, community character and connection to wider cultural networks. Banbury’s story is… layered, and frankly, pretty fascinating.
We have:
A multi-era heritage: Civil War, industrial history, canal culture, and literary connections
A famous identity thanks to a certain nursery rhyme
A town in transition, redefining itself in a modern context
Regional cultural links (Banbury Museum’s touring exhibitions are a great example)
A good submission weaves these strands together into something coherent and compelling.
3. The ability to deliver
A beautiful story won’t win on its own — applicants need a proven structure for delivering cultural programmes. The City of Culture criteria emphasise leadership, track record, cross-sector cooperation and sustainable planning. Banbury has excellent organisations and quite a few passionate stakeholders — but the collaborative structures would, again IMO, need real strengthening.
4. Measurable impact
There would need to be evaluation plans made to collect baseline data and to measure KPIs linked to expected outcomes. Much of which continues long after any win is announced. Winning isn’t the end; it’s the midpoint. The government wants to see a return on investment.
5. Inclusivity and access
A winning bid must involve everyone — not just established cultural players or the traditionally defined ‘great and the good.’ Grassroots groups, young people, diverse communities, neighbourhoods outside the town centre — all need a place in the plan. Fortunately, Banbury’s grassroots scene is strong: arts groups, choirs, music nights, heritage societies and community-led projects all contribute to a vibrant cultural fabric.
So… what does Banbury have going for it? A lot.
Heritage & History
Banbury Museum & Gallery
Tooley’s Boatyard
Banbury Cross, the Fine Lady statue
Ye Olde Reine Deer Inn
St Mary’s Church
The Oxford Canal
Arts & Culture
The Mill Arts Centre
Public art trails
A lively live-music scene
Local orchestras, choirs, amateur dramatics
Identity & Traditions
Banbury Cakes
The Hobby Horse tradition
The iconic nursery rhyme
Food & Family Culture
Lock29
The Light
Two major food festivals
A notably international restaurant scene — Turkish, Thai, Japanese, Polish, Italian, Indian and more
The Surrounding Cultural Ecosystem – more on this topic later but it is a significant part of a submission)
Broughton Castle
Upton House
Sulgrave Manor
Hook Norton Brewery
The Edgehill battlefield
British Motor Museum
Bicester Heritage
These assets tell a story of a town with depth, character and huge potential — not one that needs to invent a cultural identity, but one that already has one.
Could Banbury win?
It wouldn’t be easy. It would take collaboration and ambition. But the building blocks are absolutely there. Even the process of preparing a submission could spark new partnerships, projects and pride.
Living in Banbury gives me so many fab opportunities for staycation days right on my doorstep. I have joked for years that the tagline for Banbury should be ‘Banbury, you can get there from here.’ And since we’re on a long weekend, it felt like a perfect time to share again why I think local days out and nearby adventures are a great way to recharge.
One thing to clarify before I wax lyrical about staycations. I don’t define a staycation as domestic tourism as seems to be more and more common these days. I define a staycation as not traveling to other accommodations, staying at home with day trips to local attractions. You define it however you like. But that’s what I mean when I use the phrase.
From Staycation 2016: Wordsworth may have called Bibury the prettiest village in England but he never saw that little yellow car. I rather like the sassiness of the little car. It drives the neighbors and tourists crazy but what’s owner supposed to do? It’s the only place the park.
6 Reasons to choose a staycation:
Time friendly and time efficient: staycations mean you don’t have to be at an airport 2-3 hours before your flight. You don’t spend time flying, getting to and from airports at both ends. You start your adventure faster and have more time to enjoy! As for when to take them – they fit in almost anywhere: long weekend, regular weekend, random day off? We’ve even done a week-long series of staycations. It was fantastic!
Less stressful: overall planning is less involved, bookings are often much less complicated, no airport queues, no cancelled flights or missed flights or late flights. No lost luggage. Heck, no packing (other than maybe a snack in the tote bag) and no post-trip laundry marathons.
Easier on the wallet: amazing how not having to pay for flights or accommodation can enhance a day’s fun. Also, staycations don’t require visas, travel insurance, or currency exchange. Will you spend money? Yes. But you’ll be spending money on the food, the fun and the finding out about stuff. Not on the paperwork and logistics.
Discovering hidden gems: I’ve enjoyed countless places that never make it to the top ten places to visit, never get mentioned on travels – but which are all talked about in local groups, found in brochures on display at local museums and on flyers around town.
Reducing environmental impact of travel: No one can change the impact of travel and tourism on the environment on their own. But everyone can do their part. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go on longer trips or further distance trips – but you don’t have to do it every time the travel bug bites.
Support local economies: I am a huge supporter of #ShopLocal and staycations are one way to help sustain local jobs, businesses, attractions, and communities. You can’t buy these experiences online.
From staycation 2025: The Radcliffe Camera looking resplendent in the late afternoon light in Oxford.
5 staycation destinations near Banbury worth exploring:
Oxford: 20 minutes by train. What could be easier and quicker? The Bodleian tour alone is worth a day in Oxford to me. It was one of the first things I did on my first trip to Oxford and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
British Motor Museum: We’ve gone a few times and it never ceases to impress – even if you are not, strictly speaking, a petrol head.
Cotswold Wildlife Park: this may be one of the best wildlife parks I have ever visited and I have visited a LOT. It’s just outside Burford (a nearly picture postcard perfect village worth a visit on its own) and contains 160 acres of well thought out paths, enclosures and displays of wildlife from rhinos to red pandas. I will never, ever get enough of red pandas.
Hook Norton Brewery: never heard of it before moving to Banbury and I suspect most people traveling to the UK will never hear about it either. Whisky distilleries, yes. Wineries, sure. But not this. And that’s a shame because it is a true gem and if you can go there, you really ought to. Naturally, the tour includes not just seeing the brewing in action but samples as well.
Sulgrave Manor: We’re always told about national trust properties (plenty of those around Banbury – Upton House, just one fine example) and we hear about Blenheim (everyone loves a palace) and we have a local castle (Broughton, which will be familiar to anyone who watched Wolf Hall). But rarely does Sulgrave get mentioned except locally. As an American, I was very amused to hear that George Washington’s ancestral home was basically 15 minutes away.
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What are your favorite local day trips? Maybe you’ll help someone near you find hidden gems near them!
I recently saw mention of English Tourism Week (March 14-23) approaching, so it seemed like the right time to shine a spotlight on Banbury, a town that is, in my opinion, unfairly overlooked by the tourism sector.
Banbury Old Town map
While nearby tourism heavyweights Oxford, Warwick, and Stratford-upon-Avon frequently feature on travel itineraries of visitors from around the world, Banbury does not. And that’s a shame because it genuinely does have something to offer for both tourists – and tourism investors. It has historical points of interest and a few cultural gems of its own alongside both strategic accessibility and affordability that makes it an ideal destination for travellers and those who serve them.
We used to joke that the perfect tagline for the town would be ‘Banbury: You can get there from here.’ And it was a sort of joke. But it was also a serious point about why Banbury should be on more people’s travel radar when it comes to exploring the English countryside and towns. After all, not everything is London.
Now, you may be thinking that as someone who lives in Banbury and writes about Banbury, I may not be wholly objective about the place. I’m not, I suppose. But neither am I making something out of nothing.
The Oxford Canal links the town centre to Spiceball and Longford parks.
A Hub of History and Innovation
Banbury’s tourism appeal lies its industrial heritage, perfectly preserved at sites like Tooley’s Boatyard. The Banbury Museum & Gallery, with its engaging exhibitions and educational programs, tells the story of a town that has been at the crossroads of English history for centuries. Indeed, the town’s strategic importance dates back to Roman times, with the ancient Salt Way cutting through what is now Banbury. These attractions don’t just preserve history – they make it accessible and relevant to modern visitors.
Tooley’s Boatyard has one of the oldest working dry docks on the Inland Waterways, working continuously since 1778.
There are architectural gems like the Globe Room in the Ye Olde Reine Deer where Oliver Cromwell used to sit in judgement during Royalist trials or Lampreys (below).
Strategic Location, Maximum Impact
Banbury’s central location makes it an ideal base for exploring some of England’s premier attractions without paying premier attraction prices for hotels. Stay at a hotel or B&B in Banbury and you are less than an hour – often less than 30 minutes – from a wealth of locations serving a wide range of interests.
The internationally renowned Bicester Village, offering luxury shopping experiences, lies just 15 minutes away by train.
A 20 minute train ride to Oxford transport history buffs to a location bound to satisfy all the facts, dates, trivia and ‘walking the ground’ experiences one could want. More interested in film and TV tourism? Oxford has got you covered there too.
For automotive enthusiasts, both the British Motor Museum and Silverstone Museum are within easy reach, offering world-class exhibits that celebrate Britain’s motorsport heritage. More on the historic motoring landscape that surrounds Banbury can be found on an earlier Banburian post.
Vintage vehicle on display at Banbury Festival of Motoring.
Culinary and Cultural Vibrancy
After a long day of sight-seeing, what could be better than getting back to town and relaxing with an excellent meal. The town’s dining scene punches well above its weight, with award-winning restaurants offering cuisine from across the globe. This culinary diversity may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you hear ‘Banbury’ – maybe you think Banbury cake – but the truth is, Banbury’s food scene is modern, eclectic and diverse.
The Mill Arts Centre features music, theatre, comedy and dance performances all year round. St. Mary’s Church, in addition to being historically significant, also serves as another cultural hub in town – – especially when it comes to music with their Festival Singers performing at many events in town, hosting the Banbury Early Music Festival as well as partnering with the Banbury Choral Society and Banbury Symphony Orchestra. Then there is the annual calendar of events – a notably robust calendar of events that call the town centre home – such as food fairs, heritage events and music festivals ensures there’s always something new for visitors to discover.
A tasty standout from Lock29 – the banh mi sandwich from Nori Shed.
The annual calendar of events such as food fairs, heritage events and music festivals creates year-round appeal, ensuring there’s always something new for visitors to discover.
Visitor Economy Investment Opportunities
For stakeholders in the hospitality industry and visitor services sector, Banbury represents an opportunity to invest in a destination that offers:
Established transport links with excellent rail and road connections – 3 train lines operate through Banbury Train station with frequent trains providing access to
London in just over an hour;
20 minutes to Oxford;
25 minutes to Warwick;
45 minutes to Birmingham.
A diverse range of attractions appealing to different market segments;
Proximity to major tourist destinations without their saturation and costs;
Year-round appeal through seasonal events and indoor attractions.
The Case for Increased Tourism Focus
Destinations like Banbury exemplify the sector’s potential for growth and innovation. The town’s unique combination of historical significance, strategic location, and modern amenities – including significant recent upgrades to the train station and the canal-side development including Lock29 and The Light – makes it an ideal candidate for further tourism investment and promotion.
With major tourist attractions being proposed for nearby Bicester (the £300 million theme park from Puy du Fou and the Great Wolf development, for example) just strengthen Banbury’s position as an affordable, convenient location from which to explore the wider landscape.
For tourism developers, Banbury offers the rare opportunity to invest in a destination that already has strong fundamentals but hasn’t yet reached its full potential. Its position between major tourist hubs creates natural visitor flow, while its own attractions provide compelling reasons for extended stays.
The Light – cinema, eateries, bowling, mini golf, climbing wall and karaoke – on the canal.
Looking Forward
As the visitor economy continues to evolve, destinations that can offer authentic experiences while serving as strategic bases for wider exploration will become increasingly valuable. So, in advance of English Tourism Week 2025, we invite everyone to take a closer look at what Banbury – and towns like it, towns slightly in the shadow of nearby attention-grabbing neighbors – can offer to the future of English tourism.
Whether through investment in tourism infrastructure, promotion of local attractions, or development of new visitor experiences, Banbury is primed to step forward and play a larger role in England’s tourism landscape.
Fabulous Foodie is all tales from the kitchen, dives into food history and stuff we talk about when peckish.
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