Things to Do in Banbury – Attractions & Must See

Banbury Things to Do

As well as being the subject of a famous nursery rhyme, Banbury is a market town located in Oxfordshire. Take a look at some things that you should definitely do when you’re visiting the town of Banbury.

Banbury Cross

If you remember the old nursery rhyme about riding to Banbury Cross to see a fine lady on a white horse, you’ll definitely want to see the real Banbury Cross. The fine lady on a horse mentioned in the rhyme is a statue that’s meant to represent the Queen of May, and next to her is the Banbury Cross, which was put up in celebration of the wedding of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter.

People’s Park

The People’s Park is a hidden gem. To get to it, you’ll need to enter through an alleyway in the town center. For this reason, many tourists miss it entirely. However, it’s well worth seeing.

The People’s Park has a community nursery, sensory garden and rose garden to stroll through, as well as a bowling green, aviary, and cherry walk that you’ll definitely want to check out. This is where the Hobby Horse races take place during the first weekend of July, and there’s also an annual Remembrance Day event at the war memorial inside the park.

Old Town

It wouldn’t be a trip to a market town without visiting the market square. Old town is where you’ll find plenty of shops to browse in and pubs to socialize in. The market square is pretty and well-kept, and is often adorned with banners and other decorations.

Make sure to stop in Ye Olde Reine Deer Inn, the oldest pub in Banbury. Local history has it that during the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell made plans for the Battle of Edge Hill inside this historic pub.

Don’t leave Banbury without checking out these must-see attractions.

Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in Banbury.