Banbury


Planning your visit

Address: The Mill Arts Centre, Spiceball Park, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 5QE View on Google map

Price: Once you're parked up, it won't cost you a thing

Toilets: At the nearby shopping centre

At the Oxford Canal in Banbury you'll find the oldest working dry dock in Britain. Tooley's Boatyard, now a schedule ancient monument, has been building and repairing narrowboats since 1790.

It's where you can stock up on canal souvenirs, or learn a canal-related crafts like painting roses and castles. Tooley's is also where you can get on the water by taking a boat trip.

A few minutes' stroll from the canal is the centre of this historic market town, and the famous Banbury Cross (yes, there really is one). And why not treat yourself to an equally famous Banbury Cake? If you're up for a longer walk, you can take the towpath alongside the Oxford Canal to Cropredy, four miles away. You're almost certain to spot moorhens, mallards and perhaps even a shy water vole.

For those who can't resist retail therapy, the shopping centre is a stone's throw away. Also worth a visit is The Mill Arts Centre, a multi arts venue which hosts live music, theatre, family theatre shows, a gallery space, workshop sessions, conference room spaces and a café and bar.

Things to do and see

Places to eat:

Boat trips:

Wildlife spotting:

The canal is a green ribbon running through the town, get out and see some great local wildlife and experience nature close at hand

Getting here

By car - Castle Quay Car Park in the shopping centre

By train - Banbury Station is just a three minute walk to the canal side

By boat - there are some visitor moorings and a few permanent moorings plus some boat services available (as well as Tooley's of course!)

Local events