Chipping Norton

Chipping Norton — known locally as Chippy — is one of the highest towns in Oxfordshire and the main market town of the northern Cotswolds fringe. It sits at the crossroads of several important routes, giving it a character that feels more like a proper working town than the more tourist-oriented villages of the central Cotswolds. The name derives from the Old English 'ceap', meaning market, reflecting its long history as a trading centre for the surrounding agricultural district.

The town is dominated by its fine parish church, St Mary the Virgin, whose large Perpendicular tower and grand interior reflect the medieval wool wealth that built this corner of England. Below the church, the market place is flanked by handsome Georgian buildings and a distinctive row of almshouses, while the old Bliss Tweed Mill on the edge of town — a remarkable Victorian mill with a chimney disguised as a domed tower — now converted into apartments, stands as a reminder of the town's industrial past.

The Chipping Norton Theatre is one of the best small regional theatres in England, with a programme of professional touring productions, live music and cinema throughout the year. The town has a lively independent food and drink scene, a good Saturday market, and a selection of independent shops that have given it a reputation as one of the more self-sufficient small towns in the Cotswolds fringe. The surrounding countryside offers excellent walking across the open wolds and into the nearby Evenlode valley.