Bicester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  Map sources for Bicester at grid reference SP5822
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Bicester (IPA: [ˡbɪstə]) is a town in the Cherwell district of north-eastern Oxfordshire in England, with a population of 28,672 (2001 census).
It is currently one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire. This growth has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to Oxford, Birmingham and London. It is close to Banbury, Kidlington, Brackley, Buckingham, Oxford, and Witney.
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[edit] History
Bicester has a history going back to Saxon times, and was recorded in the Domesday book. The name Bicester, deriving from the earlier forms Berncestre, Burencestre, Burcester, Biciter and Bissiter, means "The Fort of the Warriors" (the John Speed map of 1610 shows no less than four alternative spellings). The ruins of the Roman settlement of Alchester and the remains of an Augustinian priory lie 1.5 miles south-west of Bicester. It is Bernecestre in Phillimore and Co Ltd translation of the Doomsday book. Bicester could also be translated quite literally from Latin to mean "The 2 forts" from Bi-cester.
Although Bicester is believed to have been established by the west Saxons in the sixth century the first authentic reference to it is in the Norman Domesday Book survey of 1086 when it is recorded as Berencestra, its two manors of Bicester and Wretchwick being held by Robert d'Oily who built Oxford Castle. By the thirteenth Century two further manors are mentioned, Bury End and Nuns Place, later known as Market End and Kings End respectively. The latter was acquired in 1584 by the Coker family. The Lord of the manor of Market End was the Earl of Derby who, by the end of the sixteenth century, had leased it to the inhabitants together with the market rights.
[edit] Modern-day Bicester
[edit] Twinning
The town is twinned with Neunkirchen-Seelscheid near Bonn and Cologne in Germany and also with Canton des Essarts in the Vendée, between Nantes and Bordeaux in France.
[edit] Military links
The town has a long-standing connection to the military. The British Army's largest ordnance depot - the Central Ordnance Depot of the Royal Logistic Corps (formerly the Royal Army Ordnance Corps) - is located just outside the town. The depot has its own internal railway system, the Bicester Military Railway. There is also a former Royal Air Force station, now Bicester Airfield.
[edit] Social infrastructure
- Rail links
The town has two railway stations: Bicester North and Bicester Town. Bicester North is served by Chiltern Railways train services between London (Marylebone) and Birmingham (Snow Hill). Bicester Town has a branch line service to Oxford and Islip.
- Schools
Bicester is home to two secondary schools: Bicester Community College (BCC) and The Cooper School. There are also a number of primary schools (including Southwold Primary) in the locality.
- Shopping
Bicester is also the location of the retail outlet Bicester Village Shopping Centre and a small and a larger Tesco store. There is a much larger Tesco in nearby Aylesbury.
[edit] Trivia
- The trilogy Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson was based in the north east of Bicester. Some of the books' plot was set in the nearby villages of Juniper Hill, Hethe, Cottisford and Fringford.
- The charity Oxfam has its emergency warehouse within Bicester.
[edit] External links
- Bicester Town web portal
- OX26.info - Bicester Information
- TheCollinsHouse.com - Bicester links to local info, travel & maps.
