West Oxfordshire

West Oxfordshire sits in the west of Oxfordshire in South East England, stretching across river valleys and upland limestone typical of the Cotswolds AONB. The River Windrush and the Evenlode run through the district, meeting a network of smaller streams and mill sites. Principal towns include Witney, Chipping Norton, Carterton, Burford, Charlbury and Woodstock, with a pattern of market squares, parish churches and surrounding farmland. Roads and rail links connect to the wider county without crossing into the city of Oxford inside the district boundaries.

Local industry and community life still reflect older trades alongside modern uses: Witney kept a blanket-making trade for centuries, its Blanket Hall museum recording that line of manufacture. Carterton lies close to RAF Brize Norton, the United Kingdom’s main air transport hub, which shapes employment and transport patterns. Agriculture, light manufacturing and visitor services around rivers and hill villages form much of the local economy. The district council is based in Witney, and town councils and parish councils manage many local services and events.