Old Ordnance Survey Maps of Oxfordshire

This page summarises the local government organisation of Oxfordshire since 1889.

  • Oxfordshire County Council was formed in 1889, and in 1894 a network of boroughs, urban district and rural district councils was formed across the county.
  • Oxfordshire had three Municipal Boroughs dating back to 1836 (or earlier): Banbury, Chipping Norton, and Oxford. Henley-on-Thames became a Municipal Borough in 1882, and Woodstock in 1886. Oxford, which has been a City since 1542, became a County Borough in 1889.
  • From 1894 there were also five Urban Districts: Bicester, Caversham, Thame, Wheatley, and Witney Urban Districts. Caversham UDC was absorbed by Reading County Borough in 1911. Wheatley UDC was abolished in 1932 and absorbed by Bullingdon RDC. Headington became an Urban District in 1927 but only lasted until 1929 when it was absorbed by the City of Oxford. Urban Districts had similar powers to Municipal Boroughs but lacked the right to elect mayors or aldermen.
  • From 1894 there were also 11 Rural District Councils covering the areas outside the major towns, but these had less powers. Initially most RDCs were based on the Unions, met at the Workhouse, and had the Guardians serving as councillors. These were: Banbury, Bicester*, Chipping Norton, Crowmarsh*, Culham*, Goring*, Headington*, Henley, Thame*, Wheatley, and Woodstock* Rural Districts.
  • There was reorganisation in 1932 when the RDCs marked * were abolished. Goring was absorbed by Henley RDC and the others were largely absorbed by two new Rural Districts, Bullingdon RDC and Ploughley RDC.
  • In 1974 major reorganisation saw significant areas of Berkshire transferred to Oxfordshire. These included Abingdon Municipal Borough, Wantage Urban District, Abingdon Rural District, Faringdon Rural District and part of Wantage Rural District, which became the new Vale of White Horse District; and much of Wallingford Rural District which became part of the new South Oxfordshire District.
  • Oxfordshire became a two-tier administration with a County Council and 5 Districts. These were: City of Oxford, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse, and West Oxfordshire.

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