Coordinates: 51°56′N 1°33′W / 51.94°N 1.55°W / 51.94; -1.55

Chipping Norton
Chippy
Almshouses in Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton  Chipping Norton shown within Oxfordshire
Population	5,972 (2001 census)[1]
OS grid reference	SP309269
- London	74.5 miles (119.9 km)
Civil parish	Chipping Norton
District	West Oxfordshire
Shire county	Oxfordshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Chipping Norton
Postcode district	OX7
Dialling code	01608
Police	Thames Valley
Fire	Oxfordshire
Ambulance	South Central
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Witney
Website	Chipping Norton Town Council
List of places: UK • England • Oxfordshire

Chipping Norton is a market town in the Cotswold Hills in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire, England, about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Banbury.

History until the 17th century[link]

The Rollright Stones, a stone circle 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of Chipping Norton, is evidence of prehistoric habitation in the area.

The town's name means 'market north town', with "Chipping" (from Old English cēping) meaning 'market'. It is not clear what the original Saxon settlement was north of, but John Blair, Professor of Medieval History and Archaeology at the University of Oxford, suggested in 2000 at a lecture in Chipping Norton Town Hall that Charlbury to the south, now a smaller town, was in Anglo-Saxon times a more important minster town and that Chipping Norton's "nor-" prefix refers to this geographical and pastoral relationship with Charlbury.

Chipping Norton began as a small settlement at the foot of a hill on which stand the motte-and-bailey Chipping Norton Castle. Only the earthworks of the castle remain.

The parish church of St. Mary the Virgin was built on the hill next to the castle. Parts of the present building may date from the 12th century.^[2] It certainly retains features from the 13th and 14th centuries.^[3] The nave was largely rebuilt in about 1485 with a clerestorey in the Perpendicular style.^[4] This rebuilding is believed to have been funded by John Ashfield, a wool merchant, making St. Mary's an example of a "wool church".^[4] The bell tower was rebuilt in 1825^[2][5] and has a peal of eight bells.^[6]

In the Middle Ages wool production made the Cotswolds one of the wealthiest parts of England. Many of the mediaeval buildings built in the town as a result of that trade still survive. It became the new centre of the town and remains so today. There is still a weekly market every Wednesday and the "Mop Fair" in September. In 1205 a new market place was laid out higher up the hill.

Later, sheep farming was largely displaced by arable, but agriculture remained important in this part of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Many of the original houses around the market place were rebuilt in the 18th century with fashionable Georgian frontages.

An inscription on the almshouses records that they were built in 1640 as "The work and gift of Henry Cornish, gent".^[7]

History from the 18th century onwards[link]

In 1796 James and William Hitchman founded Hitchman's Brewery in West Street. In 1849 the business built a larger brewery in Albion Street that included a malthouse and its own water wells. Three generations of Hitchmans ran the brewery, but in 1890 Alfred Hitchman sold the business as a limited company. The new company grew by buying other breweries in 1891 and 1917. In 1924 it merged with Hunt Edmunds of Banbury, and in 1931 Hunt Edmunds Hitchmans closed the brewery in Chipping Norton.^[8]

Other industries in the town included a wool mill (see below), a glove-making factory, a tannery and an iron foundry.

Chipping Norton had a workhouse by the 1770s. In 1836 the architect George Wilkinson built a new, larger workhouse. It had four wings radiating from an octagonal central building, similar to Witney workhouse, which also was built by Wilkinson. The architect G. E. Street added a chapel to Chipping Norton workhouse in 1856–57. It ceased to be a workhouse in 1929 and became a hospital in the Second World War. The National Health Service took it over in 1948, making it Cotshill Hospital which later served as a psychiatric hospital. The hospital was closed in 1983.^[9] and has since been redeveloped as private residences.

Chipping Norton Town Hall

Chipping Norton was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. The borough built its neoclassical town hall in 1842.

Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church is also neoclassical. It was built in 1836 by the architect John Adey Repton, a grandson of the English garden designer Humphry Repton.

The Chipping Norton Railway opened in 1855, linking the town with Kingham on the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway.^[10] In 1887 a second railway opened, linking Chipping Norton to the Oxford and Rugby Railway at King's Sutton, and the CNR became part of the resulting Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway. Extending the railway from Chipping Norton involved digging a tunnel 685 yards (626 m) long^[11] under Elmsfield Farm to the west of the town.

In May 1873, rioting took place following the conviction and sentencing of the Ascott Martyrs, sixteen local women accused of trying to interfere with strikebreakers at a farm.

In 1951, British Railways withdrew passenger services between Chipping Norton and Banbury. In 1962 BR closed Chipping Norton railway station and withdrew passenger services between Chipping Norton and Kingham. In 1964 BR closed the B&CDR to freight traffic, and thereafter dismantled the line. The disused railway tunnel is now bricked up at both ends to prevent access, both for people's safety and to protect any bats that may roost inside. (See Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981)

Bliss Mill, on the western side of the town, was built as a tweed mill in 1872. In 1913 to 1914 the millworkers struck for eight months. The mill closed in 1980 and has since been converted into flats. It remains a local landmark, clearly visible from Worcester Road.

The town lost its status as a municipal borough in 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 made it a successor parish within the district of West Oxfordshire.

Government[link]

Chipping Norton lies in the constituency of Witney. David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the leader of the Conservative Party, is the Member of Parliament for Witney. The town is part of the South East England constituency for the European Parliament. The town is represented by two Conservative councillors and one Labour councillor in the district council, making it the least Conservative part of David Cameron's constituency. ^[12]

Notable residents[link]

This list includes notable persons who were born or have lived in Chipping Norton.

• Ronnie Barker, resident after retirement from show business in 1987.
• Rebekah Brooks, former editor of The Sun newspaper and former chief executive of News International.
• Geoffrey Burbidge, astronomy professor.
• Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear presenter, journalist and writer.
• James Hind, highwayman born 1616 and executed for high treason in 1652.
• Conroy Maddox, surrealist painter resident 1929–33.
• Janice Meek, World record holding ocean rower.
• Wentworth Miller, American actor who was born there.
• Keith Moon, The Who drummer once owned the Crown and Cushion Hotel in High Street.
• Dominic Sandbrook, historian.
• Charles Stewart Parnell, leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party attended school in the 1850s.^{[citation needed]}
• Reverend Edward Stone, discoverer of aspirin, was a curate in the town.
• Rachel Ward, actress.
• Elizabeth Jane Weston, Neo-Latin poet also known as Westonia born 1581.

Some current famous residents of the town and its local area, including David Cameron whose constituency home is in nearby Dean, are commonly referred to as the "Chipping Norton set" by the British media.^[13]

Chipping Norton Recording Studios[link]

The British Schools building at 28/30 New Street, formerly home to Chipping Norton Recording Studios.

Between 1972 and 1999, Chipping Norton Recording Studios existed in the old British Schools building on New Street. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty, "In The Army Now" by Status Quo, "Too Shy" by Kagagoogoo, "I Should Have Known Better" by Jim Diamond, "Perfect" by Fairground Attraction, "I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight" by Cutting Crew and "Bye Bye Baby" by the Bay City Rollers were all recorded in this internationally acclaimed studio. Duran Duran, Marianne Faithfull, Wet Wet Wet, Jeff Beck, Barbara Dickson, Alison Moyet, The Supernaturals, Radiohead, Nektar and XTC were also clients.

Amenities[link]

The town is a retail and leisure centre for its area, with a supermarket and numerous shops including branches of a number of national chain stores. It has a number of public houses and a theatre.^[14]

The town has three schools. Holy Trinity Roman Catholic School^[15] and St Mary's Church of England School^[16] are primary schools. Chipping Norton School^[17] is the town's secondary school and has a sixth form.

Chipping Norton Golf Club is the oldest in Oxfordshire. The course was started in 1890 on Chipping Norton Common.^[18]

Chipping Norton Rugby Union Football Club^[19] first XV plays in the Southern Counties North League and was the league champion for the 2007–2008 season. Chipping Norton Town Football Club^[20] used to play in the Hellenic Football League premier division. Chipping Norton Town Cricket Club plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association Division 6. The town also has a bowls club.^[21]

Chipping Norton has a Women's Institute,^[22] and a Rotary Club.^[23]

Transport[link]

Until 1963 Chipping Norton was served by Chipping Norton railway station, the current nearest station is Banbury railway station.

See also[link]

• RAF Chipping Norton

References[link]

Sources[link]

• Sherwood, Jennifer; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1974). The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire. Harmondsworth: Books Penguin. pp. 536–541. ISBN 0-14-071045-0. 
• Volkin, Michael (Ed.), (2000). Nuffield Advanced Chemistry Students Book. London: Longman. ISBN 0-582-32835-7. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire

• Chipping Norton Town Partnership
• Chipping Norton – 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article.
• Chipping Norton Literary Festival
• Chipping Norton at the Open Directory Project

v t e The District of West Oxfordshire Oxfordshire • County Council elections • District Council elections • Witney County Constituency Towns Burford (Signet, Upton) • Carterton • Charlbury • Chipping Norton (Southcombe) • Witney (Cogges, Madley Park) • Woodstock (Hensington, Old Woodstock) Large Villages Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney (Aston, Cote, Shifford, Chimney) • Bampton (Lower Haddon, Weald) • Brize Norton • Ducklington • Enstone (Church Enstone, Neat Enstone, Chalford, Cleveley, Fulwell, Gagingwell, Lidstone, Radford) • Eynsham (Barnard Gate) • Freeland • Hailey (New Yatt) • Hanborough (Church Hanborough, Long Hanborough) • Milton-under-Wychwood • Minster Lovell • North Leigh (East End, Wilcote) • Shipton-under-Wychwood • Standlake (Brighthampton) • Steeple Barton (Middle Barton) • Stonesfield Other Civil Parishes (Component Villages and Hamlets) Alvescot • Ascott-under-Wychwood (Ascott d'Oyley, Ascott Earl) • Asthall (Asthall Leigh, Worsham) • Black Bourton • Bladon • Blenheim • Broadwell • Bruern • Cassington (Worton) • Chadlington • Chastleton • Chilson (Shorthampton) • Churchill and Sarsden • Clanfield • Combe • Cornbury and Wychwood (Cornbury, Wychwood) • Cornwell • Crawley • Curbridge and Lew • Fawler • Fifield • Filkins and Broughton Poggs (Filkins, Broughton Poggs) • Finstock • Fulbrook • Glympton • Grafton and Radcot (Grafton, Radcot) • Great Tew • Hardwick-with-Yelford (Hardwick, Yelford) • Heythrop (Dunthrop) • Holwell • Idbury (Bould, Foscot) • Kelmscott • Kencot • Kiddington with Asterleigh (Asterleigh, Kiddington, Over Kiddington) • Kingham • Langford • Leafield • Little Faringdon • Little Tew • Lyneham • Northmoor • Over Norton • Ramsden (Mount Skippett) • Rollright (Great Rollright, Little Rollright) • Rousham • Salford • Sandford St. Martin (Ledwell) • Shilton • South Leigh • Spelsbury (Dean, Taston) • Stanton Harcourt • Swerford • Swinbrook and Widford (Swinbrook, Widford) • Tackley • Taynton • Westcott Barton • Westwell • Wootton (Dornford, Hordley) • Worton (Nether Worton, Over Worton) Former Districts and Boroughs Chipping Norton Rural District • Municipal Borough of Chipping Norton • Witney Urban District • Witney Rural District • Municipal Borough of Woodstock • Woodstock Rural District Former Constituencies Oxfordshire County Constituency • Woodstock Borough Constituency • Mid Oxfordshire or Woodstock County Constituency • Banbury County Constituency • Henley County Constituency • Mid Oxfordshire County Constituency List of Parliamentary constituencies in Oxfordshire • List of places in Oxfordshire • List of civil parishes in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire
200px Coat of arms of Oxfordshire Flag of Oxfordshire
Motto of County Council: Sapere Aude ('Dare to be Wise')[1]
Geography
Status	Ceremonial and non-metropolitan county
Region	South East England
Area - Total - Admin. council	Ranked 22nd 2,605 km2 (1,006 sq mi) Ranked 19th
Admin HQ	Oxford
ISO 3166-2	GB-OXF
ONS code	38
NUTS 3	UKJ14
Demography
Population - Total () - Density - Admin. council	Ranked 35th 648,700 249 /km2 (640 /sq mi) Ranked 17th
Ethnicity	95.1% White 1.7% S. Asian
Politics
Oxfordshire County Council http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk
Executive	Conservative
Members of Parliament	Tony Baldry (C) David Cameron (C) Nicola Blackwood (C) John Howell (C) Andrew Smith (L) Ed Vaizey (C)
Districts
Oxford Cherwell South Oxfordshire Vale of White Horse West Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire ( /ˈɒksfərdʃər/ or /ˈɒksfərdʃɪər/; archaically the County of Oxford; abbreviated Oxon from the Latinised form of "Oxford", Oxonia) is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire (to the north/northeast), Buckinghamshire (to the east), Berkshire (to the south), Wiltshire (to the southwest) and Gloucestershire (to the west).

The county has major education and tourist industries. The area is noted for the concentration of performance motorsport companies and facilities. Oxford University Press is the largest firm among a concentration of print and publishing firms; the University of Oxford is also linked to the concentration of local biotechnology companies.

The main centre of population is the city of Oxford. Other significant settlements are Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, and Chipping Norton to the north of Oxford; Witney to the west; Thame and Chinnor to the east; and Abingdon, Wantage, Didcot, Wallingford and Henley-on-Thames to the south. Future population growth in the county is hoped^{[clarification needed]} to be concentrated around Oxford, Banbury, Bicester, Didcot and Witney, near the South Midlands growth area.

The highest point of the administrative county is White Horse Hill, in the Vale of White Horse, reaching 261 metres (856 ft).^[2] The highest point in the historic county is near Portobello Farm in the Chiltern Hills at 255 metres.

Oxfordshire's county flower is the Snake's-head Fritillary.

History[link]

Oxfordshire was formed as a county in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the land between the River Thames to the south, the Cotswolds to the west, the Chilterns to the east and the Midlands to the north, with spurs running south to Henley-on-Thames and north to Banbury.

Historically the area has always had some importance, since it contains valuable agricultural land in the centre of the county. Ignored by the Romans, it was not until the formation of a settlement at Oxford in the eighth century that the area grew in importance. Alfred the Great was born across the Thames in Wantage in Berkshire. The University of Oxford was founded in 1096, though its collegiate structure did not develop until later on. The university in the county town of Oxford (whose name came from Anglo-Saxon Oxenaford = "ford for oxen") grew in importance during the Middle Ages and early modern period. The area was part of the Cotswolds wool trade from the 13th century, generating much wealth, particularly in the western portions of the county in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Morris Motors was founded in Oxford in 1912, bringing heavy industry to an otherwise agricultural county. The importance of agriculture as an employer has declined rapidly in the 20th century though; currently under one percent of the county's population are involved due to high mechanisation.

Throughout most of its history the county was divided into fourteen hundreds, namely Bampton, Banbury, Binfield, Bloxham, Bullingdon, Chadlington, Dorchester, Ewelme, Langtree, Lewknor, Pyrton, Ploughley, Thame and Wootton.

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, the main army unit in the area, was based at the Barracks on Bullingdon Green, Cowley.

The Vale of the White Horse district and parts of the South Oxfordshire administrative district south of the River Thames were historically part of Berkshire, but were added to the administrative county of Oxfordshire in 1974. Conversely, the Caversham area of Reading was historically part of Oxfordshire as was the parish of Stokenchurch, now administratively in Buckinghamshire.

Economy[link]

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Oxfordshire at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.

Politics[link]

Oxfordshire County Council, currently controlled by the Conservatives, is responsible for the most strategic local government functions, including schools, county roads, and social services The county is divided into five local government districts: Oxford, Cherwell, Vale of White Horse (after the Uffington White Horse), West Oxfordshire and South Oxfordshire, which deal with such matters as town and country planning, waste collection, and housing.

Education[link]

Oxfordshire has a completely comprehensive education system with 23 independent schools and 35 state schools. The state schools are from the ages of 11 to either 16 or 18. Only eight schools do not have a sixth form; these are mostly in South Oxfordshire and Cherwell districts.

The county has two universities, significantly the University of Oxford and also Oxford Brookes University, both located in Oxford. Oxfordshire also has Wroxton College, located in Banbury, which is affiliated with Fairleigh Dickinson University of New Jersey.

Buildings[link]

The "dreaming spires" of the buildings of the University of Oxford play a large contribution in Oxford being the sixth most visited city in the United Kingdom for international visitors^[7]. Notable University buildings include the Sheldonian Theatre, built 1664–1668 to the design of Sir Christopher Wren, and the Radcliffe Camera, built 1737–1749 to the design of James Gibbs.

Blenheim Palace close to Woodstock was built by the great architect John Vanbrugh for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, after he had won the battle of Blenheim. The gardens, which can be visited, were designed by the landscape gardener "Capability Brown", who planted the trees in the battle formation of the victorious troops. In the palace, which can also be visited by the public, Sir Winston Churchill was born in 1874.

Chastleton House, on the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire borders, is a great country mansion that was built on property bought from Robert Catesby, who was one of the men involved in the Gunpowder Plot with Guy Fawkes. Stonor Park, another country mansion, has belonged to the recusant Stonor family for centuries.

Mapledurham House is an Elizabethan stately home in the far south-east of the county, close to Reading.

Settlements in Oxfordshire[link]

• Abingdon (in Berkshire until 1974)
• Banbury
• Bicester
• Burford
• Carterton
• Charlbury
• Chipping Norton
• Didcot (in Berkshire until 1974)
• Faringdon (in Berkshire until 1974)
• Henley-on-Thames
• Kidlington
• Oxford
• Thame
• Wallingford (in Berkshire until 1974)
• Wantage (in Berkshire until 1974)
• Watlington
• Witney
• Woodstock

Settlements by population[link]

Places of interest[link]

Key
	Abbey/Priory/Cathedral
	Accessible open space
	Amusement/Theme Park
	Castle
	Country Park
	English Heritage
	Forestry Commission
	Heritage railway
	Historic House
	Museum (free/not free)
	National Trust
	Theatre
	Zoo

• Abingdon County Hall Museum^[8] – housed in a 17th century County Hall building
• National Trust Ashdown House – 17th century country house in the Lambourn Downs
• Ashmolean Museum - Oxford University's museum of art and archaeology
• Banbury Museum, Banbury
• Bicester Village
• Blenheim Palace and garden – UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Broughton Castle – 14th century fortified manor house
• National Trust Buscot Park, Buscot – 18th century country house and landscape garden
• Champs Chapel Museum of East Hendred – village museum in a 15th century Carthusian chapel
• Charlbury Museum
• National Trust Chastleton House – 17th century country house (limited access)
• Chiltern Hills – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway – operated with steam and diesel locomotives
• Chipping Norton Museum [1]
• Cholsey and Wallingford Railway
• Cogges Manor Farm Museum, Witney – a living museum of country life
• Combe Mill Museum,[2] Long Hanborough – working museum of stationary steam engines
• Cotswold Wildlife Park and garden, Bradwell Grove, Holwell
• Cotswolds – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Didcot Railway Centre – museum of the Great Western Railway
• Dorchester Abbey, Dorchester-on-Thames – 12th century church of former Augustinian abbey
• National Trust Great Coxwell Barn – 14th century Tithe barn
• National Trust Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys – 16th century country house
• Hampton Gay Manor – ruins of 16th century manor house (no website)
• Harcourt Arboretum, Nuneham Courtenay
• Heythrop Hall – 17th century country house: now a hotel, golf & country club
• Hook Norton Brewery – working Victorian "tower" brewery that offers guided tours
• Kelmscott Manor – Home of William Morris
• Mapledurham Estate – 16th century country house and 15th century watermill
• Milton^{[disambiguation needed ]} Manor House – 18th century country house [3]
• Minster Lovell Hall – dovecote and ruins of 15th century manor house
• Museum of Bygones, Claydon – private museum including stationary steam engines
• North Wessex Downs – Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Oxford
• Oxford Bus Museum and Morris Motors Museum, Long Hanborough
• Oxford Canal – 18th century "narrow" canal
• The Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock
• The Ridgeway
• River and Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames
• River Thames
• Rollright Stones – megalithic stone circle and Whispering Knights burial chamber, near Little Rollright
• Rousham House – 17th century country house and landscape garden
• Rycote chapel – 15th century chapel with original furnishings
• St Katharine's church, Chiselhampton – 18th century parish church with original furnishings (no website, limited access)
• St Mary's church, Iffley – 12th century Norman parish church [4]
• Shotover Country Park, Headington
• Spiceball Country Park, Banbury
• Stanton Harcourt manor house (limited access), with garden and 15th century chapel and Pope's Tower (no website)
• Stonor House – country house and 14th century chapel of the recusant Stonor family
• Swalcliffe Tithe Barn – 15th century
• Thame Museum [5]
• Tolsey Museum, Burford (no website)
• Uffington White Horse, Uffington Castle and Wayland's Smithy burial chamber in the White Horse Hills
• Wallingford Museum
• Wheatley Windmill – 18th century tower mill [6]

See also[link]

Oxfordshire portal

• Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
• High Sheriff of Oxfordshire
• Oxford University (including links to the individual colleges).
• Oxford Canal
• Dr. Thomas Hinde, born in Oxfordshire and personal physician to Patrick Henry.

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Philip Powell – The Geology of Oxfordshire (Dovecote Press, 2005) ISBN 1-904349-19-6

External links[link]

Look up Oxfordshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Oxfordshire

• Oxfordshire County Council
• Thisisoxfordshire Oxfordshire news, sport & information
• The Oxfordshire Association
• Flags of Oxfordshire
• Visit South Oxfordshire
• Banbury & District National Trust Association
• Oxfordshire at the Open Directory Project

Neighbouring counties

	Warwickshire	Warwickshire, Northamptonshire	Northamptonshire
	Gloucestershire		Buckinghamshire
		Oxfordshire    East
	Wiltshire	Berkshire	Berkshire

v t e Districts of South East England Berkshire Bracknell Forest Reading Slough West Berkshire Windsor and Maidenhead Wokingham Buckinghamshire Aylesbury Vale Chiltern Milton Keynes South Bucks Wycombe East Sussex Brighton and Hove Eastbourne Hastings Lewes Rother Wealden Hampshire Basingstoke and Deane East Hampshire Eastleigh Fareham Gosport Hart Havant New Forest Portsmouth Rushmoor Southampton Test Valley Winchester Isle of Wight Isle of Wight Kent Ashford Canterbury Dartford Dover Gravesham Maidstone Medway Sevenoaks Shepway Swale Thanet Tonbridge and Malling Tunbridge Wells Oxfordshire Cherwell Oxford South Oxfordshire Vale of White Horse West Oxfordshire Surrey Elmbridge Epsom and Ewell Guildford Mole Valley Reigate and Banstead Runnymede Spelthorne Surrey Heath Tandridge Waverley Woking West Sussex Adur Arun Chichester Crawley Horsham Mid Sussex Worthing

Coordinates: 51°45′N 1°17′W / 51.75°N 1.28°W / 51.75; -1.28

Mary Portas aka Mary Queen of Shops (born 28 May 1960),^[1] is an English businesswoman, retail expert, and broadcaster, best-known for her retail and business related television shows, and most recently for her appointment by the British prime minister to lead a review into the future of Britain's high streets.