Banbury is a market town in north Oxfordshire, close to the Warwickshire border and the edge of the Cotswolds. It is best known for the nursery rhyme that sends a fine lady to Banbury Cross, but the stronger travel reason is the mix of canal history and excellent country houses within a short drive.
The town centre is workaday in places, so do not come expecting a perfect Cotswold showpiece. Banbury is more useful and lived-in than pretty. Still, the Oxford Canal gives it a distinct thread, with Tooley's Boatyard preserving one of Britain's old working canal yards beside the museum and shopping centre.
Banbury makes most sense as a one-day base for Broughton Castle, Upton House, the canal, and a quick look at Banbury Cross. It clears the World66 bar narrowly: not because the town is spectacular, but because the nearby anchors add up to a satisfying day.