Oxfordshire, Banbury, Town centre, Redevelopment, Castle Precinct, Mill Lane, Bridge Street, Buildings, Oxford Canal, Archaeological excavations 

A development scheme involving so a large a proportion of an historic market town such as Banbury has inevitable repercussions for its very considerable surviving archaeological and historic resource. It presents both a challenge and an opportunity; on the one hand to minimise the destructive impact of such a scheme, and on the other to maximise the potential for enhancing this resource. The objectives of this assessment were: (1) present an outline of the character and potential of the historic resource; (2) some estimation of the implications and appropriate responses which might be adopted relative to the current design and development proposals; (3) an assessment of the potential for developing and enhancing the information to be gained, and the means whereby its dissemination can be effected to the benefit of the local community and future researchers alike.

The report which follows is set out with these objectives in mind, and concludes with a summary of the resource potential and principal recommendations for its conservation and presentation as appropriate.