The Charter was granted to the town by King James 1 on June 28 1608, and a host of events have been organised throughout 2008 to celebrate the anniversary.

You can view the planned diary of events for the year by clicking here.

Banbury's history goes back to Anglo-Saxon times.

An earlier charter from Queen Mary in 1554 had officially established Banbury as a town, but this charter devolved further power from the crown to the town, for 'the better government of the borough'.

The charter gave Banbury for the first time:

- A Mayor, with more power than the preceding role of Baliff.

- A Town Clerk, and a greater number of officials with enhanced responsibilities.

- Authority to the 'Common Council' to make local by-laws and create taxes.

- The right to have a gaol (The mayor was also the keeper of the gaol)

- The power to punish all drunkards and 'others of immoderate behaviour'.

- The right to have gallows to hang people.

While many aspects of the charter deal with law and order, it also granted:

- A weekly Wool Market for the benefit of the poor.

- A weekly Horse Market.

- Two new fairs.

- The founding of a hospital for the relief of the poor.

King James 1 is perhaps best known as the intended target of Guy Fawkes in 1605 and for commissioning a new translation of the Bible in 1611, still known as the 'King James' Bible.

The Town Charter is on loan from the Oxfordshire Record Office and can be viewed in Banbury Museum throughout the year.

For further details on the Charter and other Banbury Town Council events, click here.