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Description
Wallingford, an old market town, is set in the Upper Thames Valley.
Situated on the longest lock-free stretch of the Thames, it is a natural
river-users centre with excellent opportunities for boating, fishing and
walking.
Wallingford is steeped in history and is one of the oldest boroughs in
England to be granted a charter, in 1155 in fact. Once Wallingford was
one of the prime towns in the country, housing the mint and an enormous
royal castle, the ruins of which can still be seen. Further back in its
history Wallingford was a Roman town and before that an Anglo-Saxon
settlement. The Museum which is in a medieval half timber-framed house,
displays a thousand years of the town's rich and magnificent history.
Nowadays the town has a thriving regular Friday Market. The Lamb Arcade,
once an old coaching inn, is now divided into individual stalls filled
with interesting antiques and crafts. The historic city of Oxford is
within easy reach providing endless possibilities for sightseeing and
leisure activities - including shopping, and with more than 600 listed
buildings in the centre square mile alone makes it a must for the
tourists itinerary.
Also within easy travelling distance is Henley-on-Thames, famous for
it's Regatta in July. At other times Henley is still interesting to
explore and enjoy its plethora of tea rooms and antique shops.
Boating has always been a popular pastime, if not an obsession, in this
part of the world and there are many places at which boats can be hired
during the Summer, either in the immediate area or a little further
afield at Abingdon, Oxford or Reading.
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