Chipping Norton is a market town and civil parish in the Cotswold Hills in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire, England, regarding 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Banbury and also 18 miles (29 kilometres) northwest of Oxford. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 6,337. The town has its own theatre. The structure began life as a Salvation Army Citadel, with the first rocks, now visible in the auditorium, being stocked 1888. It proceeded for some years as a furniture storage facility, before being uncovered by 2 Royal Shakespeare Firm actors, Tamara as well as John Malcolm in 1968. In 1973, fundraising for the new theatre started in earnest, and a pantomime, Beauty and the Beast was staged in the town hall. The Theatre was opened in 1975 by Tom Baker, the Doctor Who of the moment, starting with a light program consisting of movies as well as lunchtime jazz concerts. The adjoining home was purchased as well as transformed to become the bar and also gallery. In 1990 a structure in Goddards Lane was bought as well as this currently serves as green room, offices as well as practice session room. The community also is a retail as well as leisure centre for its location, with three supermarkets as well as countless shops consisting of branches of nationwide chain stores. It has 4 pubs as well as 2 hotels with public bars. The town has 3 colleges. Holy Trinity Roman Catholic College and St Mary's Church of England School are primary schools. Chipping Norton School is the community's senior high school and also has a 6th form.