Wallingford is a historical market town and also civil parish situated to the south of Oxford on the River Thames in England. Historically located in the county of Berkshire, it was moved to Oxfordshire for the functions of management in 1974. Wallingford is situated 12 miles (19 km) north of Reading, 13 miles (21 kilometres) south of Oxford and also 11 miles (18 km) north west of Henley-on-Thames. The community's population was 11,600 in the 2011 census. The community has actually played a vital role in English background starting with the abandonment of Stigand to William the Conqueror in 1066, which brought about his taking the throne and the creation of Wallingford Castle. The castle as well as the community delighted in royal condition as well as grew for much of the Middle Ages. The Treaty of Wallingford, which ended a civil war known as The Anarchy in between King Stephen as well as Empress Matilda, was signed there. The town after that got in a period of decrease after the arrival of the Black Death as well as falling out of favour with the Tudor monarchs before being gotten in touch with once again throughout the English Civil War. Wallingford held up as the last continuing to be Royalist stronghold in Berkshire before giving up after a 16-week siege. Fearing that Wallingford Castle could be made use of in a future uprising, Oliver Cromwell ordered its destruction. Since then Wallingford has ended up being a market town and centre of local commerce. At the centre of the town is a big competitive market square with the battle memorial as well as 17th century arcaded city center to the south, the Corn Exchange theatre to the eastern and also various search the sides. Off the square there are alleys and also roads with more shops and a number of historical inns. Although it was a small town, Wallingford once had 14 churches; currently, there are 3 old churches within the Church of St Mary-le-More and St Leonard, a contemporary Roman Catholic church, a Quaker Meeting House dating from 1724 as well as Baptist, Methodist and also area churches.