Wallingford
Wallingford is a historic market community as well as civil parish situated to the south of Oxford on the River Thames in England. Historically located in the area of Berkshire, it was moved to Oxfordshire for the purposes of management in 1974. Wallingford is situated 12 miles (19 km) north of Reading, 13 miles (21 kilometres) south of Oxford as well as 11 miles (18 kilometres) north west of Henley-on-Thames. The town's population was 11,600 in the 2011 census. The community has actually played a crucial role in English history starting with the abandonment of Stigand to William the Conqueror in 1066, which resulted in his taking the throne and the creation of Wallingford Castle. The castle as well as the community enjoyed royal standing and also prospered for much of the Middle Ages. The Treaty of Wallingford, which ended a civil war referred to as The Anarchy between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, was signed there. The town then entered a duration of decrease after the arrival of the Black Death and falling out of favour with the Tudor monarchs before being gotten in touch with once again during the English Civil War. Wallingford held out as the last continuing to be Royalist stronghold in Berkshire prior to surrendering after a 16-week siege. Fearing that Wallingford Castle could be made use of in a future uprising, Oliver Cromwell got its destruction. Ever since Wallingford has ended up being a market town and also centre of local business. At the centre of the community is a huge free market square with the war memorial and also 17th century arcaded city center to the south, the Corn Exchange theatre to the east as well as numerous shops around the edges. Off the square there are alleys and also roads with even more stores as well as a variety of historical inns. Although it was a village, Wallingford as soon as had 14 churches; now, there are 3 ancient churches within the Church of St Mary-le-More as well as St Leonard, a contemporary Roman Catholic church, a Quaker Meeting House dating from 1724 and also Baptist, Methodist and community churches.