Continuing on my retracing posts from our time in England, on Sunday July 6th we made a short drive through Shipston-on-Stour to Banbury.
The town of Banbury in Oxfordshire dates back much further than the nursery rhyme dedicated to it.
When our three children were babes we would recite this nursery rhyme to them while bouncing them on our knees. It brings back such good memories that when I found out this statue was erected in Banbury we decided it was worth the trip to see it.
Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross to See a Fine Lady Upon a White Horse
With Rings on Her Fingers
And Bells on Her Toes
She Shall Have Music Wherever She Goes
Nowadays the only cross gracing Banbury lies at the intersection of four major roads – those to Oxford, Warwick, Shipston-on-Stour and the High Street, which leads to the shopping area and the old heart of the town. It was erected in 1859 to commemorate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa to Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia on 25th January 1858. It stands 52feet 6inches high to the top of its gilt cross and is of a neo-Gothic design. Originally six niches for statues were planned, but this was later reduced to three.
It was fun to learn all about the history surrounding this nursery rhyme and the town of Banbury.
We walked around town, had some lunch and picked up some sweet treats to take back to the cottage.
The sweet treats weren’t from this Olde Sweet Shoppe but from a bakery in town…
B is for Banbury, Banbury Cross, Bells and Baked goods!
This was a timely post featuring the letter B so I’m linking up with ABC Wednesday which was begun by Mrs. Nesbitt and continues on with the help of the ABC team.
Speaking of B, the bathroom renovators arrived this morning to begin the finish work on our bathroom remodel. In 10 to 12 days it should all be done and we will be done with the construction zone mode and back to our quiet home mode until the next project.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
I love this, Ellen! I used to bounce my little boys on my knees to this sing-song rhyme, too. How fun to see the statue!
Oh this is a nursery rhyme so many know well, but I had no idea the significance of it or that Banbury Cross was a real place. Beautiful statue! Oh you’ll be so happy when the renovations are finished.
Oh, Ellen – what a great post. I am so glad I am able to have a few moments to “tour” England with you. Thanks for sharing all the details… those baked goods make me really hungry!!
How fun it was to learn about the nursery rhyme’s background. Thanks a bunch! I knew nothing of all of this. Fun!
Farm Gal in VA
Good history lesson…and very yummy looking tarts!
Hi Ellen, so nice to meet you 🙂 this is a beautiful town and I loved all your photos. I was particularly taken with that amazing statue. I will enjoy coming back.
Thank you for visiting my blog post about my father in laws D-Day trip back to Normandy. I know he will enjoy reading your very sweet comments. He experienced nothing but the greatest respect and kindness from the French people. It was incredibly heartwarming.
May we all “have music wherever we go”!
Lovely to see this statue & all details. Thanks for sharing 🙂
So very interesting Ellen!!! You definitely missed your calling – you should be a tour guide. I think you should give Rick Steves a call and sign up!
Charming, beautiful, tasty – depending on the photo!
ROG, ABC Wednesday
What a wonderful post, – this nursery rhyme is so entrenched in our memories and it is lovely to see photos of the statue of the fine lady upon a white horse!!!! And all the flowers and bells that have been incorporated into it. Thanks so much….
The statue is certainly graceful in so many ways, even to the flower petal about to fall from her upraised hand.
Ellen this post makes me want to go visit Banbury! I must admit I never committed the first bit of the nursery rhyme to memory, only “With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she will have music wherever she goes”. Now I know the whole rhyme, enjoyed your post very much!
I also enjoyed this post very much. The nursery rhyme is fun and the statue is beautiful.
Wil. ABCW Team.
Oh I love this! I had a lovely personal tour with a friend from Oxfordshire of the city of Oxford and intend to return one day. I will ask her to take me there!
Leslie
abcw team
Lovely post Ellen, of course the Nursery Rhyme is a staunch favourite here in England sister lived in Banbury for a while so we used to visit a lot, and wonder at the amazing statue.
Most interesting post I really enjoyed reading it.
best Wishes,
Di.x
Interesting post and beautiful pictures !
Gattina
ABC Team
Terrific post with info that I’ll be able to remember♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/bumblebee-5/
That rhyme was in one of my books as a child. 🙂
I like the explanation of the symbolism in the statue, looks a nice place to potter around suitably sustained with sweet treats. Looks like they used an Eleanor Cross design for the marriage commemoration, always interesting to see Victorian recreations of those.
Delightful!
My brother used to live in Banbury, but I never visited him there. It looks like an interesting city and I love the “fine lady”. What a beautiful statue and so interestingly depicting the nursery rhyme.
What a beautiful statue! The details are delightful.
Lovely narrative. I was born and raised in Banbury and miss it soooo much.
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