Buckingham, United Kingdom

The town is centred on the historic market place and contains many 18th-century buildings. There are three main roads crossing Buckingham, namely the A413, the A421 (the southern bypass) and the A422. Capability Brown's historic formal garden design at Stowe, on the A422 westbound, is an important attraction in the care of the National Trust.

There is a medieval well, known as St Rumbold's Well, on the south side of the dismantled railway which borders the town. The well, which is now dry for much of the year, was positioned to exploit the spring line below the crest of a north-facing slope overlooking the town.

Suburbs of Buckingham include Mount Pleasant, Page Hill, Bourton, Badgers, Linden Village, Castle Fields, Tingewick Road Estate and Lace Hill. Maids Moreton, a village on the north-eastern borders of the town has become contiguous with the Buckingham urban area. Nearby settlements include Winslow, Bicester, Brackley, Milton Keynes and Silverstone. Local villages in the immediate vicinity include Padbury and Gawcott to the south, Chackmore to the north and Shalstone to the north-west. It is also near to Stowe, the location of Stowe House, Stowe Gardens and Stowe School.

There is a degree confluence point on the edge of the town, at exactly 52°00′00″N 01°00′00″W.

The town is home to a number of industrial estates and technology parks housing high tech companies in the pharmaceutical, electronic, foods and composite materials fields, including Racelogic and Wipac.

Buckingham was home to the Thomas Rickett steam car, an innovative vehicle from 1860, though considered ahead of its time and only two are thought to have been made.

Most retail outlets are located in the town centre, with a variety of independent stores, cafes and restaurants, as well as national chains. The Hidden Quarter, located mainly in Well Street and Bridge Street, hosts a number of independent retailers. There are two banks in the town centre.

Buckingham's historic street market has been in the town for over 600 years; it dates from the Charters granted by Queen Mary in 1554 and Charles II in 1664, giving the markets a unique heritage.

Street markets are held every Tuesday and Saturday. Regular and casual market traders offer a wide variety of products, including fish, fruit, vegetables, award-winning bread, household goods, tools, flowers and clothes. There is a flea market held every Saturday on the site of the town's former cattle pens, offering a wide selection of antiques, collectables and jewellery.

Buckingham Old Gaol is the town's museum which was established in 1993 in the historic town centre Old Gaol building. It also houses temporary exhibitions and the Tourist Information Centre.

The Chandos Cinema was in operation from 1934 and closed in 1987 but, in 2005, an independent community cinema opened in the university called the Film Place. Live music events are regularly held in the Radcliffe Centre.

A library is located in the town centre, operated by Buckinghamshire County Council. The town is home to numerous clubs and associations, including the Buckingham Society, a civic amenity society linked with Civic Voice, a large University of the Third Age (U3A) with over 900 members, and many music, photography and arts clubs.

The town holds an annual charter fair. It is held in October over two successive Saturdays starting on the first Saturday after the 11th of the month. During the 19th century it was called the Statute Fair. The public roasting of an ox, sheep and pig often took place at the same time.

The town is home to the University of Buckingham, the oldest of the UK's six private universities. Like other UK universities, a large proportion of its students are from overseas.

The Buckinghamshire Council operates the Tripartite System of state secondary education. The local state secondary schools are the Royal Latin School (a grammar school) and the Buckingham School (a secondary modern). Stowe School and Akeley Wood School, just outside the town, are private schools.

There are four primary schools: one a community school and the other three academies, serving different areas of the town. Buckingham Primary School is the community primary and the three academies (Bourton Meadow Academy, George Grenville Academy and Lace Hill Academy) are all operated by Campfire Education Trust.