Charlbury (, /ˈtʃɔːl-/, or /ˈtʃɔw-/, in the IPA) is a small northwest Oxfordshire town bordering the Cotswolds, England on a hill overlooking the Evenlode river and the Wychwood forest. Its church is by tradition associated with Saint Diuma, the first Bishop of Mercia, though the present building is 17th Century in date. On the outskirts of Charlbury is Lee Place, the former Dower House of Ditchley and now the summer home of the Duke of Marlborough; also Cornbury Park, a great 17th century house partly by architect Hugh May , the estate now owned by Lord Rotherwick.

The origin of the town's name is a matter of some dispute, with some holding it to relate to the name 'Charles' whilst others to the Old English word 'ceorl' (said /tʃɒrl/ meaning 'freeman of the lowest class' or such from which the Modern English word 'churl' (cf 'churlish', incidentally originally becoming derogatory as it came to mean lowly) derives. For this reason some hold the latter two pronunciations more valid than the former, and the current spelling incorrect, preferring 'Chorlbury'. Interestingly both the name 'Charles' and the word 'ceorl'/'churl' derive from the same Proto-Germanic root word /ˈkarilaz/ (reconstructed phonemic transcription) meaning 'old man', adding another twist to the dispute.

External link

• Town website

Summer home also of the Archbishop of Canterbury who, when resident on Sundays, worships at the local Parish Church.