Buckingham (/ˈbʌkɪŋəm/ BUK-ing-əm) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census.

Buckingham and the surrounding area has been settled for some time with evidence of Roman settlement found in several sites close to the River Great Ouse, including a temple south of the A421 at Bourton Grounds which was excavated in the 1960s and dated to the 3rd century AD.

[6] The first settlement was located around the top of a loop in the River Great Ouse, presently the Hunter Street campus of the University of Buckingham.

Between the 7th century and the 11th century, the town of Buckingham regularly changed hands between the Saxons and the Danes, in particular, in 914 King Edward the Elder and a Saxon army encamped in Buckingham for four weeks forcing local Danish Viking leaders to surrender.

[6] Buckingham is mentioned in the Burghal Hidage, a document commonly ascribed to the early tenth century, but more probably of the period 878–9, which describes a system of forts set up by King Alfred (d.899) over the whole of the West Saxon kingdom.

The current Georgian architecture on these streets today is a consequence of the fire, but the immediate aftermath was difficult for the town.

These include the Grade I listed Castle House on West Street, which dates back to the 15th century.

[16] He is now most often referred to as St Rumbold,[17] the latter being the most common, as it can be found being used on a local road name and recent booklets about the subject.

Capability Brown's historic formal garden design at Stowe (on the A422 westbound) is an important attraction in the care of the National Trust.

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.

Maids Moreton, a village on the north eastern borders of the town has become contiguous with the Buckingham urban area.

Nearby (10 miles radius) settlements include Winslow, Bicester, Brackley, Milton Keynes and Silverstone.

It is now an integral part of the town of Buckingham, with a road and old mill named Bourton still visible to visitors.

At the 2011 Census, the population of the Buckingham built-up area, which includes Maids Moreton but excludes Lace Hill, was 12,890.

[1] The population of the Buckingham civil parish (which excludes Maids Moreton but includes Lace Hill) was 12,043.

[20] 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 is located in the town centre with a variety of independent stores, cafes and restaurants as well as national chains.

Regular and casual market traders offer a wide variety of products, including fish, fruit and veg, 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.

An inter-city coach service, the X5, links the town to both Bedford (via Milton Keynes) and Oxford (via Bicester).

[24] Buckingham had a railway station on the Banbury to Verney Junction Branch Line, which opened in 1850 and closed to passengers in 1964 and freight in 1966.

The new East West rail link will have a stop at nearby Winslow, scheduled to start running by the end of 2025.

[33] The town's tourist attractions include the Chantry Chapel, the Buckingham Old Gaol museum, the Sir George Gilbert Scott designed St.Peter & St Paul Church and a number of picturesque Georgian streetscapes.