Chipping Norton is a town in Oxfordshire, England, located 18 miles (29 km) north west of Oxford. It is the highest town in the county. Popular with tourists who use it as a gateway to the Cotswolds, Chipping Norton is a lively town that services a wide number of surrounding villages, continuing the tradition that gave it its name. The "Chipping" in Chipping Norton means market, revealing the town's past importance as a commercial centre for the Evenlode valley. In mediaeval times, the Cotswolds were one of the wealthiest parts of England due to the production of wool. At that time, Chipping Norton grew in importance. Many of the mediaeval buildings built as a result remain in the town centre, adding to its character. There are also many buildings dating from the 18th century. The town was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, it retained its status as a municipal borough until 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 made it a successor parish within the district of West