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Olney is a traditional market town in the north of Buckinghamshire, positioned almost exactly halfway between Northampton and Milton Keynes. It sits within a loop of the River Great Ouse, surrounded by flat, open grazing land that often floods in winter, creating a distinct boundary between the town and the surrounding countryside. The heart of the place is the exceptionally wide High Street, lined with ironstone and brick buildings that reflect its history as a major stopping point on the old coaching routes. Most people know it for the annual pancake race, a tradition dating back to 1445, or its association with John Newton and William Cowper, who wrote the *Olney Hymns* here in the 18th century. Practical life tends to revolve around the weekly Thursday market and the independent shops that still dominate the town centre. While it has grown with several modern estates on its fringes, it manages to keep a quiet, self-contained character, largely because it has avoided the rapid urban expansion seen in nearby towns.