The events of an important day in 1606 were re-enacted in Chipping Norton at the weekend as the town celebrated the 400th anniversary of the granting of its charter.

The charter, granted to the people of Chipping Norton by James I, gave the town some important privileges, including its first governing body.

Over the weekend The Theatre's youth group performed Unlawful Assembly, a play about the town's past, present and future staged as a promenade through the streets.

On Sunday, town councillors in costume took the roles of the bailiffs and burgesses who made up the governing body appointed in 1606, known as the Common Council, and re-enacted their procession from the Guildhall to St Mary's Church.

The charter document itself has been loaned to the Chipping Norton Museum from the Oxfordshire archives until the end of the month, and forms the centrepiece of a special exhibition is being held until October.

Deputy mayor Gina Burrows, who is organising the celebrations, said: "They've done some research into the people who were the bailiffs and burgesses of the town, the sort of jobs they had and how they lived, and there's a lot of information about what people were like then and what the big issues of the day were.

"It's also about England in 1606 and 1607, and the different issues that concerned people then. The granting of the charter and the right to incorporate was significant for the town and the birth of local government.

"The town had a charter to hold a fair in the 13th century, but this was more important because it meant that the town, although not exactly self-governed these people were appointed, not elected had its own government, and it was a privilege."

The charter gave the town a number of important privileges the creation of the Common Council, a seal featuring a castle which is still being used in a slightly different form today, the right to hold property and the right to issue bylaws.

Many English towns and cities were incorporated in the 16th and 17th centuries, giving townspeople independence from the lords of local manors who ruled in the medieval period.

The exhibition runs at the museum in High Street until October 28, and is open from 2-4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

Other events being held throughout the year include concerts at St Mary's Church on May 26 and 27, a beer festival at the rugby club on Saturday, June 17, and the inaugural Chipping Norton Games on July 15 and 16.

The Chipping Norton Charter Lectures are being held throughout October.

For the full list of events, visit www.chippingnorton.net/ charter400.htm