History of Oxford, UK
@oxfordhistory.bsky.social
Anything relating to the history of the City of Oxford, including former suburbs such as Cowley and Headington, and sometimes touching on the University too (This is an unofficial account) https://www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
The top of the Norman tower at St Michael-at-the Northgate Church with its new handrail balustrade (planning permission 24/01668/FUL), and the the whole church in 1834, when the tower still had its battlements
November 17, 2025 at 1:48 PM
The top of the Norman tower at St Michael-at-the Northgate Church with its new handrail balustrade (planning permission 24/01668/FUL), and the the whole church in 1834, when the tower still had its battlements
James Stevens Curl, who completed his architectural qualifications at the Oxford School of Architecture and whose books included “The Erosion of Oxford”, died on 5 November 2025, aged 88. Here is his obituary in The Times: archive.ph/tuW5r
archive.ph
November 16, 2025 at 9:14 AM
James Stevens Curl, who completed his architectural qualifications at the Oxford School of Architecture and whose books included “The Erosion of Oxford”, died on 5 November 2025, aged 88. Here is his obituary in The Times: archive.ph/tuW5r
War memorials in Oxford (not all, but too many): www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/war/
War Memorials in Oxford
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
November 11, 2025 at 12:10 PM
War memorials in Oxford (not all, but too many): www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/war/
Some Oxford weather vanes: (1) Hertford College, with date of 1924 when they took over the octagonal chapel; (2) Indian Institute, with elephant; (3) Lloyds Bank, with sailing ship (continued ...)
November 4, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Some Oxford weather vanes: (1) Hertford College, with date of 1924 when they took over the octagonal chapel; (2) Indian Institute, with elephant; (3) Lloyds Bank, with sailing ship (continued ...)
Thirteen fine old houses were demolished to make way for the New Bodleian Library, and another two had their foundations damaged in the demolition process and were rebuilt as the present right-hand side of Blackwell’s. Here is a photograph taken from the Sheldonian Theatre showing some of them
November 4, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Thirteen fine old houses were demolished to make way for the New Bodleian Library, and another two had their foundations damaged in the demolition process and were rebuilt as the present right-hand side of Blackwell’s. Here is a photograph taken from the Sheldonian Theatre showing some of them
At matches held in the two cockpits in Holywell, the poor birds represented their counties. This advertisement is from the Gloucester Journal of 30 September 1754. There is more information on the two Holywell cockpits here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/holywell/mis...
October 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
At matches held in the two cockpits in Holywell, the poor birds represented their counties. This advertisement is from the Gloucester Journal of 30 September 1754. There is more information on the two Holywell cockpits here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/holywell/mis...
There are vacant buildings all over Oxford following the move of seven faculties and two institutes to the Schwarzman Centre. One of these is 34 St Giles’ Street, where a blue plaque remembers the builders Daniel Evans and Joshua Symm: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...
34 St Giles' Street, Oxford
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
October 22, 2025 at 9:29 AM
There are vacant buildings all over Oxford following the move of seven faculties and two institutes to the Schwarzman Centre. One of these is 34 St Giles’ Street, where a blue plaque remembers the builders Daniel Evans and Joshua Symm: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...
Today (19 October) is St Frideswide’s Day: she is the patron saint of the University, the City, and the Diocese of Oxford. Here is a post from Morris Oxford to celebrate her day: morrisoxford.co.uk/oxfem/
OxFem - Morris Oxford
morrisoxford.co.uk
October 19, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Today (19 October) is St Frideswide’s Day: she is the patron saint of the University, the City, and the Diocese of Oxford. Here is a post from Morris Oxford to celebrate her day: morrisoxford.co.uk/oxfem/
Here is the new sculpture of Dervorguilla of Galloway outside Balliol College's new buildings in St Cross Road. She was the wife of Sir John de Balliol and both played a large part in the foundation of the college. There is more information on her Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervorg...
October 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Here is the new sculpture of Dervorguilla of Galloway outside Balliol College's new buildings in St Cross Road. She was the wife of Sir John de Balliol and both played a large part in the foundation of the college. There is more information on her Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervorg...
There’s an article here from @oxfordclarion.bsky.social about the exciting discovery of Saxon walls at Speedwell House: oxfordclarion.uk/have-we-foun...
Have we found St Frideswide’s Priory?
An unexpected discovery at Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed new HQ could transform our understanding of Oxford’s history. Madeline Odent explains more…
Oxfordshire County Council received some u...
oxfordclarion.uk
October 8, 2025 at 2:59 PM
There’s an article here from @oxfordclarion.bsky.social about the exciting discovery of Saxon walls at Speedwell House: oxfordclarion.uk/have-we-foun...
Here are the four female statues over the entrance to the Taylorian that were sculpted by William Grinsell Nicholl in 1846. They represent Italian, French, German, and Spanish.
October 7, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Here are the four female statues over the entrance to the Taylorian that were sculpted by William Grinsell Nicholl in 1846. They represent Italian, French, German, and Spanish.
Reposted by History of Oxford, UK
“Well preserved” walls potentially dating back to Saxon times have been discovered in excavations at Speedwell House, the building just off St Aldates which is proposed as Oxfordshire County Council’s new HQ. As first reported by the Clarion, relocation plans are currently on hold after the find.
Plans to move Oxfordshire County Council’s HQ to Speedwell House, just off St Aldates, could be rethought after “a potentially significant archaeological find” at the site. OCC has recently sold County Hall for redevelopment as a hotel, meaning the council will need a new home from spring 2027.
October 6, 2025 at 2:23 PM
“Well preserved” walls potentially dating back to Saxon times have been discovered in excavations at Speedwell House, the building just off St Aldates which is proposed as Oxfordshire County Council’s new HQ. As first reported by the Clarion, relocation plans are currently on hold after the find.
Another piece of Oxford’s heritage is for sale: offers in excess of £850,000 are invited for the Grade II listed Cowley Road Methodist Church that was designed by Stephen Salter and built by Kingerlee in 1903: s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/agents-socie...
s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Another piece of Oxford’s heritage is for sale: offers in excess of £850,000 are invited for the Grade II listed Cowley Road Methodist Church that was designed by Stephen Salter and built by Kingerlee in 1903: s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/agents-socie...
Does anyone know what this "potentially significant archaeological find" at Speedwell House is? It could leave the county council that was planning to there homeless
Plans to move Oxfordshire County Council’s HQ to Speedwell House, just off St Aldates, could be rethought after “a potentially significant archaeological find” at the site. OCC has recently sold County Hall for redevelopment as a hotel, meaning the council will need a new home from spring 2027.
September 22, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Does anyone know what this "potentially significant archaeological find" at Speedwell House is? It could leave the county council that was planning to there homeless
This small plaque in the pavement outside the Saïd Business School remembers Oxford’s other railway station, built in 1851 (one year before the GWR one on the Botley Road). It was demolished to make way for the business school and rebuilt at Quainton in 2000 www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...
Rewley Road Station
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
September 17, 2025 at 9:08 AM
This small plaque in the pavement outside the Saïd Business School remembers Oxford’s other railway station, built in 1851 (one year before the GWR one on the Botley Road). It was demolished to make way for the business school and rebuilt at Quainton in 2000 www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...
New page with more information on Oxford's Black Assizes here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...
Black Assizes, Old County Hall, Oxford
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
September 16, 2025 at 8:08 AM
New page with more information on Oxford's Black Assizes here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...
Oxfordshire’s Old County Hall in New Road that houses the council chamber and coroner’s court has been sold (along with the adjacent modern block of offices) to L & G, who plan to turn the site into a hotel www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oxfordshire County Council HQ sale moves forward
The council has exchanged contracts with buyers on the County Hall building in Oxford.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 12, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Oxfordshire’s Old County Hall in New Road that houses the council chamber and coroner’s court has been sold (along with the adjacent modern block of offices) to L & G, who plan to turn the site into a hotel www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The City Church at Carfax was demolished in 1896 except for its medieval tower, but its bells still ring out. On Monday 8 September 2025 at 12 noon they rang to mark the third anniversary of the accession of King Charles III
September 10, 2025 at 10:15 AM
The City Church at Carfax was demolished in 1896 except for its medieval tower, but its bells still ring out. On Monday 8 September 2025 at 12 noon they rang to mark the third anniversary of the accession of King Charles III
Today is the Monday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (1 September), so it must be St Giles’ Fair: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/fair/
St Giles', Oxford
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
September 8, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Today is the Monday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (1 September), so it must be St Giles’ Fair: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/fair/
Nos. 32 and 33/33A St Giles’ have belonged to Blackfriars since 2018 but the ground-floor shops remain vacant. Here is a brief history of the occupants of these three old shops (which were combined to form a bank in 1977): www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...
32, 33, & 33A St Giles' Street, Oxford
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
September 5, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Nos. 32 and 33/33A St Giles’ have belonged to Blackfriars since 2018 but the ground-floor shops remain vacant. Here is a brief history of the occupants of these three old shops (which were combined to form a bank in 1977): www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...
There is an Archaeology Open Day at Hertford College on Saturday 6 September 2025, 10.30am–3.30pm, with a chance to look around the college chapel too: www.hertford.ox.ac.uk/event/archae...
Archaeology Open Day - Hertford College | University of Oxford
Step behind the hoardings and see history uncovered! On Saturday 6 September, Hertford’s main site will be open for visitors to view finds discovered by Oxford Archaeology during excavations for the C...
www.hertford.ox.ac.uk
August 26, 2025 at 7:08 AM
There is an Archaeology Open Day at Hertford College on Saturday 6 September 2025, 10.30am–3.30pm, with a chance to look around the college chapel too: www.hertford.ox.ac.uk/event/archae...
The Warneford Asylum/Hospital has been in Headington since 1826, but after 200 years its old buildings are likely to become a college of the University of Oxford. Here is its brief history, with details of the current planning application at the end www.headington.org.uk/history/list...
Warneford Hospital
www.headington.org.uk
August 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
The Warneford Asylum/Hospital has been in Headington since 1826, but after 200 years its old buildings are likely to become a college of the University of Oxford. Here is its brief history, with details of the current planning application at the end www.headington.org.uk/history/list...
For those who don’t know, the 1876 Street Plan of Oxford is incredibly detailed (but sadly does not include later suburbs). Click on the square you are interested in, and then on OK and Full Screen to see the layout of streets and houses
www.oxfordshirehistory.org.uk/public/maps/...
www.oxfordshirehistory.org.uk/public/maps/...
Ordnance Survey town plans of Oxford, 1876
Highly detailed plans of Oxford city, surveyed by the Ordnance Survey in 1876, at a scale of 1:500 or 10.56 feet to 1 mile
www.oxfordshirehistory.org.uk
August 22, 2025 at 8:28 AM
For those who don’t know, the 1876 Street Plan of Oxford is incredibly detailed (but sadly does not include later suburbs). Click on the square you are interested in, and then on OK and Full Screen to see the layout of streets and houses
www.oxfordshirehistory.org.uk/public/maps/...
www.oxfordshirehistory.org.uk/public/maps/...
This chronogram is over the entrance to St Edmund Hall in Queen’s Lane. Many people may not know what the year signifies even after deciphering this one, as it does not mark the college's foundation, so here is the solution: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...
St Edmund Hall
www.oxfordhistory.org.uk
August 18, 2025 at 7:21 AM
This chronogram is over the entrance to St Edmund Hall in Queen’s Lane. Many people may not know what the year signifies even after deciphering this one, as it does not mark the college's foundation, so here is the solution: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...
The builders who have obscured the street sign here have meticulously retained the historic hyphen in QUEENS-LANE. This is one of fifteen surviving street signs in Oxford where the hyphen shows that they date from the mid-nineteenth century: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/xtra...
August 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The builders who have obscured the street sign here have meticulously retained the historic hyphen in QUEENS-LANE. This is one of fifteen surviving street signs in Oxford where the hyphen shows that they date from the mid-nineteenth century: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/xtra...