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156

OXFORD.

OXFORDSHIRE.

w ith a d m ir a tio n of a c i t y w h e re le a r n in g rea rs h e r h ead
a m id so m u c h s u r r o u n d in g s p le n d o u r.
T h e H ig h s t r e e t of O x fo rd , a noble th o ro u g h fa re
2,540 feet in le n g th an d 85 fe e t b ro ad at it s w id e s t pa rt,
is a d m ire d n o t o n ly fo r it s e x te n t, b u t for th e g r a c e fu l
c u r v a tu r e of it s c o u rs e a n d th e n u m b e r of p u b lic b u ild ­
in g s , in v a r io u s s t y le s of a r c h it e c tu r e , w ith w h ic h it is
a d o rn ed . A t C a r fa x (p o p u la rly d e riv ed fro m “ q u a tre
v o ie s ,” L a t . “ q u a d r iv iu m ,” fo u r w a y s ), th e fo u r p r in c i­
p a l stre e ts of th e c i t y , v iz ., th e H ig h s t r e e t , C o r n m a r k e t
s t r e e t (c o n tin u e d in to S t . G ile s ' s t r e e t ), S t . A ld a te 's
s t r e e t an d Q u e e n s tr e e t , c o n v e rg e to a c e n tre .
C a rfa x
co n d u it, a q u a d r a n g u la r s t r u c tu r e of s in g u la r an d ela b o ­
ra te d e s ig n , e re c te d in 1610 b y O tho N ich o lso n , a
s tu d e n t of C h r is t C h u rc h , at a co st of £ 2 ,5 0 0 , fo rm e rly
sto o d a t th e ju n c tio n of th e se fo u r s t r e e t s , b u t w as
ta k e n do w n in 178 7 and p re s e n te d to G e o rg e S im o n ,
2nd E a r l H a rc o u rt, w h o r e - e r e c te d it in N u n e h a m P a r k ,
w h e re it s t ill stan d s.
T h e C o rp o ra tio n o f O x fo rd ra n k s a m o n g th e m ost
an c ie n t in the k in g d o m , and is m en tio n e d in th e S ax o n
C h ro n icle in 1013 in a s so cia tio n w ith t h a t of L o n d o n , to
th e p r iv ile g e s of w h ic h it s o w n c lo s e ly co rre sp o n d e d .
T h e m a y o r of O x fo rd h olds th e r ig h t of b e in g ro yal
b u tle r at th e co ro n a tio n of E n g lis h so v e re ig n s, an office
c re a te d b y H e n ry I . in 1128 and co n firm e d b y R ic h a rd
I. C h a r te r s w e re g ra n te d to O x fo rd b y H e n ry I I . K in g
J o h n , 1 1 9 9 ; H e n ry I I I . in 12 5 7 ; E d w a rd I. in 13 0 1;
a n d b y J a m e s I. in 1605, t h is la-st b e in g th e chaTteT
u n d e r "w hich th e c i t y of O x fo rd w as g o v e rn e d p re v io u s
to th e p a s s in g of t h e “ M u n icip a l C o rp o ratio n s A c t ,’’
S e p t. 1835 (5 and 6 W m . I V . c. 76 ).
In a c c o rd a n c e w it h th e “ O x fo rd C o rp o ra tio n A c t,
1890,” a n d b y L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t B o a rd O rd e r of 1889,
m a d e in p u r s u a n c e of se c tio n s 52 a n d 54 of th e “ L o c a l
G o v e r n m e n t A c t, 1888,” an d se c tio n 297 of th e “ P u b lic
H e a lth A c t , 18 7 5 ,” an d s u b s e q u e n tly co n firm e d b y A c t
of P a r lia m e n t, t h e b o u n d a r ie s of th e c it y w ere ex te n d e d
so as to in c lo s e b o th t h e e x is t in g c it y an d th e sanitaT y
d is tr ic t , w it h a d jo in in g p o rtio n s of th e r u r a l s a n ita ry
d is tr ic t s of th e H e a d in g to n an d A b in g d o n u n io n s, th e
w h o le a re a b e in g d e c re e d w ith in th e c ity an d m a d e a
c o u n ty d is tr ic t , a n d th e c i t y , t h u s e x te n d e d , m a d e a
c o u n ty b o r o u g h , an d a t th e sa m e tim e th e are a of th e
c o u n ty o f O x fo rd w as a lt e r e d so as to c o m p rise su ch
p o rtio n o r p o rtio n s of th e c o u n ty o f B e rk s as a r e in ­
c lu d e d w ith in t h e e n la rg e d b o u n d a rie s o f th e c ity . T h e
c o u n ty b o r o u g h is n o w d iv id e d in to n o rth , so u th , ea st
an d w e st w a rd s, in p la c e of th e five w a rd s p r e v io u s ly
e x is t in g , an d co m p ris e s 15 p a rish e s.
T h e co u n cil of th e c o u n ty b o ro u g h , u n d e r t h e sa m e
O r d e r , now c o n s ists of 45 c o u n cillo rs, of w h o m 36 are
electe d b y t h e c ity and 9 b y th e U n iv e r s it y ; and also of
15 a ld e rm e n , 12 ch osen b y th e co u n cillo rs and ald e rm en
re p r e s e n tin g th e c itiz e n s , an d 3 b y th e co u n c illo rs and
a ld e rm e n re p re se n tin g th e U n iv e r s it y ; t h e w h o le m u n i­
cip al b o d y th u s co n s ists of 60 p erso n s, o n e-fifth b e in g
r e p r e s e n ta tiv e s of th e U n iv e r s it y . T h e o fficers of the
b o ro u g h are a M a y o r, H ig h S t e w a r d , R e c o r d e r , S h e riff
an d C o n s e r v a to r of P o r t M ead o w an d th e F is h e r ie s , a
T o w n C le r k , C i t y S o lic ito r (w h o is also co ro n e r and
c le r k of th e p ea ce fo r th e c i t y ) , C i t y E n g in e e r , C ity
E s ta t e s S u r v e y o r . M e d ic a l O ffice r, C i t y A c c o u n ta n t,
t h re e A u d it o r s , C o lle c t o r, S a n ita r y In s p e c to r, M a y o r’ s
S e r g e a n t, a n d o th e r o fficers. T h e L o c a l B o a rd , e s ta b ­
lis h e d in O x fo rd a b o u t 1864 u n d e r t h e L o c a l G o v e r n ­
m e n t A c t, 1858, ce ase d to e x is t 9 N o v . 1889, a n d all its
p r o p e r tie s , p o w ers, d u tie s a n d l ia b ilit ie s h a v e been
tra n s fe r r e d to t h e n e w c o rp o ra tio n , w h ic h now a c ts
t h r o u g h its sp e c ia l c o m m itte e s as th e U rb a n S a n ita r y
A u th o r ity an d also as a B u r ia l B o a rd , a n d h a s in th e
sa m e w a y a s su m e d th e c o n tro l o f th e m a r k e t , p r e v io u s ly
v e s te d in o r a tta c h e d to th e U n iv e r s ity o r th e M a rk e t
C o m m itt e e , a lt h o u g h th e U n iv e r s ity s t ill c o n tin u e s to
a p p o in t tw o c le r k s of th e m a r k e t.
B y L o c a l G o v e rn m e n t B o a rd O rd e r N o. 31,930, S t.
A ld a te c iv il p a ris h w as e x te n d e d to in c lu d e t h a t p a rt
of S o u th H in k s e y c iv il p a ris h in O x fo rd co u n ty b o ro u g h .
B y L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t B o a rd O rd e r N o. 31,868, C o w le y
S t. Jo h n c iv il p a ris h w as e x te n d e d to in c lu d e th e p a rts
of H e a d in g to n an d M a rsto n in O x fo rd co u n ty b o ro u g h .
T h e w a te r w o rk s fo r th e s u p p ly o f O x fo rd a re a m o n g
th e m o st a n c ie n t in th e k in g d o m , h a v in g bee n firs t
e s ta b lis h e d in th e re ig n of J a m e s I. T h e o rig in a l w ell
h o u se a t H in k s e y , 2 m ile s so u th - w e s t of O x fo rd , still
e x i s t s ; fro m t h a t p o in t th e w a te r, w h ic h flo w ed in to
t h e c is te r n in th e w e ll h o u se fro m th e a d ja c e n t s p rin g s ,
w as c o n v e y e d b y 3 -in ch lead pip es in a d ire c t lin e to th e
c i t y , a n d p a ssin g acro ss th e field s, u n d e r th e Isis , clo se
to th e p r e s e n t G r e a t W e s te rn r a ilw a y b r id g e , t h r o u g h
th e F r ia r s an d u p S t . A ld a te ’ s, te rm in a te d at th e co n d u it
a t O a rfa x , e re c te d , as a lre a d y m en tio n e d , b y O th o N ic h o l­

[ k E L l y ’j

son. T h e d e m a n d fo r w a t e r c o n tin u in g to increase,
w a te r w h eel and s u b s e q u e n tly a s te a m en g in e were place!5
a t th e b o tto m of I s is s tr e e t, and w a te r from the river
w as s u p p lie d ; b u t a m u c h la r g e r and purer sunp]v
b e c o m in g n e c e s s a ry , th e w o rk s w ere rem o v ed in 1854 t0
H in k sey , w h e re e x te n s iv e e x c a v a tio n s in th e gravel had
a llo w ed of th e a c c u m u la tio n of a la r g e quantity 0[
n a tu ra lly filtere d w a te r , w h ic h , w hen p u m ped out,- Was
c o n tin u a lly rep len ish e d b y fre sh q u a n titie s of under,
g ro u n d w a te r flo w in g in. T h e s e w o rk s have been en!
la rg e d Irom tim e to tim e , th e m o s t im p ortan t addition
b e in g t h a t of a co v e re d h ig h le v e l s e rv ic e reservoir and
n ew filte r in g b ed s h o ld in g
m illio n gallons, con.
s t r u c te d in 1885, u n d e r th e O x fo rd (C o rpo ratio n ) 'Water
W o rk s A c ts , 1875 a n d 1885 (38 V ie t . c. 41 and 45
V ie t. c . 2 4). T h e m a in s u p p ly is , h o w e v e r, now obtained
fro m th e r iv e r I s is a t K i n g ’s w e ir, a b o u t 4 m iles above
O x fo rd ; th e w a t e r b e in g c o n v e y e d b y g r a v ita tio n throur-b
2 4 -in ch c a s t iro n p ip e s to th e H in k s e y p u m p in g statitTn,
H in k s e y , so t h a t th e w a t e r fro m th e la k e before men­
tio n e d is o n ly o cc a sio n a lly u sed . D u r in g 1890 a large
a d d itio n w as m a d e to th e p u m p in g m achinery. in
1892-3 th e in t a k e a t K in g ’ s w e ir w as reconstru cted and
im p ro v e d b y d r e d g in g an d o th e r o p era tio n s, and in
1896-7 a n o th e r new en g in e w as e re c te d capable oi
d e liv e r in g 2,000 g a llo n s p e r m in u t e in to th e Headington
h ig h le v e l re s e rv o ir.
D u r in g th e p e rio d 1899-1903 the
m ain s w e re e x te n d e d to Iffle y , L itt le m o r e , Cowley, Nen
M arsto n an d U p p e r W o lv e rc o te , so t h a t those villages
are now s u p p lie d fro m th e w o r k s ; and in 1902-3 an
e x te n sio n w as m a d e to H e a d in g to n , in v o lv in g the con­
s tru c tio n of a s u b s id ia r y p u m p in g statio n , a high-level
re s e rv o ir an d 7^ m ile s of m ain s. In 1905 th e works at
H in k s e y w e re e x te n d e d b y th e co n stru ctio n of an ad­
d itio n a l filte r b ed and a p u re w a te r reserv o ir, and the
s to ra g e a t H in k s e y is now 1,000,000 g allo n s, in addition
to th e w a t e r in th e la k e .
T h e su p p ly is constant
a n d of t h e b e s t q u a lity . M r. W . H . W h ite M.Inst.C.E.
is t h e e n g in e e r . T h e c i t y is s u p p lie d w ith gas from
w o rk s in G a s s tr e e t, th e p r o p e r ty of a com pany estab­
lis h e d in 1888 ; a n d sin ce 1892 h a s also been furnished
w it h th e e le c tr ic lig h t b y th e O x fo rd Electric Co.
L i m i t e d ; th e p r in c ip a l s tr e e ts a re now lighted by
e le c t r ic it y , a n d th e n u m b e r of l ig h t s connected to the
m a in s is n o w e s tim a te d to b e 150,000. T h e generating
sta tio n is a t O s e n e y , a n d th e re a re 19 su b-stations. The
m a in d r a in a g e of th e c i t y w a s c a r r ie d o u t between the
y e a r s 1873 a n d 1880, b u t , o w in g to th e later exten­
sions of th e c i t y an d it s co n s ta n t g r o w th , la rg e additions
h a v e b ee n an d s t ill co n tin u e to b e m a d e . T he sewage
is c o n v e y e d b y g r a v it a t io n to a p u m p in g station at
L itt le m o r e , 3 m ile s fro m O x fo rd , w h en c e it is pumped
t h r o u g h a r is in g m a in , i § m ile s in len g th , to a farm
an d t h e r e u tilis e d .
T h e t o t a l a re a of th e land there
b e lo n g in g to th e c o rp o ra tio n is 996 a c re s, of which 439
are u n d e r w id e ir r ig a tio n a n d 42 a c re s are laid out in
in t e r m itt e n t filtr a tio n b e d s. D u r in g re c e n t years, by
a r r a n g e m e n ts w ith th e R u r a l D is t r ic t Councils, the
se w a g e of H e a d in g to n , C o w le y , Iffle y , N ew Marston and
a p o rtio n of th e p a rish of W o iv e rc o te h a s been connected
w ith th e O x fo rd se w e rs ; th e e n g in e e r of the works was
M r. W illia m H e n ry W h it e M .I n s t.C .E .
M an y m e e tin g s of P a rlia m e n t are recorded to bare
ta k e n p la c e at O x fo rd , t h e la s t of w h ic h w as in th>* ifign
of C h a rle s I I . , in M a r c h 1680 -1. T h e c ity regularly sent
tw o m e m b e rs to P a r lia m e n t fro m th e reig n of Edward I
u n til th e p a ssin g of th e R e d is trib u tio n of Seats Act,
1885, b y w h ic h th e re p re se n ta tio n w as reduced to one
m e m b e r ; th e r ig h t of ele c tio n is defined b y the Reform
A c t. and th e m a y o r is th e re tu r n in g officer. By the
B o u n d a ry A c t, 1868, th e P a r lia m e n ta r y lim its were ex­
ten d e d and n o w in c lu d e th e re m a in d e r of th e parishes of
S t . C le m e n t and S t . G ile s, n o t th en in th e municips
b o ro u g h , a n d also p a rts of C o w le y , Headington, Inley
and M arsto n , -with S o u th H in k s e y (B erk s).
O x fo rd h a s c o n fe rre d th e t it le of e a rl on the families
o f d e V e r e an d H a r le y ; th e fo rm e r earldom became ex­
tin c t on th e d e a th o f A u b r e y d e V e re , 20th Ear 0
O x fo rd , 12 M a rc h , 17 0 2 ; an d t h e la t te r on the deatb 0
A lfr e d , 6 th E a r l, 19 J a n . 1853.
THE

SEE

OF

OXFORD.

T h e see of O x fo rd c o n s titu te d p a rt of the diocese of
L in co ln u n til th e y e a r 1542, w h en H e n ry VIH . ereCyer
it in to a b is h o p ric, w ith a ju r is d ic tio n extending 0
th e e n tir e c o u n ty of O x fo rd , w h ic h h e endowed xvith ^
e s ta te s o f th e d isso lve d m o n a s te rie s of Osenej 3
A b in g d o n , a s s ig n in g a t th e sa m e tim e th e abbey cnu
of Q s e n e y as a c a th e d ra l to th e dio cese, which now _
elu d e s also th e tw o n e ig h b o u rin g co u nties of B t w
and B u c k in g h a m s h ire .
T h e g r e a t A ugustinian •' ^
of O sen ey, situ a te d in th e w estern suburbs 0