Kellys_Berks_Bucks&Oxon_1915_0951.jpg

OXFORDSHIRE.

d i r e c t o r y .]

•count o f the p la g u e in L ond on, h e ld h is C o u rt and
Parliament at O x fo rd in 1625, an d on 27 A u g . 1629, ca m e
with his Q u ee n H e n r ie tta , a n d a g a in 29 A u g . 1636, w ith
Charles, e lec to r p a la tin e , and his b ro th e r R u p e r t. D u r„0 more than fo u r y e a r s and u p to A p ril, 1646, C h a s. I.
frequently resided in O x fo rd , a lw a y s a t C h ris t C h u rc h ,
aI1,i was o ccasio n ally jo in e d b y the Q u ee n , w h o se a p a rt­
ments were a t M erto n , a sp e c ia l p r iv a te w a y b ein g
formed betw een th e tw o co lle g e s fo r th e u s e of th eir
Majesties. T h ro u g h o u t th e C iv il W a r th e c ity a d h ere d
to the ro yal ca u s e, an d e v e n t u a lly s u rre n d e re d to th e
Parliam entary forces o n ly b y o rd er o f th e K in g , 18 M ay,
J04O. In ld > 6
^ - a d re b ro k e o u t in th e stre e t now
called “ G eo rg e s t r e e t ,” an d , s p re a d in g so u th w a rd s, d e s­
troyed 320 ho u ses betw een C o rn m a rk e t and N e w Inn
Hall street. C h a rle s I I . v is ite d O x fo rd tw ice , in O ct.
rem ainin g, 011 a c c o u n t of th e p la g u e in L ond on,
tilW an . 1666, and 21 F e b . 1681, an d h e h e ld a P a r lia ­
ment here in M a rch , 1680-1 ; J a m e s H . o n ly once, in
1687, when he e n d ea vo u red , th o u g h v a in ly , to fo rc e a
Romish presiden t on M a g d a le n C o lle g e , an d W illia m I I I .
on one occasion, in 1695. Q u e e n A n n e sp e n t one d a y
at Oxford w ith her co n so rt, P rin c e G e o rg e of D en m a rk ,
on their w ay to B a th , 24 A u g . 1702, h a v in g p re v io u sly
visited the c ity w h en P r in c e s s A n n e , in 1688. In th e
first year of the r e ig n of G e o r g e I. O x fo rd w as the
»cene of serio us J a c o b ite r io t s , d u r in g w h ic h t h r e e N o n ­
conformist m e e tin g -h o u se s w ere d e s tro y e d an d g rea t
excesses c o m m itte d : on 5 D e c . 17 15 , an in te n s e fro st
began, which co n tin u e d fo r ten w eek s, th e Is is b ein g
entirely frozen u p. N e ith e r G e o rg e I. or I I . v is it e d the
city, but G e o rg e I I I . ho n o u red it b y h is p re s e n ce 17
Sept. 1785, and a g a in 18 A u g . 1786, b e in g acco m p a n ied
on both occasions b y t h e Q u ee n an d p rin c e ss e s. On th e
6ih Jan. 1793, th e n o to rio u s re v o lu tio n a r y an d infidel
writer T hom as P ain e w as b u rn t in e ffig y a t C a r fa x , by
the townsfolk. In J u ly , 1802, L o r d N elso n a rriv e d 111
Oxford and re c eiv ed th e h o n o ra ry d e g r e e of D .C .L . and
the freedom of th e c i t y in a g o ld b o x . On T u e s d a y ,
14 June, 1814, th e P rin c e R e g e n t, th e E m p e r o r A le x ­
ander of R u ssia , th e K in g of P r u s s ia , th e G ra n d D u c h e s se s
of Russia and O ld e n b u rg h , th e D u k e s of Y o r k an d W el­
lington, M arshal B liic h e r and v a rio u s o th e r r o y a l and
distinguished p e rs o n a g e s w e re r e c e iv e d in O x fo rd w ith
great cerem ony an d m a g n ific e n tly e n te r ta in e d , th e M ayo r
and Town C lerk b e in g b o th k n ig h te d in h o n o u r of th e
visit. D u rin g th e r e ig n of W illia m I V . h is Q u een ,
Adelaide, so jo u rn ed fo r th re e d a y s in O c to b e r, 1835,
at the “ A n g e l h o te l,” w h ic h th e n
o cc u p ie d
p ar:
of the site of th e p re s e n t n e w “ S c h o o ls ” in th e H igh
street; and on 8 N o v . 1832, th e P r in c e s s V ic t o r ia , a c ­
companied by the D u c h e s s o f K e n t, p a ssed t h ro u g h th e
city and rec eiv ed lo y a l a d d re sse s .
Q u e e n V ic t o r ia
twice visited th e c i t y ; firs t on 15 J u n e , 18 41, t o g e th e r
with the P rin ce C o n so rt and a n u m e ro u s s u i t e ; and
atjain on 12 D e c e m b e r, i860, d u r in g th e u n d e r g r a d u a te
residence of H is la t e M a je s ty E d w a rd V I I . w h en
Prince of W ales, w h o w as m a t r ic u la t e d a t C h r is t C h u rch ,
18 Oct. 1859. H .R .H . th e P rin c e C o n so rt w as a fre q u e n t
visitor d u rin g his life tim e , h is la s t v is it b e in g p a id o n ly
twelve m onths p rev io u s to h is d e ce a se in 18 61. H .R .H .
the late P rin c e L e o p o ld , D u k e of A lb a n y , e n te re d a t
Christ C h u rch 27 N o v. 18 72 ; th e K i n g o f D e n m a rk
when Crow n P rin c e of D e n m a r k 20 O c t. 1863 a n d H .H .
Prince H assan of E g y p t w as cre a te d D .C .L . fro m t h a t
house 13 J u n e , 1872. On 12 th M a y , 1897, H is la te
Majesty E d w a rd V I I . th e n P rin c e of W a le s , op en ed
the new m u n icip a l b u ild in g s in S t. A ld a t e ’ s s tr e e t. T h e
latest v isit of R o y a lty w as d u r in g th e co m m e m o ra tio n
n
r^ ’ w hen H is M a je s ty K i n g G e o rg e V . and
^ueen M ary as th e P rin c e an d P rin c e s s of W a le s v is ite d
'■m University.
Oxford, in c lu d in g its s u b u r b s , c o m p rise s an area of
,f f asfc, 10 ^ iles in c ir c u m fe r e n c e , w ith an a v e ra g e
.. 1 0
m iles fro m t h e e a s t to w e s t, an d o f a b o u t 5
„ 1 -”s Tom ,north to so u th . T h e c i t y as defined b y its
form Hi o rtl^ca G ons form e d a k in d o f ellip se , and w as
-lhni.t ^ eavixoned b y a b a ttle m e n te d w all w ith bastio n s
, Ii~’0
. d ls^ant fro m ea ch o th e r , of w h ic h a conbonnrin ^
s t ^ c o n s titu te s th e n o rth and ea st
r e m a in ^
, ew C o lle g e g a r d e n s ; and o th e r po rtio n s
as wall * n
so u th sid e o f M e rto n C o lle g e g a rd e n s,
elsewlipro n<t t T
C h a p te r H o u se o f th e C a th e d r a l, and
bv h J
• , w a lls weTe c o m p le te ly r e s to r e d in 1380
foundotinn6^ xr0rde^ of K i n ? B ic h a r d I I ., and on the
fortifipflhv
C o lle g e th e p e rp e tu a l r e p a ir of the
four nrin
iWaS u n d e rfa k en b y W y k e h a m . T h e r e are
°ter hrirf1^3 ei^iran ces m to O x fo rd , th re e o f w h ich are
which r.pr56S ’ i. ^ a £diden b rid g e , on th e e a ste rn sid e,
lenirth SS6^
° ^ra n c*ie s ° f th e C h e rw e ll, is 526 feet
of Mr H-wrt
W^S e re c te d in r
> u n d e r th e d ire ctio n
w ynn, a t a c o st of £8 ,00 0, b u t in 1882-3 i t w as

44

0

99

4

779

OXFO RD.

155

w id en ed on the 6 ou th sid e to th e e x te n t of 20 fe e t, fro m
th e plans and u n d er th e su p e rin te n d e n c e of M r. W . H .
W h ite , th e c i t y e n g in e e r, th e o r ig in a l d e s ig n s b e in g
s t r ic t ly a d h ere d to . T h e sto n e u sed fo r th e fa ce w ork
w as o b ta in e d fro m th e T a y n to n q u a rrie s , a n d t h a t fo r
th e w o rk b elo w th e w a te r lin e fro m th e S ta r w o r th
q u a r r ie s in L a n c a sh ire . T h e c a rv e d k e y -sto n e s o f th e
old b r id g e w e re c a r e fu lly rep ro d u c e d b y M r. G ra fto n , of
C o w le y R o a d , O x fo rd , and th e riv e r b ed b en eath b o th
the old an d th e n ew w o rk w as d e ep e n ed to th e e x te n t of
3 ft. 6in. u n d e r th e s u p e rv isio n of th e T h a m e s V a lle y
D ra in a g e C o m m issio n e rs. In 1900 th e e a ste rn b ra n c h
of th e r iv e r C h e r w e ll, a b o v e M a g d a le n b r id g e , w as
th o r o u g h ly d re d g e d , a n d to a la r g e e x te n t re - e x c a v a te d ,
a n d th e b ed fo rm e d an e w . T h e H ig h S t r e e t , one of th e
n o b lest th o ro u g h fa re s in E u r o p e , str e tc h e s w e stw a rd
fro m th is b rid g e to th e ce n tre o f th e c i t y , k now n as
“ C a r fa x .” F o lly b rid g e , fo r m e r ly c a lle d “ G ra n d P o n t,”
cro ss e s th e Is is an d fo rm s th e a p p ro a ch to O x fo rd fro m
th e so u th , t e r m in a tin g in S t . A ld a te ’ s s tr e e t. I n 1888
a n ew iro n g ir d e r b rid g e w as e re cte d o v er th e s t r e a m on
the so u th sid e of F o lly b rid g e , in p la c e of th e o ld w ooden
s t r u c tu r e . On th e w e s t a re se v e ra l b r id g e s , w h ic h cro ss
e ith e r t h e O x fo rd ca n a l o r b ra n c h e s of th e I s is on a
road fa m ilia r ly k n o w n as th e “ S e v e n B r id g e s R o a d : ”
o n ly six , h o w e v e r, of th e se b r id g e s a r e n o w v i s i b l e :
P a c e y ’s o r O sen ey b rid g e , t h e one n e a re st to th e c ity ,
b e in g a t th e w e s t end of a lo n g s tr e e t , le a d in g fro m th e
ra ilw a y sta tio n s to Q u ee n s tr e e t, a n d ca lled t h e N ew
R oad ; th is b rid g e , r e b u ilt o f iro n in 1888, w as opened
to th e p u b lic 31 D ec. in t h a t y e a r ; th e m a in a rc h h a s
a span of 60 fe e t, th e re m a in in g a rc h e s , a b u tm e n ts and
w eir b e in g of sto n e. I n 1889 th e b rid g e o v e r W a r e h a m ’ s
stre a m in S t . T h o m a s ’ s pa rish w as w id e n e d 7 fe e t, an d
H y th e b rid g e p a rtly re b u ilt w it h co n c rete a rc h e s on iro n
g i r d e r s ; th e w hole le n g th o f th e riv e r fro m th e C anal
L o c k to th e C a s tle M ill w as also t h o r o u g h ly cle a n e d o u t
a n d d e ep e n ed a t a c o s t of n e a r ly £ 6 0 0 ; in 1892 th e
tim b e r fo o t-b rid g e a t M e d le y w a s taken dow n a n d r e ­
c o n s tru c te d d u r in g 1906 th e b rid g e b y S t. F rid e s w id e ’ s
c h u rc h w as w id e n e d b y 10 feet an d t h e a p p ro a ch es
im p ro v e d a t a c o s t of o v er £ 8 0 0 ; a n d in
1894 a
p u b lic f e r r y w as p ro v id e d on th e lo w e r r iv e r n e a r th e
L o n g B r id g e s , in co n n e ctio n w it h an e m b a n k e d fo o t­
p a th on th e n o rth b a n k le a d in g to Iffle y la n e . D u r in g
the p e rio d 1888-94 m a n y stre e ts w e re v a r io u s ly im ­
p ro v e d , a la r g e n u m b e r of new s u b u r b a n s t r e e t s a n d
ro ad c o m p le te d , w id e n e d o r la id o u t, s u n d r y p r iv a te
s tr e e ts a n d ro a d s t a k e n o v e r, tre e s p la n te d a lo n g s e v e ra l
ro ad s in t h e n o rth e rn a n d e a ste rn su b u r b s , an d im ­
p ro v e m e n ts m a d e in v a r io u s s t r e e t s w ith in th e c ity .
T h e p re c ip ito u s c a u s e w a y on th e n o rth sid e o f H e a d in g ton H ill w a s fe n ce d in in 1894.
T h e c a n a l, w h ic h
e x te n d s to th e C o v e n t r y c a n a l, w as b e g u n in 175 4 a n d
c o m p le te d in 17 9 0 ; it is 9 1 A m ile s in le n g th , a n d is th e
p r o p e r ty of a c o m p a n y .

3

T h e a r c h ite c tu r a l v ie w s o f th e c it y in e v e r y d ireo tio n
aTe s in g u la r ly in te re s tin g .
F r o m C u m n o r h ill, on th e
n o rth -w e st, th e p ro sp e c t re s e m b le s t h a t fro m th e h ills
a b o v e C o lo g n e.
T h e to w e rs , sp ire s an d p in n a cle s of
v a rio u s lo fty ed ifices are fro m t h is p o in t v e r y h a p p ily
g ro u p e d , an d co m b in e to t h e g r e a te s t a d v a n ta g e w ith
th e fine d o m e of th e R a d c liffe C a m e r a , th e b re a k s in
the h o rizo n ta l line b e in g e n tir e ly fre e fro m th e m o n o ­
ton y w h ic h c h a ra c te ris e s th e v ie w s of R o m e fro m a
sim ila r e m in en c e, w h e re d o m e s are in fin ite ly r e p e a te d ,
fro m the im m e n s ity o f S t . P e t e r ’ s to th e d im in u tiv e
c u p o la o f a co n v en t. F r o m t h e B o a r’ s h ill n ear B a g ie v
W oo d , t o th e s o u th -w e s t, th e la n d sca p e is fo re sh o rte n e d ,
w ith th e h a ll o f C h r is t C h u r c h as th e p r in c ip a l o b je c t
and M ag d a le n T o w e r to th e e a s t, w h ile v ie w e d fro m the
G o d sto w m e a d o w s on th e n o rth , w it h th e w id e sw eep of
th e u p p er r iv e r in the fo re g ro u n d , th e c ity , e s p e c ia lly
d u r in g th e seaso n o f floods, looks a lm o st lik e a n o th e r
V e n ic e . F r o m H e a d in g to n H ill, I ffle y a n d N u n e h a m th e
g re a t fe a tu re s ch a n g e t h e ir p o sitio n w ith o u t lo sin g t h e ir
b e a u t y , an d a s m o s t of th e g r a n d b u ild in g s o f O x fo rd
a p p ro a ch n e a rly to ea ch o th e r , th e a c c id e n ta l g r o u p in g
of th em fro m d iffe re n t p o in ts of v ie w a ffo rd s b o th s u r ­
p ris e and p l e a s u r e ; th e se b u ild in g s , s in g ly co n sid e red ,
h a ve su ffic ie n t m e r it to d e ta in th e a r t is t , b e in g in t h e m ­
se lv es ric h e x a m p le s b o th o f th e G o th ic and th e P a llad ian s ty le s , an d w o r th y m o n u m e n ts o f th e s k ill and
ta s te of th e m o s t e m in e n t a r t is t s E n g la n d h a s s u c c e s ­
s iv e ly p ro d u ce d . I t h a s been obsei-ved b y an e le g a n t
c r itic t h a t th e a r c h it e c tu r a l b e a u tie s o f O x fo rd , a s a
w hole, e x c e e d th o s e o f an y c i t y in t h e B r itis h e m p ire .
W ith t h e ex ce p tio n of R o m e , F lo re n ce , V e n ic e and
G e n o a , O x fo rd w ill fin d fe w riv a ls on t h e C o n t in e n t ; so
g r a n d a n d v a r ie d a g ro u p of to w e rs , t u r r e t s , s p ire s a n d
c u p o la s m u s t, o n h is a p p ro a ch , s tr ik e e v e r y traveller