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0D D 1N G T 0X .

OXFORDSHIRE.

o w n e r. T h e so il is ch ie fly lo a m ; s u b s o il, c la y an d
b ra s h
T h e la n d is c h ie fly in p a s tu r e , so m e a ra b le . T h e
a r e a is 1,363 a c r e s ; r a te a b le v a lu e , £ 1 ,3 0 5 ; th e p o p u ­
la tio n in 1 9 1 1 w a s 131.
P a rish C le r k , W illia m F ran k lin .
C o lle tt J o h n , fa rm e r
C o lle t t J o h n , ju n . fa r m e r
C o x W illia m , f a r m e r . T h e G ra n g e

[ k e l l v ’s

L e tt e r s th r o u g h O x fo rd a r r iv e a t 8.30 a .m . & 3.3000
Is lip is th e n e a r e s t m o n e y o rd e r & tele g rap h oflic
ab o u t
m ile s d is ta n t. W a ll L e t t e r B o x cleared at
1 1.10 a .m . & 6.25 p .m
T h e c h ild r e n o f t h is p a ris h a t te n d t h e school at Chari
to n -o n -O tm o o r

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H a ll E liz a b e th ( M r s .) , fa rm e r, B ro o k H a yn e s W illia m , fa r m e r
fu rlo n g fa rm
T r e d w e ll J e ffr e y , f rm r . Oddington ho
I H a yn e s J a s . E d w in , fa r m e r . L o g f r m | T r e d w e ll R ic h a rd , fa rm e r

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1

T h is c i t y , ca lled in th e A n g lo -S a x o n C h ro n ic le “ O xn af o r d a ,” an d iu D o m esd a y “ O x e n e fo rd ,” th e c a p ita l of
an d a p o llin g p lace for th e M id d iv isio n of th e c o u n ty , a
c o u n ty b o ro u g h , th e see of a b ish o p an d th e s e a t of a
u n iv e r s it y , w it h a d is tin c t ju r is d ic t io n of it s ow n, is
s itu a te d in th e m id s t of fe r tile m ea d o w s a t th e c o n ­
flu e n c e of an d ly in g b etw een th e r iv e r s C h e r w e ll and
Is is , w h ic h s u rro u n d it on th e e a s t, w e s t an d so u th , and
s e p a ra te it fro m B e r k s h ir e .
O x fo r d is lo c a lly in th e
h u n d r e d a n d p e t t y se ssio n a l d iv isio n of B u llin g d o n ,
g iv in g its n am e to a r u r a l d e a n e ry an d a rc h d e a c o n ry ,
a n d is 63 m ile s fro m L o n d o n , 27 n o rth -w e st fro m R e a d ­
in g , 13 w e s t fro m T h a m e , 6 n o rth fro m A b in g d o n , 23
so u th fro m B a n b u r y , 42 fro m L e a m in g to n , 18 n o rth -e a st
fro m F a r in g d o n , 21 s o u th - w e s t fro m A y le s b u r y , 46 fro m
W in d s o r, 56 fro m W o rc e s te r, 67 fro m G lo u c e s te r , 66
fro m B ir m in g h a m , 75 fro m B r is to l an d 150 fro m E x e te r ,
a ll b y r a ilw a y . T h e G re a t W e ste rn r a ilw a y , opened to
O x fo rd 12 J u n e , 1 8 4 4 , has a sta tio n here, 63^ m iles fro m
L o n d o n , o n th e n o rth e rn se ctio n , vi& D id c o t ju n c t io n , to
B ir m in g h a m , S h r e w s b u r y , C h e s te r a n d N o r th a n d M id
W a les ; fro m t h is s ta tio n , b ra n c h e s p ro c e e d in g t h r o u g h
W o r c e s te r a n d t h r o u g h C h e lt e n h a m a n d G lo u c e s te r
a ffo r d d ir e c t c o m m u n ic a tio n w it h th e W e s t M id lan d s
a n d S o u t h W a l e s ; in 1900 th e G re a t C e n tr a l ra ilw a y
o p e n e d a b ra n c h lin e fro m W o o d fo rd to B a n b u r y , and
Crains n o w r u n ea ch w a y b e tw e e n O x fo rd a n d L e ic e s te r
a n d t h e n c e to Y o r k b y t h a t ro u te , a n d vifl D id co t,
N e w b u r y a n d W in c h e s t e r to S o u th a m p to n a n d P o r ts ­
m o u th ; a n d th e re are b ra n c h e s to A b in g d o n , F a ir fo r d
and W o o d sto c k , an d a loop lin e co n n e c tin g O x fo rd w ith
M a id en h e ad , v ia P rin c e s R is b o r o u g h , fro m w h ic h are
sh o rt lin e s to A y le s b u r y and W a t lin g t o n ; B a th , B risto l
an d th e W e st of E n g la n d a re r e a c h e d vifi D id c o t. In
18 9 1
th e G re a t W e ste rn sta tio n w as c o m p le te ly re ­
m o d e lle d and e n la rg e d at an e s tim a te d c o s t of £10,000.
T h e L o n d o n and N o rth W e s te rn ra ilw a y h a s a term in a l
sta tio n h e re on a b ran ch lin e fro m B le t c h le y ju n ctio n ,
31^ m ile s fro m O x fo rd , b u t th e d ista n ce to L o n d o n b y
t h is ro u te is 78 m ile s , an d th e tra in s are le ss fre q u e n t.
F o r p o o r la w p u rp o s e s th e p a rish e s in th e c ity are u n d e r
a lo cal ao t, e x c e p t S t . C lem e n t’ s, S t. G ile s ’s, C o w le y S t.
J o h n a n d S t . Jo h n th e B a p t i s t ’s in H e a d in g to n u n io n .
T h e h is to r y o f th e ju s t l y fa m ed U n iv e r s it y is in v o lve d
in m u c h o b s c u r it y : th e s ta te m e n t, a t tr ib u t e d to A ss e r,
th a t A lfr e d th e G re a t v is it e d O x fo rd in 886 an d se ttle d
th e d issen sio n s o f S t . G rim b a ld and th e sc h o la rs, ap ­
p e a rs to h ave been in tro d u ce d in to an ed itio n of A s s e r
p u b lish e d in F ra n k fo rt in 16 0 3 ; th e e a r lie s t know n
r e fe r e n c e of th e fo u n d a tio n to t h a t k in g is fou n d in th e
P o ly ch ro n ico n ” of R a lp h H ig d e n , w h o d ie d in 1363,
an d he is also sa id b y R o u s , w h o w as a s c h o la r here in
th e 15 th ce n tu ry', to h a v e fo u n d e d t h r e e sc h o o ls a t th is
p la c e fo r p h ilo so p h y , g r a m m a r a n d d iv in it y , in J u n e .
872, n ea r t h e p re s e n t s ite o f th e U n iv e r s it y C o lle g e , b u t
th e le g it im a t e d a te of t h e fo u n d a tio n of t h a t c o lleg e is
not e a rlre r th an 1280, w h ile M e rto n C o lle g e , esta b lis h e d
a t M a ld en , in S u r r e y , in 1264, w as r e m o v e d to O x fo rd
in 1274 and refo u n d ed on a site p u rc h a s e d fo r th is p u r ­
pose b y W a lte r de M erton in 1267, and it is fro m th is
p e r io d , r a t h e r th a n an y e a r lie r , t h a t O x fo rd as a U n i­
v e r s it y m a y b e s a id to e x is t . M y th ic a l h is to r y a s c rib e s
the o rig in of th e c i t y to one M e m p ric , or M e m p ric iu s,
B O . 1009; o th e r w r ite r s co n s id e r i t to h a ve arisen fro m
th e g r a d u a l e s ta b lis h m e n t h e re of v a rio u s b an d s of
s e t t le r s ; and t h e fou n d a tio n h a s been fu r t h e r a ssig n ed
to th e y e a r A .D . 72 7, w h en it is sa id S t . F rid e s w id e set
u p a n u n n e ry w h ere C h r is t C h u r c h now stan d s ; b u t th e
r^al h is to r y of th e c ity m a y b e said to d a te fro m th e
y e a r 912, w hen, as th e A n g lo -S a x o n C h ro n icle re c o rd s,
“ K in g E d w a rd (ca lled th e ‘ E l d e r ’) to o k po ssession of
Lo n d o n and O x fo rd and all lan d s w hich th e r e to b e lo n g e d ,”
and it th e n b e c a m e a fo rtifie d to w n an d th e h ead of a
sh ire .
A lth o u g h K in g A lfre d , born a t W a n ta g e , 16
m ile s fro m O x fo rd , 25 O c t. 849, h a s been said to have
s o jo u rn e d in th e c ity in 886, th e re is n o th in g in th e
ch ro n icle to sh o w t h a t he e v e r v is ite d i t : J S lfw a rd , son
o f E d w a r d th e E ld e r , h o w ev er, d ie d h e re in 9 2 4 ; and

O

D

D

A th e lsta n is sa id to h ave es ta b lis h e d a m in t at Oxford
in 925 : in 1009 th e p la c e w as b u rn t b y the Danes, and
111 1013 s u b m it te d to S w e y n : E d m u n d “ Iro n sid e” met
his d e a th a t O x fo rd 30 N o v . 10 17 , b y th e treachery 0[
E a d ric , an d in th e n e x t y e a r a g e m o t w as held at Oxford
tinder K in g C n u t. T h is g r e a t co u n cil, th en including
b ctii S a x o n s an d D an e s, w as se v e ra l tim e s subsequently
co n v en e d on th is spo t, as in 1065, w h en th e Danish Code
w as ad o p te d , T o s t ig o u tla w e d , and M o rca r m ade Earl of
N o rth u m b e rla n d . T h e d a te of th e su b m issio n of Oxford
to W illia m th e C o n q u ero r se em s q u ite uncertain, and
its r e p o r te d sie g e b y h im is n o w re g a rd e d as wholly
erro n e o u s. In 1071 th e c a s tle ca m e in to the hands of
R o b ert D ’ O y le y , o r D ’O ilg i, w h o stre n g th e n e d it, built
w ith in it th e ch a p e l of S t . G e o rg e and erected Hythe
b rid g e . T h e E m p r e s s M au d e h a v in g subsequently ob­
tain e d p o sse ssio n of th e ca s tle , w a s so closely besieged
th e re in in 1142 b y K in g S te p h e n t h a t she only escaped
b ein g m a d e a p ris o n e r b y p a ssin g th e Isis , then frozen,
and tra v e llin g on foo t th r o u g h d e ep snow to Abingdon, 6
m iles d is ta n t, w h en c e she to o k h o rse for Wallingford
C a s tle . R ic h a r d I. a n d J o h n w e re b o th born at Beau­
m o n t P a la c e , in O x fo rd , t h e fo rm e r 13 S e p t. 1157, and
th e la t te r 24 D e c . 116 6 , an d in h is r e ig n a parliament
w as su m m o n ed to m e e t h e re 15 J u n e , 1213. Henry III.
v is ite d th e c i t y in 1227, a g a in in 1234 (w hen he resided
in sta te a t O s e n e y A b b e y ) an d in 12 4 7 ; the Parliament
of 1258, k n o w n as th e “ M ad P a r lia m e n t,” m et here 11
J u n e and fra m e d a co d e of s t a t u t e s ca lled “ The Pro­
v isio n s of O x fo rd ,” fro m w h ic h th e presen t system of
p o litica l re p re s e n ta tio n m a y be sa id to h a ve originated;
and in 1297 E d w a rd I. g r a n te d to the citizen s the privi­
le g e of e le c tin g tw o b u rg e s s e s in P a rlia m e n t, the first of
w h o m w e re T h o m a s de S a w y and A n d rew de Pyrie.
E d w a rd I I . fre q u e n tly v is ite d O x fo rd , resid in g at Beau­
m o n t P a la c e , w h ic h h e p re s e n te d in 13 17 to the Car­
m e lite s o r W h ite F r ia r s . E d w a r d I I I . w as educated at
B a llio l C o lle g e , a n d f r e q u e n tly r e v is ite d th e city, grant­
in g it in 1330 a co m m is s io n o f t h e p ea ce , and to the
U n iv e rs ity a d d itio n a l p r iv ile g e s in 1356-7. In 1354 a
d e sp e ra te G o w n a n d T o w n r io t b e g a n on S t. Scholastica’s
d a y , 10 F e b . a n d la s t e d t h r e e d a y s, d u rin g which 40
s tu d e n ts a n d 60 to w n sm e n lo s t t h e ir liv e s. Edward the
B la c k P rin c e s t u d ie d a t Q u e e n ’s C o lle g e in 1341-2, and
his son, R ic h a r d I I . co n firm e d to th e U niversity all it'
fo rm e r p riv ile g e s .
H en ry V .
also m atriculated a!
Q u ee n ’ s C o lle g e , and h is su cc e sso r, H e n ry VI. who
v is ite d th e p la c e in 1447, is sa id to h a ve received h:s
ed u c a tio n a t th e U n iv e r s it y . E d w a rd IV . with his
Q u e e n , c a m e to O x fo rd in 1481 a n d w as entertained by
its fo u n d e r a t M ag d a le n C o lle g e , w h e re also, soon after
h is a c ce ssio n , R ic h a r d I I I . h e ld h is co u rt and heard
d isp u ta tio n s in t h e co lle g e h a ll. H e n ry V II. was re­
ce iv e d a t O x fo rd w ith g re a t r e jo ic in g in 1488. and his
son, P rin c e A r t h u r , w as a g u e s t a t M agdalen College
in 1501. H e n ry V I I I . v is ite d th e c ity thrice, in i ,0>
1518 an d 1533, and fo u n d e d th e see of Oxford, 6 .Tan.
1542 ; h is w id o w . Q u ee n C a th e r in e P a rr, arrived in d*ford 15 J u ly , 1548, and w as re c e iv e d and banqueted a
M ag d a le n C o lle g e .
On 16 O c t. 1555, th e martyrdom 0
B ish o p s R id le y and L a tim e r to o k p lace here, near tn
sp o t in th e B ro a d s t r e e t n o w m a rk e d b y an iron crossand on 21 M a rch in th e fo llo w in g y e a r, Archm? 1 ,
C ra n m e r su ffe re d d e a th a t th e sam e stake.
Wn
E liz a b e th in c o rp o ra te d th e U n iv e r s ity in 1571, fiF8” 1 ;
a t th e sa m e tim e d iv e r s n e w an d sp e cia l privileges: a
v isite d the c i t y in 1566, 1574 , 1575» x5 9 x an(* T 2,1
15th M a rch , 1570, th e c i t y w a s a la rm e d b y an ea. n
quake, w h ic h pa ssed o v er th e C o n tin en t and in b® u
ca u s e d tw o d e a th s. In J u ly , 15 77, o ccu rre d the
1
A ss ize .” a t w h ic h , w ith in 40 d a y s , S ir R obert Be
; th e L o rd C h ie f B a ro n . S ir R o b e r t D ’ O yley, High b ^
I S e r je a n t B a rh a m , se v e ra l m a g is tr a te s and abon
m oTe, w e re c a rrie d off b y g a o l fe v e r. Jam es l.
i first y e a T o f h is r e ig n (1603) re m o v e d his cour
^
1 and ca m e in g r e a t sta te 27 A u g . 1605, accompany ^
J th e Q u ee n and P rin c e o f W a le s , and s u b s e q u e n t , ^ ^
1 y e a r s 1609, 16 14 , 16 15 , 1621 an d 1624. C h a ™ 8

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