Headington Hill Hall stands on Headington Hill in the east of Oxford, England. [1] It was built in 1824 for the Morrell family, who remained in residence for 114 years. It became the home to Pergamon Press and to media tycoon Robert Maxwell. It currently houses Oxford Brookes School of Law.
The hall was built in 1824 for the Morrell family, local brewers, and was extended between 1856 and 1858 by James Morrell Jr. (1810–1863) who built an Italianate mansion designed by the architect John Thomas. [2] James Morrell and his wife Alicia died in 1863 and 1864, leaving their possessions including the hall and the brewery on trust for their 10-year-old daughter Emily Morrell. The three trustees tried to deal with Emily's crush on a distant cousin by sending her away to an aunt and forbidding any communication between the pair. [3] Emily married her cousin and made her home at the Hall.
Oscar Wilde, gaudily dressed as Prince Rupert, attended an all-night fancy dress May Day Ball given by Emily and Herbert Morrell at the Hall for around 300 guests on 1 May 1878. [4] Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873–1938), who owned the Hall for a period,[ citation needed ] was particularly associated with the Bloomsbury Group as a hostess.
From 1939, the property was requisitioned by the government for use as a military hospital during World War II. After the war, it became a rehabilitation centre, run by the Red Cross and the Order of St John. [5]
In 1953, James Morrell III sold Headington Hill Hall to Oxford City Council. It continued to be used as a rehabilitation centre until 1958. [5]
Subsequently, the publisher Robert Maxwell (1923–1991), founder of Pergamon Press, took a lease of the building rented from the Council for 32 years as a residence and offices. He described it as the "best council house in the country." [6] Maxwell commissioned a stained-glass window depicting Samson at the Gates of Gaza by Israeli sculptor Nehemia Azaz for the imperial staircase. [7]
Since 1992, the Council has leased the property to Oxford Brookes University. [8] It houses the Oxford Brookes University School of Law. [9]
Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, governed by Oxfordshire County Council and the non-metropolitan districts of City of Oxford, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire. The county is landlocked and bordered by Northamptonshire to the north-east, Warwickshire to the north-west, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, Wiltshire to the south-west, and Gloucestershire to the west. The area of Oxfordshire south of the River Thames was part of the historic county of Berkshire, including the county's highest point, the 261-metre (856 ft) White Horse Hill. The largest settlement in the county is Oxford, its only city, with an estimated population of 151,584.
Oxford Brookes University is a public university in Oxford, England. It is a new university, having received university status through the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The university was named after its first principal, John Henry Brookes, who played a major role in the development of the institution.
Pergamon Press was an Oxford-based publishing house, founded by Paul Rosbaud and Robert Maxwell, that published scientific and medical books and journals. Originally called Butterworth-Springer, it is now an imprint of Elsevier.
Headington is an eastern suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames valley below, and bordering Marston to the north-west, Cowley to the south, and Barton and Risinghurst to the east. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.
Wheatley is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about 5 miles (8 km) east of Oxford. The parish includes the hamlet of Littleworth, which is immediately to the west of Wheatley village. The 2011 census recorded the parish population as 3,913.
St Clement's is a district in Oxford, England, on the east bank of the River Cherwell. "St Clement's" is usually taken to describe a small triangular area from The Plain bounded by the Cherwell in the West, Cowley Road in the East. to the foot of Headington Hill in the South. It also refers to the ecclesiastical parish of St Clement's which includes some neighbouring areas and is used in the names of local City and County electoral districts.
Marston Road is a road in the east of Oxford, England. It links London Place, the junction of St Clements, the foot of Headington Hill, and Morrell Avenue by South Park to the south with the suburb of New Marston to the north. A mini-roundabout has been replaced by traffic lights and connects with Cherwell Drive and Headley Way at the northern end. To the north is the suburb of Northway. The road is designated the B4150 but this is not shown on signs.
Headington Hill is a hill in the east of Oxford, England, in the suburb of Headington. The Headington Road goes up the hill leading out of the city. There are good views of the spires of Oxford from the hill, especially from the top of South Park.
Headington Road is an arterial road in the east of Oxford, England. The road connects the junction of St Clements and Marston Road with the suburb of Headington, up Headington Hill. When it reaches the Headley Way junction, it becomes London Road, as the Boundary Brook runs under the road at this point.
South Park is a park on Headington Hill in east Oxford, England. It is the largest park within Oxford city limits. A good view of the city centre with its historic spires and towers of Oxford University can be obtained at the park's highest point, a favourite location for photographers.
Pullens Lane is in Headington, east Oxford, England. It is located at the top of Headington Hill, leading north off Headington Road to Jack Straw's Lane and Harberton Mead. The cul-de-sac Pullens Field leads off west from Pullens Lane.
The Vines is on Pullens Lane, Headington, a suburb in east Oxford, England. It was the first house to be built on the west side of the lane, on land that was originally owned by the Morrell family, local brewers. The house is built of red brick with stone dressings.
Milham Ford School was a girls' secondary school in Oxford, England, located in the suburb of New Marston on Marston Road. It was founded in East Oxford in the 1880s and closed in 2003.
Headington Hill Park is a park on Headington Hill in the east of Oxford, England.
St Clement's Church is an evangelical Church of England parish church situated just to the east of central Oxford, England.
Morrell's Brewing Company, also known as the Lion Brewery, was the only major brewery in Oxford, England. It operated between 1782 and 1998.
Morrell Avenue is a residential tree-lined road in Headington, east Oxford, England.
Christine Yvonne Malina-Maxwell is a British Internet content pioneer and educator. She is the creator and co-founder of Magellan, co-founder of the software company Chiliad and the author of several books. She was the Program Manager of Learning Technologies at the University of Texas at Dallas.
John Henry Brookes OBE was an English craftsman, artist and educator associated with the predecessor institutions of Oxford Brookes University, which is named in his honour.
Emily Morrell was a British land and brewery owner of the Oxford-based Morrell family.