High Street, Oxford

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High Street
The High
High Street from above looking east.JPG
The High Street from St Mary's, looking east
Location Oxford, England
Postal codeOX1
Coordinates 51°45′09″N1°15′07″W / 51.7525°N 1.252°W / 51.7525; -1.252
East end Magdalen Bridge
West end Carfax
SouthM
Other
Known for Oxford colleges and buildings

The High Street in Oxford, England, known locally as the High, runs between Carfax, generally seen as the centre of the city, and Magdalen Bridge to the east. [1]

Contents

Overview

19th century photograph of the High Street looking west with University College on the left and the spires of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin and All Saints Church in the distance. Arthur James Melhuish (XIX. century) View of High Street Oxford SFMOMA.jpg
19th century photograph of the High Street looking west with University College on the left and the spires of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin and All Saints Church in the distance.

The street has been described by Nikolaus Pevsner as "one of the world's great streets". [2] It forms a gentle curve and is the subject of many prints, paintings, photographs, etc. The looking west towards Carfax with University College on the left and The Queen's College on the right is an especially popular view. There are many historical buildings on the street, including the University of Oxford buildings and colleges. [3] Locally the street is often known as "The High".

Major buildings

To the north are (west to east): Lincoln College (main entrance on Turl Street, including All Saints Church, now Lincoln College's library.), Brasenose College (main entrance in Radcliffe Square), St Mary's (the University Church), All Souls College, The Queen's College, St Edmund Hall (main entrance in Queen's Lane) and Magdalen College (including Magdalen Tower).

To the south are (west to east): Oriel College, University College (including the Boyle-Hooke plaque outside the Shelley Memorial), the Examination Schools, the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, the Eastgate Hotel (at the original entrance to the city) and the Botanic Garden.

Commerce

View along south side of the High Street from the Carfax end. Oxford High Street shoppers.jpg
View along south side of the High Street from the Carfax end.

Queen's Lane Coffee House (at the junction with Queen's Lane) was established in 1654 and was probably Oxford's first coffee house. This title is however disputed with 'The Grand Café' Coffee House, which claims that it was established in 1650 and stands opposite Queen's Lane coffee house.

Magdalen College with its tower, at the eastern end of the High Street Magdalen College Oxford 20040613.jpg
Magdalen College with its tower, at the eastern end of the High Street

Despite an influx of chain stores in nearby Cornmarket Street, the High is home to a number of specialist independent retailers. These include Shepherd & Woodward (University outfitters), Payne & Son (goldsmiths), Sanders of Oxford (print sellers) and Waterfield's Books. To the north at the western end between Cornmarket and the Turl is the historic traditional Covered Market, established in 1774.

William Henry Butler, later Mayor of Oxford, was a wine merchant with premises in the High Street during the early 19th century. [4]

Edward Bracher, a pioneering Victorian photographer, had a shop at 26 High Street. Henry Taunt, another photographer, joined him as a member of staff in 1856. Taunt later returned to 41 High Street after the lease for his own shop premises in Broad Street expired in 1894.

83 High Street bears a blue plaque (10 October 2001) commemorating Sarah Cooper (1848–1932) marmalade maker, wife of Frank Cooper whose shop at 83–84 High Street was the origin of the Frank Cooper jam business (a brand now owned by Premier Foods). The company made "Oxford Marmalade" famous.

In June 1879, George Claridge Druce (also a noted botanist and later mayor of the city) moved to Oxford and set up a chemist's shop, Druce & Co., at 118 High Street. This continued until his death 1932.

The Old Bank Hotel was the first new hotel for 135 years in the centre of Oxford. Quod Restaurant & Bar is also part of the hotel, located between the junctions with Oriel Street and Logic Lane.

Commentary

The architectural critic Nikolaus Pevsner wrote in 1974 that

"The High Street is one of the world's great streets. It has everything." [5] [6]

He may have been echoing Thomas Hardy's comment in Jude the Obscure :

"And there's a street in the place – the main street – that ha'n't another like it in the world." [5] [7]

Adjoining streets

The following streets, also of historical significance, are off the High Street: [1]

Oxford High Street panorama.jpg
Panoramic view of the High Street looking south from the tower of St Mary's Church.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln College, Oxford</span> College of the University of Oxford

Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, situated on Turl Street in central Oxford. Lincoln was founded in 1427 by Richard Fleming, the then bishop of Lincoln.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carfax, Oxford</span> Crossroads; central area of Oxford in England

Carfax is the junction of St Aldate's (south), Cornmarket Street (north), Queen Street (west) and the High Street (east) in Oxford, England. It is considered to be the centre of the city. The name "Carfax" derives from the Latin quadrifurcus via the French carrefour, both of which mean "crossroads". The Carfax Tower, also known as St Martin's Tower is a prominent landmark and provides a look-out over the town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornmarket Street</span> Pedestrian street in Oxford, England

Cornmarket Street is a major shopping street and pedestrian precinct in Oxford, England that runs north to south between Magdalen Street and Carfax Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Covered Market, Oxford</span> Historic market in central Oxford, England

The Covered Market is a historic market with permanent stalls and shops in a large covered structure in central Oxford, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turl Street</span> Street in central Oxford, England

Turl Street is a historic street in central Oxford, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad Street, Oxford</span> Street in central Oxford, England

Broad Street is a wide street in central Oxford, England, just north of the former city wall. The street is known for its bookshops, including the original Blackwell's bookshop at number 50, located here due to the University of Oxford. Among residents, the street is traditionally known as The Broad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magdalen Tower</span> Bell tower at Magdalen College, Oxford

Magdalen Tower, completed in 1509, is a bell tower that forms part of Magdalen College, Oxford. It is a central focus for the celebrations in Oxford on May Morning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Aldate's, Oxford</span> Street in central Oxford, England

St Aldate's is a street in central Oxford, England, named after Saint Aldate, but formerly known as Fish Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Street, Oxford</span> Pedestrianised shopping street in Oxford, England

Queen Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in central Oxford, England. It is one-way for buses and taxis, two-way for cyclists outside main shopping hours, and forbidden for cars. It runs west from the centre of Oxford at Carfax. Here it adjoins Cornmarket Street to the north, the High Street continuing east, and St Aldate's to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Street, Oxford</span> Street in central Oxford, England

George Street is a street in central Oxford, England. It is a shopping street running east–west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Michael at the North Gate</span> Church in Oxford, England

St Michael at the North Gate is a church in Cornmarket Street, at the junction with Ship Street, in central Oxford, England. The name derives from the church's location on the site of the north gate of Oxford when it was surrounded by a city wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarendon Shopping Centre</span> Shopping centre in Oxford, England

The Clarendon Centre is a shopping centre in central Oxford, England, opened in 1984. The centre faces Cornmarket Street, and has other entrances onto Queen Street and Shoe Lane. The fascia onto Cornmarket Street is that of the Woolworths store which had, in a decision later criticised, replaced the Georgian Clarendon Hotel; it was discovered during demolition that medieval construction had been present within the hotel. The shopping centre was expanded in 2012–14. Major tenants include TK Maxx, H&M and Gap Outlet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Market Street, Oxford</span> Street in central Oxford, England

Market Street is a street in central Oxford, England, running east to west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brasenose Lane</span> Lane in central Oxford, England

Brasenose Lane runs east–west in central Oxford, England, between Turl Street and Radcliffe Square respectively. From Turl Street it is only accessible to pedestrians, but vehicles can enter from Radcliffe Square. The lane retains the medieval pattern of a single drainage channel in its centre and has high stone-faced college buildings on each side, being flanked by three historic Oxford colleges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ship Street, Oxford</span> Street in central Oxford, England

Ship Street is a short street in central Oxford, England that runs east–west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buildings of Jesus College, Oxford</span> University buildings

The main buildings of Jesus College, one of the colleges of the University of Oxford, are located in the centre of the city of Oxford, England, between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street, and Market Street. Jesus College was founded in 1571 by Elizabeth I caused by the petition of a Welsh clergyman, Hugh Price, who was treasurer of St David's Cathedral. Her foundation charter gave to the college the land and buildings of White Hall, a university hall that had experienced a decline in student numbers. Price added new buildings to those of White Hall, and construction work continued after his death in 1574. The first of the college's quadrangles, which includes the hall, chapel, and principal's lodgings was completed between 1621 and 1630. Construction of the second quadrangle began in the 1630s, but was interrupted by the English Civil War and was not completed until about 1712. Further buildings were erected in a third quadrangle during the 20th century, including science laboratories, a library for undergraduates, and additional accommodation for students and fellows. In addition to the main site, the college owns flats in east and north Oxford, and a sports ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Chessell Buckler</span> British architect (1793–1894)

John Chessell Buckler was a British architect, the eldest son of the architect John Buckler. J. C. Buckler initially worked with his father before taking over his practice. His work included restorations of country houses and at the University of Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Saints' Church, Oxford</span> Church in Oxford, United Kingdom

All Saints Church is a former church on the north side of the High Street in central Oxford, England, on the corner of Turl Street. It is now the library of Lincoln College. This former church is Grade I listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brewer Street, Oxford</span> Street in central Oxford, London

Brewer Street is a historic narrow street in central Oxford, England, south of Carfax. The street runs east–west, connecting with St Aldate's to the east and St Ebbe's Street to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Oxford Tramways Company</span> United Kingdom legislation

The City of Oxford and District Tramway Company and its successor the City of Oxford Electric Traction Company operated a horse-drawn passenger tramway service in Oxford between 1881 and 1914. The tramway was unusual for having a track gauge of only 4 feet (1.219 m).

References

  1. 1 2 Sherwood, Jennifer; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1974). "The High Street and the Streets off the High Street". The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire. Penguin Books. pp. 306–311. ISBN   0-14-071045-0.
  2. Hibbert, Christopher, ed. (1988). "High Street". The Encyclopaedia of Oxford . Macmillan. pp. 183–185. ISBN   0-333-39917-X.
  3. Stephanie Jenkins, History of the High .
  4. William Henry Butler: Mayor of Oxford, January–October 1836, Mayors of Oxford.
  5. 1 2 Stephanie Jenkins, The High – Quotations
  6. Article on the street [ permanent dead link ] in the Oxford Mail
  7. Jude the Obscure in Google Books. The comment is made by a carter describing Christminster, Hardy's pseudonym for Oxford.