Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 2d

The end of an era, but at least W. H. Smith is still remembered in the gable. T. G. Jones is quick off the mark: they only received planning permission to put up this sign yesterday (13 Oct 2025): public.oxford.gov.uk/online-appli...

1 8

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 8d

Here is the new sculpture of Dervorguilla of Galloway outside Balliol College's new buildings in St Cross Road. She was the wife of Sir John de Balliol and both played a large part in the foundation of the college. There is more information on her Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dervorg...

4

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 8d

There’s an article here from @oxfordclarion.bsky.social about the exciting discovery of Saxon walls at Speedwell House: oxfordclarion.uk/have-we-foun...

Have we found St Frideswide’s Priory?

An unexpected discovery at Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed new HQ could transform our understanding of Oxford’s history. Madeline Odent explains more… Oxfordshire County Council received some u...

oxfordclarion.uk

1 3

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 9d

These Miss Ogles were the daughters of James Adey Ogle, physician and from 1851 Regius Professor of Medicine, who lived nearby at 63 St Giles’ Street (later demolished to make way for Blackfriars), namely Janet (b.1821), Amelia & Caroline (twins, b. 1822), and Mary (b.1824).

2

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 9d

In his Reminiscences of Oxford (1900) William Tuckwell wrote, “The four colossal female statues surmounting its eastern side were declared by an imaginative undergraduate to be effigies of the four Miss Ogles, ladies who lived hard by; and the myth obtained a more than humorous acceptance.”

1 3

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 9d

Here are the four female statues over the entrance to the Taylorian that were sculpted by William Grinsell Nicholl in 1846. They represent Italian, French, German, and Spanish.

1 4

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 10d

“Well preserved” walls potentially dating back to Saxon times have been discovered in excavations at Speedwell House, the building just off St Aldates which is proposed as Oxfordshire County Council’s new HQ. As first reported by the Clarion, relocation plans are currently on hold after the find.

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 24d

Plans to move Oxfordshire County Council’s HQ to Speedwell House, just off St Aldates, could be rethought after “a potentially significant archaeological find” at the site. OCC has recently sold County Hall for redevelopment as a hotel, meaning the council will need a new home from spring 2027.

1 5 9

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 24d

There is some information about the history of Cowley Road Methodist Church here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/old_oxford/e...

Cowley Road, Oxford

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 24d

Another piece of Oxford’s heritage is for sale: offers in excess of £850,000 are invited for the Grade II listed Cowley Road Methodist Church that was designed by Stephen Salter and built by Kingerlee in 1903: s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/agents-socie...

s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com

1 1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 24d

Does anyone know what this "potentially significant archaeological find" at Speedwell House is? It could leave the county council that was planning to there homeless

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 24d

Plans to move Oxfordshire County Council’s HQ to Speedwell House, just off St Aldates, could be rethought after “a potentially significant archaeological find” at the site. OCC has recently sold County Hall for redevelopment as a hotel, meaning the council will need a new home from spring 2027.

1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 29d

This small plaque in the pavement outside the Saïd Business School remembers Oxford’s other railway station, built in 1851 (one year before the GWR one on the Botley Road). It was demolished to make way for the business school and rebuilt at Quainton in 2000 www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...

Rewley Road Station

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

2

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 16

New page with more information on Oxford's Black Assizes here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/insc...

Black Assizes, Old County Hall, Oxford

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 12

You still have a chance this weekend to visit the Old County Hall before it is altered, as it is one of the Open Doors events www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk/old-county-h...

Old County Hall

www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk

1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 12

The historic 1841 building (which is on the site of the ancient shire hall) would become a restaurant, bar, and gallery with a roof terrace. This plaque may take away diners’ appetites though

1 2

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 12

Oxfordshire’s Old County Hall in New Road that houses the council chamber and coroner’s court has been sold (along with the adjacent modern block of offices) to L & G, who plan to turn the site into a hotel www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Oxfordshire County Council HQ sale moves forward

The council has exchanged contracts with buyers on the County Hall building in Oxford.

www.bbc.co.uk

1 1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 10

According to this city council page giving all the dates this year that the bells will be rung from Carfax Tower, there are only six bells, cast in 1676 by Richard Keene: www.oxford.gov.uk/civic-office...

Bell ringing from Carfax Tower – Oxford City Council

Information about our annual bell ringing commitments from Carfax Tower.

www.oxford.gov.uk

1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 10

There is more information on all three City Churches called St Martin's that stood at Carfax from the eleventh century to 1896 here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/mayors/city_...

St Martin’s Church, Carfax, Oxford

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

2

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 10

The City Church at Carfax was demolished in 1896 except for its medieval tower, but its bells still ring out. On Monday 8 September 2025 at 12 noon they rang to mark the third anniversary of the accession of King Charles III

2 1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 8

This notice in Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 3 September 1859 shows that when St John’s College (as Lords of the Manor) had sole supervision of St Giles' Fair, nothing could be brought to the site until 4am on the Monday morning

2

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 8

Today is the Monday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (1 September), so it must be St Giles’ Fair: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/fair/

St Giles', Oxford

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

1 1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Blackfriars, which has been near the south end of St Giles’ since 1921, became a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in 1994: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...

Blackfriars, 64 St Giles' Street, Oxford

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Blackfriars has submitted this planning application (25/01972/FUL) for change of use of the offices at the back of the ground floor to a kitchen so that they can run a café called The Good Habit here for local people and tourists as well as its students: public.oxford.gov.uk/online-appli...

25/01972/FUL | Change of use from academic/administrative or office floorspace (Sui Generis) to ground floor retail unit (Class E(a)). Redecoration of shop front, alterations to ...

public.oxford.gov.uk

1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Sep 5

Nos. 32 and 33/33A St Giles’ have belonged to Blackfriars since 2018 but the ground-floor shops remain vacant. Here is a brief history of the occupants of these three old shops (which were combined to form a bank in 1977): www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...

32, 33, & 33A St Giles' Street, Oxford

www.oxfordhistory.org.uk

1 1

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Aug 26

There is an Archaeology Open Day at Hertford College on Saturday 6 September 2025, 10.30am–3.30pm, with a chance to look around the college chapel too: www.hertford.ox.ac.uk/event/archae...

Archaeology Open Day - Hertford College | University of Oxford

Step behind the hoardings and see history uncovered! On Saturday 6 September, Hertford’s main site will be open for visitors to view finds discovered by Oxford Archaeology during excavations for the C...

www.hertford.ox.ac.uk

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · Aug 23

The Warneford Asylum/Hospital has been in Headington since 1826, but after 200 years its old buildings are likely to become a college of the University of Oxford. Here is its brief history, with details of the current planning application at the end www.headington.org.uk/history/list...

Warneford Hospital

www.headington.org.uk

3 7