Oxford, England

Oxford shown within Oxfordshire

Oxford is a university city in Oxfordshire, England, which has a population of 134 248 (2001 census). Its latitude and longitude are 51°45'07" N and 1°15'28" W (at Carfax Tower, which is usually considered as the centre).

The coat-of-arms of the City of Oxford. The motto for the city is 'Fortis est veritas' (Latin: 'Truth is strong').

It is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined by Matthew Arnold for the harmonious architecture of the university buildings. A major point of interest has always been the sometimes uneasy relationship between "town and gown", which in 1355 resulted in a riot in which several university students were killed (the Saint Scholastica Day Riot). Unlike its great rival, Cambridge, Oxford is an industrial city, particularly associated with car manufacture in the suburb of Cowley.

City of dreaming spires

History

Oxford was first occupied in Saxon times, and was initially known as "Oxanforda", it began with the foundations of St Frideswide's nunnery in the 8th century, and was first mentioned in written records in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles of the year 912. In the 10th century Oxford became an important millitary frontier town between the kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex and was on several occasions raided by Danes.

The Saxon Tower at the city church St Michael at the Northgate. The tower is one of the oldest structures in the city.

The University of Oxford, the oldest in England, was first mentioned in the 12th century. Oxford's earliest Colleges were University College 1249, Balliol 1263 and Merton 1264.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Oxford became the headquarters of king Charles I and his court in 1642, after the king was expelled from London, although there was strong support in the town for the Parliamentarian cause.

The town yielded to the Parliamentarian forces under General Fairfax in 1646.

By the early 20th century Oxford was experiencing rapid industrial and population growth, with the printing and publishing industries becoming well established by the 1920s. Also during that decade a major car building industry was begun by the Morris Motor Company.

On 6 May 1954 Roger Bannister ran the first authenticated sub-four minute mile at the Iffley Road track in Oxford.

The Oxford Town Hall, built during the reign of Queen Victoria. Though Oxford has city status and is a Lord Mayoralty, the seat of the city council is still called by the traditional name of 'Town Hall'.

Features

Christ Church Meadow

Magdalen Deer Park

University Church of St Mary the Virgin

Major tourist attractions and important buildings include:

• The Ashmolean Museum
• The Bodleian Library
• Carfax Tower
• Christ Church Cathedral
• The Church of St Mary the Virgin
• The Clarendon Building (often used as a set for film and television)
• The Oxford Story (theme ride)
• Punting on the Thames (known in Oxford as the "Isis") and the Cherwell
• The Pitt Rivers Museum
• The Radcliffe Camera (one of several buildings named after John Radcliffe)
• The Sheldonian Theatre
• The University Parks

Literature in Oxford

Colin Dexter wrote and set the Inspector Morse mystery novels in Oxford.

Famous Oxford-based authors include:

• J. R. R. Tolkien (a Professor at Oxford)
• C.S. Lewis (fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford)
• Iris Murdoch (fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford)
• Philip Pullman

The Oxford English Dictionary is published by Oxford University Press

See also

University of Oxford (including links to the individual colleges).

External links

• Oxford City Council
• Mushroom Guide to Oxford

Referenced By