Holywell Street
Encyclopedia
Holywell Street is a street in central Oxford
, England
. It runs east-west with Broad Street
to the west and Longwall Street
to the east. About half way along, Mansfield Road
adjoins to the north.
New College
dominates the south side of the street. At the western end of the street is the King's Arms
public house on the north corner, a favorite with Oxford University
students, and the Indian Institute
(now the home of The James Martin 21st Century School) to the south. On the north side is the Holywell Music Room
, an historic chamber music
venue built in 1742. Opposite a small cul-de-sac, Bath Place, leads via a small winding footpath to the historic Turf Tavern
public house close to the old city wall. The wall is still extant in places and follows the course of Holywell Street to the south, partly through New College.
(1685–1759) performed at the Holywell Music Room.
Jane Burden
(1839–1914), the muse of the Pre-Raphaelites
and subject of many of their pictures, lived in a cottage in St Helen's Passage, at the back of Bath Place off Holywell Street. At the time of her birth, her father, Robert Burden, was a stableman
and lived here with his wife, Ann (née Maizey, Jane's mother). The site is now marked with a blue plaque
. At the time of Jane Burden's marriage to William Morris
at St Michael's Church, Oxford, on 26 April 1859, her father was described as a groom
in stables at 65 Holywell Street.
The academic and author J. R. R. Tolkien
lived at 99 Holywell Street between 1950 and 1953, between residences in Manor Road
and Sandfield Road
, Headington
.
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It runs east-west with Broad Street
Broad Street, Oxford
Broad Street is a wide street in central Oxford, England, located just north of the old city wall.The street is known for its bookshops, including the original Blackwell's bookshop at number 50, located here due to the University...
to the west and Longwall Street
Longwall Street
Longwall Street is a street in central Oxford, England. It runs along the western flank of Magdalen College, separated by an imposing and high 15th century stone wall for the length of the street, behind which is the deer park in the college...
to the east. About half way along, Mansfield Road
Mansfield Road, Oxford
Mansfield Road is a road in central Oxford, England. It runs north-south with two of Oxford University's colleges on it, Mansfield College and Harris Manchester College, and Queen Elizabeth House which houses the Oxford Department of International Development.To the north is South Parks Road and...
adjoins to the north.
New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
dominates the south side of the street. At the western end of the street is the King's Arms
King's Arms
The King's Arms is one of the main student public houses in Oxford, England. It is located in a prominent position on the corner of Parks Road and Holywell Street, opposite the New Bodleian Library building. Also nearby are Broad Street and the Clarendon Building, part of Oxford University...
public house on the north corner, a favorite with Oxford University
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
students, and the Indian Institute
Indian Institute
The Indian Institute in central Oxford, England is located at the north end of Catte Street on the corner with Holywell Street and facing down Broad Street from the east...
(now the home of The James Martin 21st Century School) to the south. On the north side is the Holywell Music Room
Holywell Music Room
The Holywell Music Room is the city of Oxford's chamber music hall, situated in Holywell Street in the city centre, attached to Wadham College. It is said to be the oldest, purpose built music room in Europe, and hence England's first concert hall....
, an historic chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
venue built in 1742. Opposite a small cul-de-sac, Bath Place, leads via a small winding footpath to the historic Turf Tavern
Turf Tavern
The Turf Tavern is a popular but well-hidden historic public house in central Oxford, England. Its foundations date from the 13th century and the low beamed front bar area from the 17th...
public house close to the old city wall. The wall is still extant in places and follows the course of Holywell Street to the south, partly through New College.
People
The composer George Frideric HandelGeorge Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
(1685–1759) performed at the Holywell Music Room.
Jane Burden
Jane Burden
Jane Morris was an English artists' model who embodied the Pre-Raphaelite ideal of beauty. She was a model and muse to the artists William Morris, whom she married, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.-Life:...
(1839–1914), the muse of the Pre-Raphaelites
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood
The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was a group of English painters, poets, and critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti...
and subject of many of their pictures, lived in a cottage in St Helen's Passage, at the back of Bath Place off Holywell Street. At the time of her birth, her father, Robert Burden, was a stableman
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
and lived here with his wife, Ann (née Maizey, Jane's mother). The site is now marked with a blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
. At the time of Jane Burden's marriage to William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
at St Michael's Church, Oxford, on 26 April 1859, her father was described as a groom
Horse grooming
Horse grooming is hygienic care given to a horse, or a process by which the horse's physical appearance is enhanced for horse shows or other types of competition.-Reasons for grooming:...
in stables at 65 Holywell Street.
The academic and author J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
lived at 99 Holywell Street between 1950 and 1953, between residences in Manor Road
St Cross Road
St Cross Road is a road in Oxford, England. It connects South Parks Road to the north and Longwall Street to the south, where it also adjoins Holywell Street....
and Sandfield Road
Sandfield Road
Sandfield Road is a road in the suburb of Headington, Oxford, England. It is close to the John Radcliffe Hospital.- Notable residents :Hugo Dyson, a member of the Oxford literary group called the Inklings, lived at 32 Sandfield Road until his death in 1975....
, Headington
Headington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
.