Macdonald Randolph Hotel
Encyclopedia
Macdonald Randolph Hotel ("The Randolph") is a hotel in Oxford
, England
. It is in central Oxford on the south side of Beaumont Street
, at the corner with Magdalen Street
, opposite the Ashmolean Museum
and close to the Oxford Playhouse. The hotel's architecture is Victorian Gothic in style.
The hotel featured in the Inspector Morse
television series several times, in particular in the episode entitled "The Wolvercote Tongue
". The cast stayed at the hotel during filming in 1987 and there is now a Morse Bar.
It is only relatively recently that Macdonald Hotels Ltd
officially renamed the Randolph Hotel as the "Macdonald Randolph Hotel".
, an architect who also designed many houses in North Oxford
. There was debate about the building's design. John Ruskin
favoured Gothic revival like the nearby Martyrs' Memorial
. The City Council
wanted a classical style
since the rest of Beaumont Street was early 19th century Regency
. A compromise was attained with a simplified Gothic façade, similar to the Oxford University Museum and the Oxford Union
buildings, but in brick.
The hotel was named not after Randolph Churchill
, who was connected with Blenheim Palace
to the north of Oxford, but because it was near the Randolph Gallery in the new Ashmolean Museum opposite. The gallery was built as a result of a thousand pound gift left by Dr Francis Randolph, a former Principal of St Alban Hall (now part of Merton College
), who died in 1796.
The hotel was opened in 1866. Major refurbishments of the hotel were undertaken in 1952, 1978, 1988 and 2000. During the 1952 renovations, an extension was added to the west, designed by J. Hopgood. The building is Grade II listed.
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 is in central Oxford on the south side of Beaumont Street
Beaumont Street
Beaumont Street is a street in the centre of Oxford, England.The street was laid out from 1828 to 1837 with elegant terraced houses in the Regency style. Before that, it was the location of Beaumont Palace, now noted by a plaque near the junction with Walton Street...
, at the corner with Magdalen Street
Magdalen Street
Magdalen Street is a short shopping street in central Oxford, England, just north of the original north gate in the city walls.At the southern end, Magdalen Street meets Cornmarket Street continuing to the south, Broad Street to the east and George Street to the west. At the northern end it...
, opposite the Ashmolean Museum
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
and close to the Oxford Playhouse. The hotel's architecture is Victorian Gothic in style.
The hotel featured in the Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse (TV series)
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes....
television series several times, in particular in the episode entitled "The Wolvercote Tongue
The Jewel That Was Ours
The Jewel That Was Ours is a crime novel by Colin Dexter, the ninth novel in Inspector Morse series.An American tourist is found dead in her room at the Randolph Hotel, and her prized and very expensive piece of antique jewellery has been stolen. Two days later a battered and naked corpse is...
". The cast stayed at the hotel during filming in 1987 and there is now a Morse Bar.
It is only relatively recently that Macdonald Hotels Ltd
Macdonald Hotels Ltd
Macdonald Hotels Ltd is a hospitality company based in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland.Its main subsidiary, Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, owns or operates hotels and holiday resorts in the UK and Spain.- History :...
officially renamed the Randolph Hotel as the "Macdonald Randolph Hotel".
History
The Randolph Hotel was built in 1864 by William WilkinsonWilliam Wilkinson (architect)
William Wilkinson was a British Gothic Revival architect who practised in Oxford, England.-Family:Wilkinson's father was a builder in Witney in Oxfordshire. William's elder brother George Wilkinson was also an architect, as were William's nephews C.C. Rolfe and H.W. Moore .-Career:Wilkinson...
, an architect who also designed many houses in North Oxford
North Oxford
North Oxford is a suburban part of the city of Oxford in England. It was owned for many centuries largely by St John's College, Oxford and many of the area's Victorian houses were initially sold on leasehold by the College....
. There was debate about the building's design. John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
favoured Gothic revival like the nearby Martyrs' Memorial
Martyrs' Memorial
The Martyrs' Memorial is a stone monument positioned at the intersection of St Giles', Magdalen Street and Beaumont Street in Oxford, England just outside Balliol College...
. The City Council
Oxford City Council
The Oxford City Council provides local government for the city of Oxford in England.- Overview :Between the 2004 local elections, and 2010 the council was in minority administration, first by councillors from the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats being the official opposition...
wanted a classical style
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
since the rest of Beaumont Street was early 19th century Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
. A compromise was attained with a simplified Gothic façade, similar to the Oxford University Museum and the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
buildings, but in brick.
The hotel was named not after Randolph Churchill
Randolph Churchill
Major Randolph Frederick Edward Spencer-Churchill, MBE was the son of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Preston from 1940 to 1945....
, who was connected with Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
to the north of Oxford, but because it was near the Randolph Gallery in the new Ashmolean Museum opposite. The gallery was built as a result of a thousand pound gift left by Dr Francis Randolph, a former Principal of St Alban Hall (now part of Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
), who died in 1796.
The hotel was opened in 1866. Major refurbishments of the hotel were undertaken in 1952, 1978, 1988 and 2000. During the 1952 renovations, an extension was added to the west, designed by J. Hopgood. The building is Grade II listed.