New Road, Oxford
Encyclopedia
New Road is a street in west central Oxford
, England
. It links Park End Street
and Worcester Street
to the west with Queen Street
and Castle Street
to the east. To the south is Oxford Castle
and the former Oxford Prison, now a Malmaison
hotel. To the north is Nuffield College, a graduate college of Oxford University. At the eastern end on the south side is New County Hall, the headquarters of Oxfordshire County Council
.
between central Oxford and the west. It bypassed the earlier and narrower Hythe Bridge Street
to the north and St. Thomas's High Street (now St Thomas' Street) to the south. It was built through what remained of the northern outer ramparts and ditch of Oxford Castle, but Christ Church, Oxford
preserved the 11th century castle mount "as a venerable monument of antiquity".
From 1790 there was a coal wharf at the end of the Oxford Canal
on the north side of New Road. Nuffield College was built on the site of the wharf between 1951 and 1960. The canal is now truncated on the north side of Hythe Bridge Street.
County Hall was built just east of Oxford Castle in 1840-41. The architect John Plowman
designed it in a Norman
Revival style with crenellations to complement the castle.
St. Peter-le-Bailey
Parish School was built in 1849 on the corner of New Road and Tidmarsh Lane. Increasing traffic on New Road made this an unsatisfactory site for a school so in 1898 an appeal was launched for funds to move to new premises. This enabled the school to relocate to a site in New Inn Hall Street
. In 1911-12 new offices for the County Council's Education Department were built on the former school site. The architect W.A. Daft designed the building, which is of yellow brick with yellow Bath Stone
quoins and other details and topped by a cupola
. It is now the Oxfordshire County Register Office
.
The Oxfordshire Militia
Armoury and Drill Hall was built just west of the castle in 1854. It too was designed with crenellations to complement the castle, in this case by J.C. Buckler
. After 1857 the building was transferred to the newly-founded Oxfordshire County Constabulary as its headquarters. In 1969 it was demolished and replaced by Macclesfield House, a building of precast concrete
which until the 2000s was one of the offices of Oxfordshire County Council.
On the north side of New Road is a small Gothic Revival
building designed by Charles Buckeridge
and built in 1863. It was first a court house, then the Probate
Registry, and is now private offices.
Early in the 1970s, Castle Street was realigned and New County Hall was built on the corner of Castle Street and New Road. New County Hall, like Macclesfield House, was designed by the Oxfordshire County Architect.
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 links Park End Street
Park End Street
Park End Street is a street in central Oxford, England, to the west of the centre of the city, close to the railway station at its western end.-Location:...
and Worcester Street
Worcester Street
Worcester Street is a street in west central Oxford, England.The street runs north-south in two sections that are separated for traffic. The northern section forms part of the A4144 road. It starts opposite the eponymous Worcester College, one of the colleges of the University of Oxford, at the...
to the west with Queen Street
Queen Street, Oxford
Queen Street is a 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...
and Castle Street
Castle Street
Castle Street may be:* Castle Street, Bridgwater, England* Castle Street, Cambridge, England* Castle Street, Canterbury, England* Castle Street, Liverpool, England* Castle Street, Reading, England* Castle Street, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
to the east. To the south is Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle
Oxford Castle is a large, partly ruined Norman medieval castle situated on the west edge of Oxford in Oxfordshire, England. The original moated, wooden motte and bailey castle was replaced with stone in the 11th century and played an important role in the conflict of the Anarchy...
and the former Oxford Prison, now a Malmaison
Malmaison (hotel chain)
Malmaison is a hotel brand in the United Kingdom. The group operates 12 hotels and is wholly owned by MWB Group Holdings.-History:The hotel brand was formed in 1994 and is named after the Château de Malmaison on the outskirts of Paris....
hotel. To the north is Nuffield College, a graduate college of Oxford University. At the eastern end on the south side is New County Hall, the headquarters of Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council
Oxfordshire County Council, established in 1889, is the county council, or upper-tier local authority, for the non-metropolitan county of Oxfordshire, in the South East of England, an elected body responsible for the most strategic local government services in the county.-History:County Councils...
.
History
New Road was built in 1769-70 as a new turnpike roadToll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
between central Oxford and the west. It bypassed the earlier and narrower Hythe Bridge Street
Hythe Bridge Street
Hythe Bridge Street is in the west of central Oxford, England, forming part of the A4144 road.- Location :The street links Frideswide Square and then Botley Road to the east and Worcester Street at the western end leading north, at the junction with George Street...
to the north and St. Thomas's High Street (now St Thomas' Street) to the south. It was built through what remained of the northern outer ramparts and ditch of Oxford Castle, but Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
preserved the 11th century castle mount "as a venerable monument of antiquity".
From 1790 there was a coal wharf at the end of the Oxford Canal
Oxford Canal
The Oxford Canal is a narrow canal in central England linking Oxford with Coventry via Banbury and Rugby. It connects with the River Thames at Oxford, to the Grand Union Canal at the villages of Braunston and Napton-on-the-Hill, and to the Coventry Canal at Hawkesbury Junction in Bedworth just...
on the north side of New Road. Nuffield College was built on the site of the wharf between 1951 and 1960. The canal is now truncated on the north side of Hythe Bridge Street.
County Hall was built just east of Oxford Castle in 1840-41. The architect John Plowman
John Plowman
John Plowman was an architect based in Oxford, England.From 1812 until 1837 Plowman worked in partnership with the builder, civil engineer and architect Daniel Harris.-Work:...
designed it in a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
Revival style with crenellations to complement the castle.
St. Peter-le-Bailey
Church of St Peter-le-Bailey
The Church of St Peter-le-Bailey is a church on New Inn Hall Street in central Oxford, England. It was formerly next to Bonn Square, which was originally the churchyard...
Parish School was built in 1849 on the corner of New Road and Tidmarsh Lane. Increasing traffic on New Road made this an unsatisfactory site for a school so in 1898 an appeal was launched for funds to move to new premises. This enabled the school to relocate to a site in New Inn Hall Street
New Inn Hall Street
New Inn Hall Street is a street in central Oxford, England. It is a shopping street running north-south parallel and to the west of Cornmarket Street, with George Street to the north and Queen Street to the south...
. In 1911-12 new offices for the County Council's Education Department were built on the former school site. The architect W.A. Daft designed the building, which is of yellow brick with yellow Bath Stone
Bath Stone
Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance...
quoins and other details and topped by a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
. It is now the Oxfordshire County Register Office
Register office
A register office is a British term for a civil registry, a government office and depository where births, deaths and marriages are officially recorded and where you can get officially married, without a religious ceremony...
.
The Oxfordshire Militia
Oxfordshire Militia
The Oxfordshire Militia was a militia regiment in the United Kingdom from 1759 to 1881, when it was amalgamated into The Oxfordshire Light Infantry....
Armoury and Drill Hall was built just west of the castle in 1854. It too was designed with crenellations to complement the castle, in this case by J.C. Buckler
John Chessell Buckler
John Chessell Buckler was a British architect, the eldest son of the architect John Buckler. J.C. Buckler initially worked with his father before working for himself. His work included restorations of country houses and at the University of Oxford.-Career:Buckler received art lessons from the...
. After 1857 the building was transferred to the newly-founded Oxfordshire County Constabulary as its headquarters. In 1969 it was demolished and replaced by Macclesfield House, a building of precast concrete
Precast concrete
By producing precast concrete in a controlled environment , the precast concrete is afforded the opportunity to properly cure and be closely monitored by plant employees. Utilizing a Precast Concrete system offers many potential advantages over site casting of concrete...
which until the 2000s was one of the offices of Oxfordshire County Council.
On the north side of New Road is a small Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
building designed by Charles Buckeridge
Charles Buckeridge
Charles Buckeridge was a British Gothic Revival architect who trained as a pupil of Sir George Gilbert Scott. He practiced in Oxford 1856–68 and in London from 1869. He was made an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1861.-Work:Much of Buckeridge's work was for parish...
and built in 1863. It was first a court house, then the Probate
Probate
Probate is the legal process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under the valid will. A probate court decides the validity of a testator's will...
Registry, and is now private offices.
Early in the 1970s, Castle Street was realigned and New County Hall was built on the corner of Castle Street and New Road. New County Hall, like Macclesfield House, was designed by the Oxfordshire County Architect.