High Street, Oxford

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (August 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The University Church of St Mary the Virgin on the northern side of the High Street.

The Queen's College, also on the northern side of the High Street.

Magdalen College with its imposing tower, at the eastern end of the High Street.

The Rhodes Building of Oriel College on the south side of the High Street.

Carfax, at the western end of the High Street.

The High Street in Oxford, England runs between Carfax, generally recognized as the centre of the city, and Magdalen Bridge to the east. Locally the street is often known as The High. It forms a gentle curve and is the subject of many prints, paintings, photographs, etc. The vista looking west towards Carfax with University College on the left and Queen's College on the right is an especially popular view. The mid-point is at 51.7525° N -1.252° W.

To the north are (west to east): Lincoln College (main entrance in Turl Street), Brasenose College (main entrance in Radcliffe Square), St Mary's (the University Church), All Souls College, The Queen's College, St Edmund Hall (main entrance in Queen's Lane) and Magdalen College (including Magdalen Tower).

To the south are (west to east): Oriel College, University College (including the Boyle-Hooke plaque outside the Shelley Memorial), the Examination Schools, the Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art, the Eastgate Hotel (at the original entrance to the city) and the Botanic Garden.

Queen's Lane Coffee House (in the junction with Queen's Lane) was established in 1654 and is probably Oxford's first coffee house.

Despite an influx of chain stores in nearby Cornmarket Street, the High is home to a number of specialist independent retailers. These include Shepherd & Woodward (University outfitters), Payne & Son (goldsmiths), Sanders of Oxford (printsellers) and Waterfield's Books. To the north at the eastern end between Cornmarket and the Turl is the historic traditional Covered Market, established in 1774.

Edward Bracher, a pioneering Victorian photographer, had a shop at 26 High Street. Henry Taunt, another photographer, joined him as a member of staff in 1856. Taunt later returned to 41 High Street after the lease for his own shop premises in Broad Street expired in 1894.

83 High Street bears a blue plaque (10 October 2001) commemorating Sarah Cooper (1848–1932) marmalade maker, wife of Frank Cooper whose shop at 83–84 High Street was the origin of the Frank Cooper jam business (a brand now owned by Premier Foods). The company made "Oxford marmalade" famous.

In June 1879, George Claridge Druce (also a noted botanist and later mayor of the city) moved to Oxford and set up a chemist's shop, Druce & Co., at 118 High Street. This continued until his death 1932.