   #copyright

Oxford

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

                                        City of Oxford
                             Oxford                   Oxford
                                                 Shown within Oxfordshire
                                                               Geography
                                   Status:                    City (1542)
                                   Region:             South East England
                            Admin. County:                    Oxfordshire
                                     Area:
                                   - Total                   Ranked 306th
                                                                45.59 km²
                                Admin. HQ:                         Oxford
                           Grid reference:                       SP 51 06
                                 ONS code:                           38UC
                                                            Demographics
                               Population:
                       - Total (2005 est.)
                                 - Density         Ranked 111th
                                                                  149,800
                                                              3,286 / km²
                                Ethnicity:         87.1% White
                                                             4.8% S.Asian
                                                         2.5% Afro-Carib.
                                                             1.8% Chinese
                                                                Politics

                                                     Oxford City Council
                                               http://www.oxford.gov.uk/
                               Leadership:               Leader & Cabinet
                                Executive: Liberal Democrats (council NOC)
                                      MPs:      Evan Harris, Andrew Smith

   Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England,
   with a population of 134,248 ( 2001 census). It is home to the
   University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking
   world.

   It is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined by Matthew
   Arnold in reference to the harmonious architecture of the university
   buildings. The River Thames runs through Oxford, where for a distance
   of some 10 miles it is known as the Isis.

   The Oxford suburb of Cowley has a long history of carmaking and now
   produces the BMW MINI.

History

   Oxford was first occupied in Saxon times, and was initially known as "
   Oxenaforda". 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 Chronicle for the year 912. In the 10th century Oxford
   became an important military frontier town between the kingdoms of
   Mercia and Wessex and was on several occasions raided by Danes. St
   Frideswide is the patron saint of both the city and university.

   Oxford grew up under the shadow of a convent, said to have been founded
   by St Frideswide as early as the eighth century. Its authentic history
   begins in 912, when it was occupied by Edward the Elder, King of the
   West Saxons. It was strongly fortified against the Danes, and again
   after the Norman Conquest, and the massive keep of the castle, the
   tower of St. Michael's Church (at the north gate), and a large portion
   of the city walls still remain to attest the importance of the city in
   the eleventh century. West of the town rose the splendid castle, and,
   in the meadows beneath, the no-less-splendid Augustinian Abbey of
   Osney: in the fields to the north the last of the Norman kings built
   the stately palace of Beaumont; the great church of St Frideswide was
   erected by the canons-regular who succeeded the nuns of St Frideswide;
   and many fine churches were built by the piety of the Norman earls.

   The prestige of Oxford is seen in the fact that it received a charter
   from King Henry II, granting its citizens the same privileges and
   exemptions as those enjoyed by the capital of the kingdom; and various
   important religious houses were founded in or near the city. A grandson
   of King John established Rewley Abbey for the Cistercian Order; and
   friars of various orders ( Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites,
   Augustinians, and Trinitarians), all had houses at Oxford of varying
   importance. Parliaments were often held in the city during the
   thirteenth century, but this period also saw the beginning of the long
   struggle between the town and the growing university which ended in the
   subjugation of the former, and the extinction for centuries of the
   civic importance of Oxford.

   The University of Oxford is first mentioned in 12th century records.
   Oxford's earliest colleges were University College ( 1249), Balliol (
   1263) and Merton ( 1264). These colleges were established at a time
   when Europeans were starting to translate the writings of Greek
   philosophers. These writings challenged European ideology – inspiring
   scientific discoveries and advancements in the arts – as society began
   seeing itself in a new way. These colleges at Oxford were supported by
   the Church in hopes to reconcile Greek Philosophy and Christian
   Theology.

   Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford is unique as a college chapel and
   cathedral in one foundation. Originally the Priory Church of St
   Frideswide, the building was extended and incorporated into the
   structure of the Cardinal's College shortly before its refounding as
   Christ Church in 1546, since which time it has functioned as the
   cathedral of the Diocese of Oxford.

   The relationship between "town and gown" has often been uneasy —
   several university students were killed in the St Scholastica Day Riot
   of 1355.

   During the English Civil War, Oxford housed the court of Charles I 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 Parliamentarian forces under General Fairfax in 1646.

   In 1790 the Oxford Canal connected the city with Coventry. The Duke's
   Cut was completed by the Duke of Marlborough in 1789 to link the new
   canal with the River Thames; and in 1796 the Oxford Canal company built
   their own link to the Thames, at Isis Lock. In the 1840s, the Great
   Western Railway and London and North Western Railway linked Oxford with
   London.
   Oxford Coat-of-arms Motto: Fortis est veritas(Latin: "Truth is strong")
   Enlarge
   Oxford Coat-of-arms
   Motto: Fortis est veritas
   (Latin: "Truth is strong")
   A map of Oxford, 1605.
   Enlarge
   A map of Oxford, 1605.

   In the 19th century, the controversy surrounding the Oxford Movement in
   the Anglican Church drew attention to the city as a focus of
   theological thought.
   Map of Oxford (1904)
   Enlarge
   Map of Oxford (1904)

   Oxford's Town Hall was built by Henry T. Hare, the foundation stone was
   laid on 6 July 1893 and opened by the future King Edward VII on 12 May
   1897. The site has been the seat of local government since the Guild
   Hall of 1292 and though Oxford is a city and a Lord Mayoralty, it is
   still called by its traditional name of " Town Hall".

   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, the economy and
   society of Oxford underwent a huge transformation as William Morris
   established the Morris Motor Company to mass produce cars in Cowley, on
   the south-eastern edge of the city. By the early 1970s over 20,000
   people worked in Cowley at the huge Morris Motors and Pressed Steel
   Fisher plants. By this time Oxford was a city of two halves: the
   university city to the west of Magdalen Bridge (from where students
   traditionally jump into the River Cherwell every May Day morning) and
   the car town to the east. This led to the witticism that "Oxford is the
   left bank of Cowley". Cowley suffered major job losses in the 1980s and
   1990s during the decline of British Leyland, but is now producing the
   successful New MINI for BMW.

   The influx of migrant labour to the car plants, recent immigration from
   south-east Asia, and a large student population, have given Oxford a
   notable cosmopolitan character, especially in the Headington and Cowley
   Road areas with their many bars, cafes, restaurants, clubs, ethnic
   shops and fast food outlets. Oxford is one of the most international
   small cities in Britain with more than 19.3% of the population born
   outside of the UK and 23.2% from an ethnic minority group, including
   12.9% from a non-white ethnic minority ethnic group (2001 Census)

   On 6 May 1954, Roger Bannister, as a 25 year old medical student, ran
   the first authenticated sub-four minute mile at the Iffley Road running
   track in Oxford.

   Oxford's second university, Oxford Brookes University, formerly the
   Oxford School of Art, based on Headington Hill, was given its charter
   in 1991 and has been voted for the last five years the best new
   university in the UK

Twinning

   Oxford is twinned with:
     * Germany Bonn, Germany
     * France Grenoble, France
     * Nicaragua León, Nicaragua
     * Netherlands Leiden, Netherlands
     * Russia Perm, Russia

   All of these are university towns.

Transport

   Oxford is located some 55 miles (90 km) north west of London and 70
   miles (110 km) south east of Birmingham, and the M40 motorway between
   London and Birmingham passes within seven miles of Oxford. The A34 road
   between Hampshire and the Midlands passes Oxford and forms the western
   part of the city's bypass. The other trunk roads serving Oxford are the
   A40 road linking London, the Cotswolds and West Wales, and the A420
   road between Oxford and Bristol via Swindon.

   Rail connections include services to London (Paddington), Bournemouth,
   Worcester (via the Cotswold Line), Birmingham, Coventry and the north,
   and Bicester.

   The Bicester railway branch is part of the route of a former railway
   service connecting Oxford and Cambridge that was known as the Varsity
   Line. Parts of the line have been closed since the end of 1967, but in
   2006 the Department for Transport (DfT) has ordered a £300,000
   feasibility study to consider reopening it.

   The Oxford Canal links Oxford to the Midlands, and connects at Oxford
   with the River Thames. The Thames provides a navigable link, nowadays
   chiefly for leisure craft, as far as Lechlade to the west and
   Teddington Lock to the east and onwards to London.

   Oxford Airport at Kidlington offers business and General Aviation
   services.

   Most local bus services are provided by the Oxford Bus Company and
   Stagecoach South Midlands and include two competing frequent-interval
   coach services to London, Stagecoach's Oxford Tube, and Oxford Bus's
   Oxford Espress, both of which leave from Gloucester Green Bus Station
   on the western edge of the city centre. The Oxford Tube is reputed by
   its operator to be the most intensive coach service of its kind
   anywhere in the world. Stagecoach also runs a half-hourly coach service
   to Cambridge, and a less frequent service to Northampton, whilst many
   National Express services between the North and Midlands and the
   South/South West call in the city. Other local and rural bus services
   are provided by Wallingford-based Thames Travel.

Tourist attractions

   The Oxford skyline facing Christ Church to the south (Christ Church
   Cathedral on the left and Tom Tower on the right)
   Enlarge
   The Oxford skyline facing Christ Church to the south (Christ Church
   Cathedral on the left and Tom Tower on the right)

   Oxford has numerous major tourist attractions, many belonging to the
   university and colleges. As well as several famous institutions, the
   town centre is home to Carfax Tower and a historical themed ride, The
   Oxford Story. Many tourists shop at the historic Covered Market. In the
   summer, punting on the Thames/Isis and the Cherwell is popular.
   The Radcliffe Camera
   Enlarge
   The Radcliffe Camera

Religious sites

     * Christ Church Cathedral
     * The Church of St Mary the Virgin (the University Church)
     * Martyrs' Memorial

Churches in central Oxford

   Anglican:
     * St Bartholomew's Chapel, Bartlemas, Cowley Road
     * Canning Crescent: St Luke, Canning Crescent
     * Christ Church Cathedral (Anglican), St Aldate's
     * Cowley Parish Church (St James), Beauchamp Lane,
     * New Osney, St Frideswide, Botley Road
     * St Aldates, St. Aldates
     * St Clements, Marston Road
     * St Frideswide's, Botley Road
     * St Giles', 10 Woodstock Road
     * St Margaret, St Margaret's Road
     * St Mary Magdalen, Magdalen Street (Opposite Debenhams)
     * St Michael at the North Gate, Cornmarket Street
     * St Thomas the Martyr, Becket Street
     * St Andrew's, Linton Road
     * St Barnabas, Cardigan Street
     * St Matthew, Marlborough Road
     * Parish Church of SS Mary and John, Cowley Road
     * Pusey House, St Giles, St Giles' Street
     * St Alban the Martyr, Charles Street
     * St Ebbe's, Pennyfarthing Place (off St Ebbe's)
     * St Cross, St Cross Road (near junction with Manor Road).
     * St John the evangelist, Vicarage Road
     * University Church of St Mary the Virgin, High Street

   There are also two churches that have been converted into college
   libraries:
     * All Saints in the High Street ( 1706- 1708), now the library of
       Lincoln College
     * St Peter-in-the-East in Queen's Lane, now the library of St Edmund
       Hall

   Catholic:
     * Catholic Chaplaincy, Rose Place, St Aldate's
     * Blackfriars ( Roman Catholic) Dominican Priory, 64 St Giles'
     * St Aloysius Gonzaga, Woodstock Road
     * St Anthony of Padua, Headley Way
     * Greyfriars

   Baptist:
     * New Road Baptist Church, Bonn Square
     * Headington Baptist Church
     * Botley Baptist, Westminster Way
     * John Bunyan Baptist Church, Crowell Road
     * Woodstock Road Baptist
     * Albert Street Baptist

   Other:
     * German Lutheran services at St Mary the Virgin, High Street
     * Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity and the Annuciation, 1
       Canterbury Road (off Banbury Road)
     * Oxford Unitarians at Harris Manchester College Chapel, Mansfield
       Road
     * Religious Society of Friends ( Quakers), St Giles'
     * St Columba's United Reformed Church, Alfred Street
     * The Salvation Army, Oxford Citadel, Albion Place
     * Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, New Inn Hall Street
     * Oxford Vineyard
     * Oxford Community Church (OCC) http://www.occ.org.uk/oxford, Osney
       Mead
     * Oxford Bible Church
     * Grace Springs Church
     * Living Faith international
     * The Methodist Church, Lime Walk
     * Sant Nirankari Mandal, Marston Road
     * Chinese Christian Church, 15 Gorse Leas
     * Holy Family Church, 1 Cuddesdon Way
     * Evangelical Free Church, Magdalen Road
     * Assemblies of God, Oxford, Bracegirdle Road
     * Rivers of Life Church, Marston
     * Elim Pentecostal, Botley Road

Museums and galleries

   Oxford University Museum of Natural History
   Enlarge
   Oxford University Museum of Natural History

   University of Oxford:
     * Ashmolean Museum, Britain's oldest museum
     * Pitt Rivers Museum
     * Museum of Natural History, home of (the remains of) the Oxford Dodo
     * Museum of the History of Science, in Britain's oldest purpose-built
       museum building
     * Bate Collection of Musical Instruments, St Aldate's

   Others:
     * Museum of Oxford
     * Museum of Modern Art
     * Science Oxford
     * OVADA

University buildings

   Oxford University Press
   Enlarge
   Oxford University Press

   (Other than the colleges)
     * The Bodleian Library
     * The Clarendon Building (often used as a set for film and
       television)
     * The Radcliffe Camera (one of several institutions named after John
       Radcliffe)
     * The Sheldonian Theatre
     * The Oxford University Press

Open spaces

   The floodplains for Oxford's two rivers reach right into the heart of
   the city, providing a wealth of green spaces.
     * The University Parks
     * The University Botanic Garden
     * Christ Church Meadow
     * Port Meadow
     * Mesopotamia
     * Angel & Greyhound Meadow
     * Cutteslowe Park
     * Florence Park
     * South Park

   Punts in Oxford
   Enlarge
   Punts in Oxford
   Folly Bridge in Oxford
   Enlarge
   Folly Bridge in Oxford

Commercial areas

     * Cornmarket
     * The High Street
     * Turl Street
     * Little Clarendon Street
     * Broad Street
     * The Covered Market
     * George Street
     * Clarendon Shopping Centre
     * Westgate Shopping Centre
     * Golden Cross

   Outside of the City Centre:
     * Templers Square Shopping Centre, Cowley, Oxford
     * Cowley Road, Oxford
     * St. Clements, Oxford
     * London Road, Headington, Oxford
     * Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford
     * Walton Street, Jericho, Oxford
     * Botley Road, Oxford

Theatres and cinemas

     * Oxford Playhouse, Beaumont Street
     * New Theatre, George Street
     * Burton Taylor Theatre
     * Old Fire Station Theatre, George Street
     * Ultimate Picture Palace, Cowley Road
     * Phoenix Picturehouse, Walton Street
     * The Odeon Cinema, George Street
     * The Odeon Cinema, Magdalen Street
     * Vue Cinema

Traditional and historic pubs

   Historic public house, "The Bear".
   Enlarge
   Historic public house, "The Bear".
     * The Eagle and Child
     * Turf Tavern
     * The Lamb and Flag
     * The Bear
     * The Trout (at Godstow)
     * The King's Arms
     * The Chequers

   and numerous others, catering for Town and Gown.

Literature in Oxford

   Well-known Oxford-based authors include:
     * Lewis Carroll (real name Charles Dodgson), Student of Christ
       Church.
     * Colin Dexter who wrote and set his Inspector Morse mystery novels
       in Oxford. Colin Dexter still lives in Oxford, Wolvercote
     * Michael Innes ( J. I. M. Stewart), of Christ Church.
     * T. E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia", Oxford resident,
       undergraduate at Jesus, postgraduate at Magdalen.
     * C. S. Lewis, Fellow of Magdalen.
     * Iris Murdoch, Fellow of St Anne's
     * Philip Pullman who was an undergraduate at Exeter.
     * J. R. R. Tolkien, Professor of English at Merton, and undergraduate
       at Exeter.
     * Ian McEwan, formerly an Oxford resident for many years.
     * Mike Philbin, wrote his infamous Hertzan Chimera novels/stories in
       Oxford.

   Many English novels have been set partly or wholly in Oxford. They
   include:
     * Jude the Obscure (1895) by Thomas Hardy (in which Oxford is thinly
       disguised as " Christminster").
     * Zuleika Dobson (1911) by Max Beerbohm.
     * Gaudy Night (1935) by Dorothy L. Sayers.
     * Brideshead Revisited (1945) by Evelyn Waugh.
     * His Dark Materials (1995 onwards) by Philip Pullman

   See also books associated with Oxford and the literature section in the
   University of Oxford article.

Other notable Oxonians

     * Noel Godfrey Chavasse, twice awarded the Victoria Cross
     * Mike Hailwood, motor cycle world champion
     * Tim Henman, tennis player
     * John Kendrew, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 1962
     * Martin Keown, footballer
     * Martha Lane Fox, internet entrepreneur
     * Hugh Laurie, English actor, comedian and writer
     * Jane Morris née Burden, Pre-Raphaelite muse
     * Robbie Mustoe, footballer
     * Garry Parker, footballer
     * John Sergeant, journalist
     * Emma Watson, "Harry Potter" film actress
     * Mark Wright, footballer and manager

Notable bands from Oxford

     * Radiohead, debated, as all but one member came from Abingdon.
     * Ride
     * Supergrass
     * Swervedriver

Schools

   Oxford is home to an unusual number of highly academic schools, many of
   which receive pupils from around the world. Three are University choral
   foundations, established to educate the boy choristers of the chapel
   choirs, and have kept the tradition of single sex education. However
   examination results in Oxford schools are consistently below the
   national average and regional average with the district receiving the
   lowest average GCSE points score per pupil of any of the 354 districts
   in England in 2005 (Source: DfES Pupil Annual School Level Census 2005)
     * Cheney School
     * Cherwell School
     * Christ Church Cathedral School (choir school)
     * Dragon School
     * Headington School
     * Magdalen College School (choir school)
     * New College School (choir school)
     * d'Overbroeck's College
     * Oxford High School
     * Oxford Community School
     * Peers School
     * Rye St Antony School
     * St Clare's College
     * St Edward's School
     * St Gregory the Great School
     * Summer Fields School
     * Wheatley Park School

Geography

   Oxford's latitude and longitude are 51°45′07″N, 1°15′28″W (at Carfax
   Tower, which is usually considered the centre).

Wards, neighbourhoods, and suburbs

   The Oxford shark in Headington
   Enlarge
   The Oxford shark in Headington
     * Barton
     * Binsey
     * Blackbird Leys
     * Botley
     * Cowley
     * Coldharbour
     * East Oxford
     * Cutteslowe
     * Donnington
     * Grandpont
     * Headington — home to the Oxford shark.
     * Iffley
     * Littlemore
     * Jericho
     * Marston
     * North Oxford
     * Northway
     * Osney
     * Rose Hill
     * Risinghurst
     * Sandhills
     * St Ebbes
     * Summertown
     * Temple Cowley
     * Wolvercote
     * Wood Farm

Politics in Oxford

Oxford City Council

   Despite stereotypes of Oxford being a conservative city, there are no
   Conservatives on the city council. Since the 2004 local elections, the
   council has been in minority administration, first by councillors from
   the Labour Party, with the Liberal Democrats being the official
   opposition, and since 2006 with these roles reversed. With 8 city
   councillors and 5 county councillors, Oxford is one of the UK cities
   with highest Green Party representation. The Independent Working Class
   Association also has councillors, mainly elected to serve wards with
   many housing estates in the south east of the city, such as Blackbird
   Leys and Wood Farm. See Oxford Council election 2004 for further
   information.

   Since 2002, elections have been held for Oxford City Council in even
   years, with each councillor serving a term of four years. Each
   electoral ward within Oxford is represented by two councillors, thus
   all wards elect one councillor at each election. Prior to 2002, the
   City Council was elected by thirds.

   Partisan Composition

   Year Labour Lib Dem Green IWCA Conservative Source
   2002 29     15      3     1    0
   2004 20     18      7     3    0
   2006 18     18      8     4    0

   Partisan Control

     * 1974 – 1976: Labour
     * 1976 – 1980: Conservative
     * 1980 – 2000: Labour
     * 2000 – 2002: No overall control
     * 2002 – 2004: Labour
     * 2004 – Present: No overall control

Westminster representation

   A pre-election husting at the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency
   Enlarge
   A pre-election husting at the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency

   The two MPs are Andrew Smith from the Oxford East constituency,
   erstwhile employment minister in the Labour government; and Dr Evan
   Harris from the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency, sometime Liberal
   Democrat spokesperson on health. At the 2005 general election, Oxford
   East became a marginal seat with a Labour majority over the Liberal
   Democrats of just 963. Oxford West & Abingdon is a safe Liberal
   Democrat seat with Dr Harris enjoying a majority of just under 8,000.

Alternative culture

   There is also a large and vibrant alternative political culture mostly
   situated in East Oxford. Some examples are:
     * Oxford BOP Samba
     * Oxford Student Activist Network
     * Undercurrents
     * OCSET
     * Oxford Action Resource Centre (OARC)
     * Campaign to Close Campsfield
     * Corporate Watch
     * ETC Group
     * Oxford Indymedia

   Nicki French Performs at the Oxford Gay Pride Festival in Summer 2005
   Enlarge
   Nicki French Performs at the Oxford Gay Pride Festival in Summer 2005

Parishes

   Unusually for a compact urban district, Oxford has four civil parishes
   with parish councils — these are Blackbird Leys, Littlemore, Old
   Marston and Risinghurst and Sandhills.

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