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800
Oxford was founded...
Oxford was founded in the 9th century when Alfred the Great created a network of fortified towns called burghs across his kingdom. One of these was at Oxford. There may have been a village already existing there or Alfred may have created a new town. The streets of Anglo-Saxon Oxford were in a regular pattern suggesting a new town.. -
911
The First Mention
Oxford is first mentioned in 911 when the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a sort of national diary, said: 'King Edward received the burghs of London and Oxford with all the lands belonging to them'. -
950
Saxon Oxford
Saxon Oxford probably had a market from the time it was made a burgh and it soon became a flourishing town. In the 10th century Oxford had a mint with 4 coin makers. But Oxford was a fortress as well as a town. In the event of war with the Danes all the men from the area were to gather inside the burgh. -
1009
The Fire
However this strategy was not entirely successful. In 1009 the Danes burned Oxford. (An easy task since all the buildings were of wood with thatched roofs). However Oxford was soon rebuilt. -
1021
OXFORD IN THE MIDDLE AGES
By the time of the Norman Conquest there were said to be about 1,000 houses in Oxford, which meant it probably had a population of around 5,000. By the standards of the time it was a large and important town (even London only had about 18,000 inhabitants). It was said at the time that Oxford was the 6th largest town in England. Oxford probably reached its zenith at that time. -
1072
A New Castle
About 1072 the Normans built a castle at Oxford. In the 11th century the town's defenses were a ditch and an earth rampart with a wooden stockade on top. Later the stockade was replaced by a stone wall. -
1122
an Augustinian priory
In 1122 an Augustinian priory (small abbey) was founded in Oxford. It was dedicated to St Frideswide. The priory was given the right to hold a fair. In the Middle ages a fair was like a market but it was held only once a year for a few days and it would attract merchants from as far away as London. The priory charged the stallholders tolls. A Cistercian abbey, Rewley Abbey was founded in 1280. -
1142
Civil War
In the 1140's there was civil war in England between Stephen and Matilda. In 1142 Matilda was at Oxford castle but her rival's troops burned the town and besieged the castle. However one snowy day Matilda managed to escape across the frozen river. Oxford soon recovered from this disaster and began to flourish once again -
1167
Oxford University
The university at Oxford was founded in 1167. In Medieval Oxford there was much tension between townspeople and students. In 1209 a woman was killed in Oxford. Afterwards the townsfolk hanged 2 students. Some of the students fled to Cambridge but in 1214 they were invited back. Evidently the merchants in the town missed their custom. In 1121 a Chancellor was appointed with power to discipline the students. -
1538
A Bishop
In 1538 Henry VIII closed the abbey, the priory and the friaries in Oxford. In the Middle Ages the priory and one of the friaries had the right to hold annual fairs and to charge tolls. After they were closed this right was transferred to the town. Yet both fairs declined and had virtually ceased to exist by the middle of the 17th century. However in 1542 Oxford was made a city and was given a Bishop. -
OXFORD IN THE 16th CENTURY
Tudor Oxford was economically dependent on the university. The students provided a large market for beer, food, clothes and other goods. Oxford was full of craftsmen who supplied these needs. By this time hostility between 'town and gown' had died out. -
OXFORD IN THE 17th CENTURY
In 1642 came civil war between king and parliament. Opinion among the townspeople was probably divided but in 1642 a royalist army occupied Oxford. For the rest of the war the king made Oxford his headquarters. By this time the walls around the town were in disrepair so the king forced the townspeople to erect earthwork defenses. Oxford eventually surrendered to a parliamentary army. Although there was a fire in 1644 Oxford was not seriously damaged by the civil war. -
OXFORD IN THE 18th CENTURY
18th century Oxford remained a market town where produce from the surrounding area was bought and sold but most industry in Oxford was still geared to supplying the needs of the university. The city was full of brewers, bakers, butchers, tailors and grocers. In the 1720s a writer described the city as 'large, strong, populous and rich'. He was also impressed by the university buildings. -
OXFORD IN THE 19th CENTURY
From 1819 Oxford had gas street lighting. Warneford hospital was built in 1826. Littlemore hospital followed in 1847. There were some drains and sewers in Oxford in the early 19th century but the sewers emptied into the river. In the 1870s a modern system of sewers was built. In the 18th century a private company provided piped water - to those who could afford it. In 1808 the council took over the water company but many people continued to rely on wells. -
A Railway
A railway from Oxford to London was built in 1844 -
the Natural History Museum
In 1860 the Natural History Museum opened. -
The First Cinema
Oxford gained its first cinema in 1910 -
the Second World War
By the 1930s Oxford was an important manufacturing center. It was also a prosperous city. Furthermore it escaped serious damage during the Second World War -
OXFORD IN THE 21st CENTURY
Today the main industries are still car manufacturing and making vehicle parts as well as publishing. There is now a biotech industry in Oxford. Furthermore in 2006 Oxford Castle opened to the public. Today the population of Oxford is 150,000.
