Magdalen Bridge, River Cherwell and Oxford University Botanical Gardens By alice22 1004 First wooden drawbridge over the River Cherwell 1190 Jews of Oxford purchased a water meadow to establish a burial ground, which is now under the Botanical Gardens 1290 Jews were expelled from England 1400 Late medieval stone bridge 1458 Magdalen College built 1600 May Day tradition begins 1621 Physics Garden founded by the 1st Earl of Danby 1621 The Jewish Cemetery now lies beneath the Physics Gardens 1623 Walls of garden are erected 1633 Danby Gateway to physics garden is built 1723 First widening of the bridge 1772 Parts of bridge collapse due to flooding, bridge deemed irreparable. New bridge begins to be built. 1773 Foundation stone of the old part of Magdalen Bridge was laid 1778 Bridge became passable 1790 The new bridge is complete 1834 Physics Gardens becomes the Botanical Gardens 1882 The new bridge is widened 1921 Punting became popular on the River Cherwell 1931 Jewish cemetery is taken by St John's Hospital and a small wasteland is given to the Jews 1936 Magdalen Bridge Boathouse built 1989 Balustrades restoration begins on the bridge
