iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

In 1934 St George-the-Martyr in George Street (a large chapel of ease for St Mary Magdalen Church) was demolished to make way for a cinema, and now in 2026 that cinema is being demolished to make way for an Aparthotel www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/george_stree...

030 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Wonderful close-up photographs of some of the fifteenth-century carvings on the roof of Oxford's Divinity School, including a pelican, eagle, pony, lion, unicorn, foxes, owl, boar, squirrel, dogs, and dolphins sketchfab.com/ARCHiOx/models

040 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Oxford Railway Station used to have a western entrance. Here it is in c.1905 (when it was the GWR station)

150 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

There are three Muses that haven't been taken down from the Clarendon Building. One of them is Thalia (Comedy) who fell down in 1935 but was restored then. Here she is in September 2026, with a report about her fall published in the Daily Mirror of 19 March 1935

020 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Today (7 September 2026) is the Monday following the first Sunday after St Giles' Day (always 1 September), so St Giles' Fair is now on. Here is a postcard showing the fair in Edwardian times

031 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Here is Calliope (Epic Poetry) being lifted by crane on to the top of Clarendon Building this morning. You can't see the three newly reinstalled statues, as they are hiding behind the scaffolding

150 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Here is Clio, Muse of History, all trussed up: apparently tomorrow (Saturday) the three Muses will leave the comfort of the Weston Library and suffer the indignity of being hoisted by crane up to the top of the Clarendon Building

020 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The Oxfordshire Family History Society has some excellent resources available to everyone. This page explains why many country people were forced to come to the City of Oxford to get married: www.ofhs.uk/resources/fr...

ofhs.uk

FAQ Marriages

Frequently Asked Questions on marriages

120 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

This sketch shows the shop built in 1900 on the corner of George Street and Gloucester Street that now houses Megan's (formerly Jamie's Italian) restaurant. The circular vignette in the top corner shows the old building (marked VICTORIA DAIRY) that was demolished to make way for it

140 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Here are the seven shops at 95–101 High Street that were demolished in 1910 by Oriel College to make way for their Rhodes Building

081 0

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Headington News @headingtonnews.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Mervyn Holliday has just written these excellent detailed memories of Headington's 100-acre Warneford Hospital Farm when his father was farm manager there (1944–1957). There are some wonderful photographs: the one below gives a glimpse of Old Road www.headington.org.uk/history/remi...

0133 0

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Scheme @oxblueplaques.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

An Oxfordshire Blue Plaque to Mary Sophia Merivale, who in 1907 was elected as Oxford's first woman councillor, was unveiled at her Park Town home yesterday (31 July 2026): www.oxonblueplaques.org.uk/plaques/meri...

121 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Be careful with the house numbers given in Kelly's Directory (even those with the post-1880 odd and evens system), as some Oxford streets were subsequently renumbered. Even the small Museum Road was renumbered twice in the 1890s www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/xtra...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

Street numbering in Oxford

110 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

This years Open Doors weekend is on Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 September 2026. A full list of venues can be seen here on the Oxford Preservation Trust website www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk/open-doors

oxfordpreservation.org.uk

Open Doors

010 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

To celebrate #PostboxSaturday, here are Oxford's five surviving Victorian pillar boxes

2114 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

There is now a new statue of a cockerel next to Dervorguilla in St Cross Road. Just across that road the cockerels of Oxfordshire once fought those of Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire until the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835 put a stop to it www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/holywell/mis...

130 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

It's Wednesday of ninth week of Trinity Term, so it's Encaenia today, probably the first one where the dress code has been relaxed. There are links to the history of the ceremony at the end of this page: www.ox.ac.uk/events/encae...

132 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Lincoln College has submitted planning application 26/01433/LBC for the former Bubbleology shop at 126 High Street public.oxford.gov.uk/online-appli...

130 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

The Heritage Impact Statement attached to planning applications for listed buildings often give interesting and well-illustrated historical information, as in Lincoln College's application 26/01253/LBC for 124 High Street, which you can find in this list: public.oxford.gov.uk/online-appli...

130 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Three of the Clarendon Building's restored Muses can now be viewed at ground level in a display at the Weston Library. Here is Clio (History) with a volume of Thucydides; Polyhymnia (Rhetoric), with a scroll reading "Suadere", and Calliope (Epic Poetry) with volumes of Homer and Virgil

150 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

In 1937 there were four Home & Colonial grocer's stores in Oxford: in Queen Street, Cowley, the Cowley Road, and here in Windmill Road, Headington en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_an...

2101 0

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Scheme @oxblueplaques.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

On 9 May 2026 an Oxfordshire Blue Plaque was unveiled at 303 Woodstock Road, Oxford to Lucy Faithfull (Baroness Faithfull of Wolvercote), known as "Mother to hundreds" when she served as children's officer and then Director of Social Services in Oxford www.oxonblueplaques.org.uk/plaques/fait...

011 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 16/04/2026

Ascension Day (the fortieth day after Easter) is 14 May 2026, and doubtless once again certain Oxford churches will beat their bounds and mark their surviving boundary stones with chalk crosses: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/pari...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

Parish boundaries in central Oxford

020 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Cornmarket, with the Roebuck at Nos. 10, 9, and 8: the building has retained the old inn's façade on the upper floors and is now Boots the Chemist. Note the tram line (removed early in 1915)

191 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

The Martyrs' Memorial, pictured here in an engraving dated 16 March 1842, commemorates Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and Bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer, who were burnt to death at the ditch outside the city wall in 1555/6 for "Protestant heresies"

230 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

The 76pp Heritage Impact Assessment included under the documents tab of Goldmoney's planning application for the Clarendon Centre gives a good history of a large area of central Oxford: public.oxford.gov.uk/online-appli...

031 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Photographs of the floods in Oxford of November 1894, followed by a newspaper report stating that the Abingdon and Botley Roads were impassible and in some cases children had to be taken to school by boat: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/floods/1894/...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

Floods in Oxford

130 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Christ Church Meadow: the dramatic flood of November 1852 (when railway passengers had to be rowed in boats to the city), and the much less dramatic flooding today (13 Feb 2026), viewed from the opposite direction

171 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

St Scholastica's Day (10 February) has come around again. On this day in 1355 the most serious Oxford town & gown riot ever took place, with 62 scholars killed: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/mayors/gover...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

St Scholastica’s Day, Oxford

0179 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

Regent's Park College has submitted a planning application for change of use of the Oxfam bookshop at 56 St Giles' from sales of goods (Use Class E (a)) to provision of education (Use Class F1(a)). You can see the history of the building here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

56 St Giles' Street, Oxford

120 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

The Oxford Preservation Trust now gives regular tours of the Painted Room in Cornmarket. The next one is on Wednesday 11 February 2026, 12.30-1pm. Book here: app.sheepcrm.com/oxfordpreser...

app.sheepcrm.com

SheepApp

130 0

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Oxfordshire History Centre @oxhistcentre.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

ANNUAL STOCKTAKING CLOSURE Oxfordshire History Centre will close to visitors at 4.30pm on Thursday 22nd January and will re-open at 9.30am on Tuesday 10th February. Our remote enquiry service will continue as usual during this fortnight.

052 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

Giles Gilbert Scott was the architect of the New Bodleian Library (now renamed the Weston Library). Today's Historic England blog shows some of the buildings outside Oxford that he designed heritagecalling.com/2026/01/22/m...

heritagecalling.com

Introduction to the works of architect Giles Gilbert Scott

The Gothic revivalist architect whose 20th century works include Battersea Power Station, Bankside Power Station (now Tate Modern), Liverpool Cathedral, Waterloo Bridge and the red telephone box.

021 0

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Oxford Clarion @oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

The Museum of Oxford in the Town Hall will begin charging £4 for adult tickets from next Monday. Entry will remain free for carers, volunteers, and people on benefits, and there will be 12 free open days each year. A petition against charging has 1,500 signatures. www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article...

oxford.gov.uk

Museum of Oxford unveils its 2026 programme – Oxford City Council

Museum of Oxford unveils its 2026 programme

121 0

Reposted by History of Oxford, UK

Headington News @headingtonnews.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

More on “Warneford 200”. Note that the exhibition is in the Old Cloakroom opposite the cabinet with the City Mace etc and not in the main part of the Museum of Oxford www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

A mental health hospital's 200 years of care in Oxford

The Warneford Hospital is holding a year-long programme of events to mark its bicentenary.

042 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

A mosaic on the floor of the porch leading into 14 Turl Street (now The Missing Bean) remembers the Hedderly tobacconists who occupied the shop from at least 1881 to the 1930s: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/streets/ghos...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

Oxford ghost signs: Hedderly at 14 Turl Street

150 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

The British Workman in Old High Street, Headington opened in December 1880 to promote temperance, and 2d tokens were distributed among the poor in lieu of cash to prevent abuse. More here: www.headington.org.uk/history/buil...

headington.org.uk

British Workman, Old High Street

132 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Postcard of the south end of Cornmarket Street when trams still ran through it to and from (1) the Banbury Road and (2) Kingston Road (via Beaumont Street and Walton Street).

120 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

Here the Mayor of Oxford expresses his opinion to the Oxford Local Board on 21 July 1868 about the start of the St John’s College development of north Oxford (as reported in Jackson’s Oxford Journal four days later)

030 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Here are Oxford’s oldest post box (a Victorian Penfold pillar box dating from 1866/7 at Park Town) and its newest one (a Charles III pedestal box of 2025 at the Roundway in Headington

1135 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Jane Austen went to school for a short time in Oxford and her father and brothers studied at St John’s College, which is putting on a free exhibition from Wed 3 to Mon 8 December 2025, 10am to 5pm daily, on “The Austens at Oxford” www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/eve...

sjc.ox.ac.uk

Exhibition: The Austens at Oxford

Join us at St John's for a special exhibition celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth.

131 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

The top of the Norman tower at St Michael-at-the Northgate Church with its new handrail balustrade (planning permission 24/01668/FUL), and the the whole church in 1834, when the tower still had its battlements

140 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

James Stevens Curl, who completed his architectural qualifications at the Oxford School of Architecture and whose books included “The Erosion of Oxford”, died on 5 November 2025, aged 88. Here is his obituary in The Times: archive.ph/tuW5r

archive.ph

140 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

War memorials in Oxford (not all, but too many): www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/war/

oxfordhistory.org.uk

War Memorials in Oxford

110 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Some Oxford weather vanes: (1) Hertford College, with date of 1924 when they took over the octagonal chapel; (2) Indian Institute, with elephant; (3) Lloyds Bank, with sailing ship (continued ...)

161 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Thirteen fine old houses were demolished to make way for the New Bodleian Library, and another two had their foundations damaged in the demolition process and were rebuilt as the present right-hand side of Blackwell’s. Here is a photograph taken from the Sheldonian Theatre showing some of them

0132 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

At matches held in the two cockpits in Holywell, the poor birds represented their counties. This advertisement is from the Gloucester Journal of 30 September 1754. There is more information on the two Holywell cockpits here: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/holywell/mis...

020 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

There are vacant buildings all over Oxford following the move of seven faculties and two institutes to the Schwarzman Centre. One of these is 34 St Giles’ Street, where a blue plaque remembers the builders Daniel Evans and Joshua Symm: www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/stgiles/tour...

oxfordhistory.org.uk

34 St Giles' Street, Oxford

120 0

History of Oxford, UK @oxfordhistory.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Today (19 October) is St Frideswide’s Day: she is the patron saint of the University, the City, and the Diocese of Oxford. Here is a post from Morris Oxford to celebrate her day: morrisoxford.co.uk/oxfem/

morrisoxford.co.uk

OxFem - Morris Oxford

030 0