Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

Magdalen College (RPG 1403)
The Grade I (RPG) gardens of Magdalen College largely date to the 16 th century and
comprise the gardens, pleasure grounds and a small deer park. The western edge of
the college and deer park is marked by a substantial Grade II* 15 th century
castellated stone wall (LB Ref 419Q). The most recent event to have significantly
impacted on the garden was the addition of the New Buildings in the mid 18 th
century. Although originally 16 th century in design, the garden has been altered
continuously. Cartographic evidence from the 16 th century onwards indicate the
changes to the garden. Repton was consulted on the informal garden layout in the
early 19 th century.
Merton College (RPG 2101)
The two hectare college gardens at Merton College include a garden terrace, lawns
and playing fields. The Grade II (RPG) gardens were probably laid out in the 17 th
century when the main quadrangles were added, and include a terrace bank and
clair-voyee built against the City Wall. The formal garden layout was replaced in the
18 th century by more informal landscaping, and in the 19 th -20 th century, the individual
areas were amalgamated with the Fellow’s Garden.
New College (RPG 2102)
The Grade I (RPG) garden covers four hectares. New College was the first college to
employ the quadrangle style for college buildings surrounding a central garden. The
current garden dates to the late 18 th century although it has evolved from the original
16 th century design. Loggan’s illustration of New College in 1675 depicts a walled
garden to the east of the college with the mound as the centre piece and a series of
formal knot gardens in front including a horizontal sundial. By 1735, this garden had
been significantly altered and an illustration by William Williams of the garden shows
an intricate pattern of four knot gardens surrounded by a low garden wall and a
series of walkways.
A limited investigation of the mound or mount in New College garden was undertaken
in 1993 (Bell 1993c). Mounds or ‘mounts’ had become a common feature of formal
gardens by the end of the Elizabethan period, providing a viewing platform over
adjacent parterres. The college records refer to the construction of the mount in the
late 16th century but it was not completed until after the Civil War.
Oxford Botanic Gardens (RPG 1433)
Oxford Botanic Garden is an early 17th century Grade I (RPG) formal garden with
plant collections. Originally occupying one hectare, it also included land outside the
original walled garden and was later extended. The gardens were sited on the former
Jewish burial ground abandoned in 1293. The land was subsequently raised to
counteract flooding along the river. The gardens largely date to the 17th century and
include glasshouses, a fernery, water and bog gardens, and a variety of borders
largely arranged by botanic classification.
St John’s College (RPG 2105)
St John’s College garden dates principally to the late 18th century and covers
approximately two hectares. It is Grade II (RPG). Originally designed as a formal
garden in the 16th century, it was extended to the north by 1675 and re-landscaped
in an informal style in the late 18th - 19th century.
Trinity College (RPG 2113)
Trinity College gardens date mainly to the 18 th century and are Grade II (RPG). The
late 17 th century garden was formal in design, remodelled in the early 18 th century in
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