Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

The Sheldonian Theatre
The Sheldonian Theatre stands on the south side of Broad Street. It is of two
architectural stages with a basement; the walls are ashlar-faced and the roofs are
slate-covered. The theatre was built from the designs of Christopher Wren between
the years 1664-9 at the expense of Archbishop Sheldon (LB Ref 9/148). The wall
railings and piers in front of the theatre are also 17th century although they have
been altered and restored (LB Ref 8/148A; 9/148A). The stone has decayed and
repairs have been carried out at intervals (Colvin 1981). The paint scheme and gilt
work in the Sheldonian is currently being restored (pers. comm. Katherine Owen).
The exterior court walls (only surviving on the west side) were built to house an openair
museum of the Oxford (Arundel) Marbles.
The Clarendon Building
The Clarendon Building lies on the south side of Broad Street. It is of two storeys with
basement and attics; the walls are ashlar-faced and the roofs are lead-covered. It
was built between the years 1711-13 to a design of Hawksmoor for the Oxford
University Press which had previously been housed in the Sheldonian (RCHM 1939;
LB Ref 9/146). A screen was also added at the same time on Catte Street (LB Ref
9/809). Timbers from the Old Clarendon Building have been subject to tree ring
dating, producing a date span from 1539-1711 (Worthington and Miles 2006).
The Old Ashmolean Building
The Old Ashmolean Building stands on the south side of Broad Street, immediately
west of the Sheldonian Theatre and currently houses the Museum of the History of
Science (LB Ref 8/149). It is of two stories with a basement; the walls are ashlarfaced
and the roofs are lead-covered. The building was erected on part of the town
ditch between the years 1679 and 1683. It was originally built to house a basement
science laboratory, teaching room and the Tradescant collection of Elias Ashmole.
Hurst recorded the presence of a bone floor by the staircase which was subsequently
replaced by stone (Hurst 1887-1914: c186, 1497). In 1883, the well in the back yard
produced pottery, bottles, 17th century clay pipes, a crucible and an iron implement,
probably used for drawing water (Ashmolean Accession No 1883.284). In 1885,
when heating pipes were installed in the basement pottery, clay pipes and an
undated bronze bell were recorded (Ashmolean Accession No 1885.132-4, 369-70,
454-5). Excavations in 1958 for new external stairs recorded the remains of the
earlier stairs, demolished in 1864, and a 19th century rubbish pit (Case 1958: 134-5).
An archaeological evaluation and subsequent watching brief in 1998-2000,
uncovered a range of human and animal anatomical specimens and chemical
ceramics and glassware dating from the late 17th to the early 18th century to the rear
of the Old Ashmolean Building. The post-medieval features recorded included a
culvert, drain, a cess pit and a rectangular chamber, possibly a store (Ponsford 1999;
TVAS 1999a; 1999b; 2001; Hull 2003). Detailed archaeological analysis of the
exposed fabric and finds (including an analysis of materials recovered from below the
museum floorboards), has been undertaken (Bennett et al. 2000). Chemical analysis
of residues associated with the ceramic crucibles revealed traces of mercury,
suplher, zinc, lead glass, manganese and antimony, suggesting possible alchemical
use (Martinón-Torres 2012).
The Radcliffe Camera
The Radcliffe Camera was built between 1737 and 1748 to provide additional library
facilities for the university (LB Ref 9/148a). The quinquennial surveys of 1985 and
1990 provided opportunities to inspect Gibbs' plaster and timber dome (Munby 1991;
Munby 1995; Steane and Gilmour 1986). The original design had an additional
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