Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

Canterbury Quad at St John’s has been subjected to a detailed architectural analysis
(Colvin 1988), while conversion of rooms below the Old Library in 1975 produced
much evidence of domestic life and the room decoration.
Trinity College
Post-medieval wall paintings have been recorded in a number of rooms in Durham
Quad, including the fine mid-16th century painted wall and ceiling in the Bursary (the
private study of the first President). Pottery and glass from this period were
recovered from excavations in 1979 (UAD 757).
University College
Like Wadham and Oriel, University College was entirely rebuilt in the mid-17th
century (part of the old buildings being recorded by Anthony Wood prior to
demolition). A building survey in 1998 (UAD 444) recorded the hall and buttery of the
college on the site of the medieval Hert Hall (UAD 1687). A second structure dating
to the 17th century is thought to relate to the reconstruction of the college.
Investigations at University College in 2006 encountered the remains of a possible
mason’s workshop active during the re-construction of the college between 1634-
1668 prior to the construction of the kitchen between 1668 and 1669 (Teague 2006).
The modern University College comprises two quadrangles and a number of 19th
century additions to the rear (LB Ref 9/356F; J; K). The Main or Front Quad is
entirely 17th century (LB Ref 9/356C) while the adjacent Radcliffe Quad is 18th
century (LB Ref 9/356D). West of the Main Quad are two 19th century additions
along the High Street (LB Ref 9/356A; B), and to the east is the 20th century Durham
Buildings (LB Ref 9/356E).
College material culture
Documentary evidence for the expenditure of a student in the 17th century has been
previously recorded (Somerset 1957). The detailed list includes tuition, rent, daily
purchases for clothes, schooling and leisure pursuits such as hunting.
The Oxford colleges started to establish their own wine cellars from c.1750. Prior to
this, wine was supplied in bottles from taverns often with the tavern’s seal. Colleges
subsequently produced their own bottles with seal designs (Haslam 1969; 1970;
Banks 1997). The Ashmolean holds a large collection of Oxford bottles and seals.
Part of a Lincoln College seal with the letters ‘CR’ standing for ‘Common Room’ was
recovered from excavations at Lincoln College (Tyson 2002: 247). A glass
assemblage recovered from the Market Street site was largely comprised of wine
bottles with some drinking glasses, phials and unidentified glass fragments (Cannon
2002a: 344). Eight glass bottle seals were also recovered from the site, seven of
which bore the stamp of Jesus College including two previously unrecorded designs.
The implications of these seals would suggest a close relationship with the
inhabitants of 5-7 Market Street and the nearby College (ibid.: 346).
Several early post-medieval book clasps have been recovered from college sites e.g.
The Provost Garden at Queens College (Cook 1998: 18), St John’s College
(Lawrence 2004: 2). Also of note, a fine early book clasp of early-mid 17th century
date was recovered from St Thomas’s Street (Allen 1999: 12-3). A copper alloy book
clasp of 17th-18th century date was recorded at the Codrington Library site, All Souls
(Entwhistle and Jones 2004: 49).
For college pottery assemblages see below.
OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT- POST MEDIEVAL
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