Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

At Magdalen College during the Civil War, it is likely that much of the garden layout
was destroyed as the college became the headquarters of the royal ordnance. Not
only were the fully assembled guns stored there, but also the raw materials for their
manufacture and the associated workshops, forges and foundries (Steane 1998: 94).
The Bell Tower was also fortified and used as an observation post. Marks on the 15th
century boundary wall of the Grove is said to relate to Royalist target practice
(Referenced required). A concealed strong room built in the 1630s, later used as a
cess pit, was recorded at the Provosts Lodgings at Oriel College (Hassall 1987: 48).
According to 17th century diarist and historian Anthony Wood, the mound in New
College garden was used as a gun emplacement. Gloucester Hall (later refounded as
Worcester College), was also used as a barracks and then occupied by squatters.
Many of the buildings then fell into disrepair until 1662 when the principal of
Gloucester Hall commissioned many of them to be restored, including the nearby
former royal Beaumont Palace (Stevenson and Salter 1939).
Guard posts
When Oxford was fortified during the Civil War, a number of outer guard posts were
constructed. One lay just north of the site of Rewley Abbey. It appears on de
Gomme's map, but no other evidence has been found. Dovers Speare on Addison's
Walk appears on De Gomme's map and there are signs of remains there on Taylor's
Map and the 1st Edition OS map. Some earthworks are still extant (Latterly et al.
1936). The Civil War fortifications around Oxford passed to the north of St Giles'
church. De Gomme's map shows a guard post outside the fortifications in line with
the modern Banbury Road. No further evidence has been found.
The City Wall and Ditch
By the end of the medieval period the City Wall had ceased its useful life and was
rarely maintained except where it passed through the colleges which were compelled
to maintain it in their foundation charters (Durham and Halpin 1983: 39). Agas’ map
of 1578 shows vacant land beyond the town wall and not the ditch. However,
excavations along the northern line of the ditch at 39 George Street, Hertford College
and Longwall Street have indicated that the ditch was at least partially re-excavated
during the Civil War period, before being filled in during the late 17th century and built
over (Durham 1983: 39-40). A watching brief in 1984 at Exeter College and at the
Clarendon Building in 2005, have produced further evidence for re-cutting of the ditch
in the 17th century (UAD 484; Mumford 2010)
There is limited evidence of rebuilding and repair to the medieval City Wall in the
17th century, perhaps associated with the Civil War. Recent investigations at the
Wesley Memorial Church on New Inn Hall Street recorded evidence of repair to the
City Wall in the 17th or 18th century with the addition of an internal buttress to the
east (Mumford 2010)
The Castle
The post-medieval history of the Castle precinct is summarised in Booth et al. (2003,
367-8). By the 17th century, the castle interior as depicted on a map of c.1617, held
at Christ Church, comprised a Sessions House, the Great Tower, St George’s Tower
with a small gate nearby, at least two further towers and the fortified gate house to
the south. A fortified house and garden called Bagwells house was also recorded
within the complex. The Castle ditch had largely silted up and was bordered on
almost all side by houses (Hassall 1976: 253). The Civil War resulted in the
demolition of much of the surviving structures of the castle by first the Parliamentary
forces and then the Royalist forces (Oxford Archaeological Unit 1994a: 4). An early
excavation and survey was carried out by Harris on the Castle mound prior to the
construction of the prison in the 18th century. The evidence, later published by King
OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT- POST MEDIEVAL
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