Post-medieval Oxford - Oxford City Council

Gate chapels
The chapel of Holy Trinity was located above the East Gate; little more is known. St
Mary's Chapel at Smithgate was recorded in the 1890s. The octagonal building had
two storeys at the time and was owned by the city and leased as a dwelling. Hurst
made a plan of the site and recorded some details. The chapel, restored by T.G.
Jackson, is now part of Hertford College (Hurst 1899: 133).
Gate at Merton College
Excavations in 1986 on the City Wall at Merton College revealed a possible blocked
gateway, just west of Fellows Quadrangle (UAD 583). It appears to have existed from
c.1675-1875 as it is not shown on historic maps. Another blocked postern in the
Merton wall is still visible in the meadows. For other possible postern gates, see the
Medieval Assessment.
The Parliamentarian Siegeworks
Headington Hill
De Gomme’s plan of the defences also illustrates a defensive structure on
Headington Hill. The hill was a highly sought after location by both sides during the
war but it was the Parliamentarians who seized control in 1645 and built a series of
substantial earthworks, called the Fairfax Lines (Figure 1), around the Royalist star
work at St Clements (Chandler 1999: 5). The exact location of the Headington fort
and the Parliamentarian defences are difficult to place, however. While de Gomme’s
1644 map is accurate, inside the walls the east suburb is (understandably) not fully
surveyed. It is thus almost impossible to reconcile it precisely with modern maps. A
number of earthworks in South Parks could be related to the Parliamentarian lines
and would benefit from detailed survey, while the reservoir on the crest is likely to
represent the front of the rebels’ stronghold.
Marston
Nos 15-17 Mill Lane, Marston contain elements of the 17th century Manor House
which is reputed to have been used as Fairfax’s headquarters during the siege and
the site where the Treaty for the Surrender of Oxford was signed (see Listed Building
description LB4/142).
Miscellaneous finds
A coin hoard from the Civil War period was recovered from Wolvercote (Sutherland
1937). Burial recorded near Donnington Bridge may be related to the siege (OHER
3651). A printed Civil War passport signed by Fairfax, allowing a Royalist soldier to
leave the city after the siege in 1645, was found behind a chimney at 119 High Street
during a building survey in 1993 (Munby 2000).
OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT- POST MEDIEVAL
58