Tucked away on the west side of Oxford is the Oxford Castle. Here you can see 1000 years of history and there is a time line on the ground by the ticket office to help guide you through it.
The castle was originally built in 1071 by Robert D'Oyly for William the Conqueror, to enable the Normans to control the area. A prison was built within the castle and for most of it incarnation it has been used as a prison until as recently as 1996.
Oxford Castle has had it's moments in Oxford history. It was in this tower that Queen Matilda, daughter of Henry I was besieged for 3 months in 1142 by her cousin, Steven, during a 19-year Civil War fought over their rival claims to the English Throne. The siege ended when Empress Matilda escaped during a snowstorm, camouflaged in a white cloak.
The prison has hosted several colorful characters through the centuries who's stories are brilliantly told by the tour-guide/actors when you take a tour of the castle. During the 18th century there were hundreds of hangings at the prison for anything from sheep-stealing to spying.
On top of the castle mound, once the look-out post for Oxford's western entrance, is a staircase that leads to a 13th century vaulted well.
In the late 18th century, the Prison Governor and amateur archaeologist Daniel Harris made his prisoners take part in excavations in the Prison site that unearthed the chambers of this vaulted well and also an 11th century crypt in St. George's tower.
From 1613 until 1785, the prison and castle were owned by Christ Church College, who leased the jail (gaol) to prison keepers. In 1785 it was redeveloped into a prison and house of correction, with a tower on which they held public executions.
During the time in which it was a Debtor's prison, Oxford Castle was in a sorry state, with overcrowding from humans and rodents, and all their attendant diseases.
The last public execution at Oxford Castle was in 1863.
When the prison was finally closed in 1996, the area was redeveloped into a shopping and heritage complex, with guided tours of the historic buildings and open courtyards for markets and theatrical performances. For example, the Oxford Christmas Fair is held on the Castle grounds each year.
The complex includes a hotel in the Malmaison chain, Malmaison Oxford, occupying a large part of the former prison blocks, with cells converted as guest rooms. However, those parts of the prison associated with corporal or capital punishment have been converted to offices rather than being used for guests. The mixed-use heritage project won the RICS Project of the Year Award 2007.
Oxford Castle is well worth a visit and the Mound offers wonderful views of west Oxford.
Fun Facts about the Oxford Castle
Spy Games featuring Brad Pitt was filmed on site.
Inspector Morse and Lewis was filmed on the site.
102 Dalmatians featured Oxford Castle in 2000.
The o3 gallery got its name from being the third ‘O’ in the collaboration between Oxford Castle and OVADA (Oxfordshire's Visual Arts Development Agency).
The o3 gallery used to be a day room for prisoners! It forms part of the old Oxford Prison C-Wing.
O3 stocks Tatty Devine, a quirky, sought-after jewelery brand popular with fashionistas.
Oxford Castle is nearly 1000 years old.
Her Majesty the Queen reopened Oxford Castle to the public in 2006 after it's extensive renovations.
When a prisoner was ‘sent down’ it meant he was sent down a tunnel leading from the County courtroom into Oxford Prison. There are only 2 of these tunnels in the country.
There were public hangings on the site until 1863.
Oxford Prison is thought to be one of the most haunted places in England.
No comments:
Post a Comment