History in Structure

Well House Oxford Castle

A Grade I Listed Building in Oxford, Oxfordshire

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 51.7522 / 51°45'7"N

Longitude: -1.2631 / 1°15'47"W

OS Eastings: 450967

OS Northings: 206199

OS Grid: SP509061

Mapcode National: GBR 7XS.5GV

Mapcode Global: VHCXV.2733

Plus Code: 9C3WQP2P+VQ

Entry Name: Well House Oxford Castle

Listing Date: 12 January 1954

Last Amended: 18 February 1993

Grade: I

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1369493

English Heritage Legacy ID: 246003

ID on this website: 101369493

Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1

County: Oxfordshire

District: Oxford

Electoral Ward/Division: Carfax

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Oxford

Traditional County: Oxfordshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Oxfordshire

Church of England Parish: Oxford St Barnabas with St Thomas the Martyr

Church of England Diocese: Oxford

Tagged with: Well house

Find accommodation in
Oxford

Description


HM PRISON OXFORD NEW ROAD
SF 5006 SE
7/10014 Well House Oxford Castle
GV
I
Motte to former castle with Well Chamber. Mound, c1071 as the motte
of Oxford Castle built for Robert d'Oilly to provide a means for the
Normans to control the town and the Upper Thames Valley. Earth.
Circular plan. Approximately 80 feet high, base diameter about 250
feet, top diameter about 60 feet. Originally there would have been a
wooden keep. Constructed by forced Saxon labour. The Well Chamber.
Early C13. Rubble stone. Entrance with 3 stones bearing shield-of-
arms thought to be of Fox, Bishop of Winchester, the see of Durham and
Newcastle, Bishop of Exeter. A flight of steps leads down about 20
feet into a hexagonal plan chamber with stone vaulted roof supported
on chamfered ribs. Oxford Castle was slighted in 1652. In 1776 New
Road was built across the northern part of the Bailey and in 1785 the
County Justices acquired the site to build a new Oxford Prison which
incorporated the only other surviving elements of the castle viz. St.
George's Tower (qv), St. George's Chapel Crypt (qv) and the batter
from the Round Tower (qv). The castle saw little action apart from
during the Anarchy in 1142 when King Stephen besieged the Empress
Matilda and it was attacked in the Baron's War of 1215. There had
been prison buildings within the bailey since the C12.


Listing NGR: SP5152606221

External Links

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.