Headington, Oxfordshire: A Brief History

Now a suburb of the City of Oxford, Headington began as a small separate hamlet, which was first recorded in a charter during the reign of King Aethelred the Unready in 1004, which read:

"[this document] written at the Royal Ville called Headan dune."

Its name is derived from the Old English 'Heden's dun', meaning 'Hedena's hill'; the 'Royal Ville' referred to a hunting lodge or palace which once existed there, and which was frequented by the Kings of Mercia.

Archaeological excavations have revealed a long history of continued occupation in Headington, dating as far back as the Stone Age, with pottery fragments from this period narrowing it down to the 11th century BC. More pottery - this time from the 7th century BC - shows that an Iron Age settlement existed on the site of the Manor Ground football stadium, which was the home of Oxford United Football Club from 1925 - 2001).

A variety of Roman kilns were unearthed, and one of these is now housed inside the Museum of Oxford. An Anglo-Saxon burial ground was also discovered.

The parish Church of St Andrew was constructed in the mid-12th century, and enlarged during the following century. The bell-tower was added around 100 years later. Between 1862 - 1864, Gothic Revival architect J. C. Buckler oversaw its restoration, and added a few modern features of his own design.

In 1241, a man called Philip Mikekan "held £10 worth of land of the King by sarjeanty as keeper of the Forest of Shotover and Stowood", and quarrying for stone began around 1396.

Two notable manorial families of Headington include the Whorwoods and the Bromes - the former acquired it when Sir Thomas Whorwood of Sandwell, Staffordshire married Ursula, daughter of the then Lord of the Manor, George Brome. Thomas held the Manor from 1613 - 1634, and it was subsequently passed down through several more generations of his family.

In 1684, a stone was erected near Lower Farm, marking the site of the 1298 boundary between Shotover Forest and the Manor of Headington.

Disaster struck the village in 1718, when a fire spread out of control, completely destroying 24 homes; thankfully, there were no casualties. The cause of the blaze is unclear, although resident Thomas Hearne gave a firsthand account in his diary, which can be read here: http://www.headington.org.uk/history/misc/fire.htm

At the turn of the 20th century, this once fairly peaceful hamlet was suddenly transported into a new age; many new houses began to spring up, developing around its medieval heart. It was officially included as part of the City of Oxford in 1929, thereby losing its village status.

Headington's most famous modern landmark is the so-called 'Headington Shark', commissioned by local radio presenter Bill Heine and fashioned by sculptor John Buckley in 1986. Despite appearing very much out of place, and a huge amount of outrage when it was first installed, its popularity still endures, with tourists from far-flung countries making the journey to see it in their droves each year.

Some famous inhabitants of Headington include:

1. Science-fiction writer Brian Aldiss.

2. Poet Elizabeth Jennings.

3. Author C.S. Lewis.

4. Author J. R. R. Tolkien.

5. Actress Emma Watson.

Numerous celebrated scholars have also lived in the locality over the years.

There is a lot more that I could write about this particular location, but I shall leave you with this poem, which featured eight of Headington's most popular public houses during the 19th century:

"A Black Boy rode a White Horse,

and carried the Royal Standard,

shouting Rule Britannia.

He was chasing a White Hart,

which had a Bell around its neck.

This disturbed The Fox, which ran aground in the Prince's Castle."

Above: Postcard showing Old High Street, Headington, looking north (circa 1905). The house in the centre of the picture is Monckton Cottage, which was named after a village in Ayrshire, Scotland, by former resident Flora Hastings Shelford. Flora lived there from around 1910 - 1938. Source: www.headington.org.uk