St Georges Tower, St Georges Chapel Crypt and D Wing Including the Debtors Tower
ST GEORGES TOWER, ST GEORGES CHAPEL CRYPT AND D WING INCLUDING THE DEBTORS TOWER, NEW ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1369490
- Date first listed:
- 12-Jan-1954
- List Entry Name:
- St Georges Tower, St Georges Chapel Crypt and D Wing Including the Debtors Tower
- Statutory Address:
- ST GEORGES TOWER, ST GEORGES CHAPEL CRYPT AND D WING INCLUDING THE DEBTORS TOWER, NEW ROAD
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-11-09
- Reference:
- IOE01/15813/01
- Rights:
- © Mr Chris Tresise. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1369490
- Date first listed:
- 12-Jan-1954
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 18-Feb-1993
- List Entry Name:
- St Georges Tower, St Georges Chapel Crypt and D Wing Including the Debtors Tower
- Statutory Address 1:
- ST GEORGES TOWER, ST GEORGES CHAPEL CRYPT AND D WING INCLUDING THE DEBTORS TOWER, NEW ROAD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- ST GEORGES TOWER, ST GEORGES CHAPEL CRYPT AND D WING INCLUDING THE DEBTORS TOWER, NEW ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Oxfordshire
- District:
- Oxford (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SP 50954 06139
Details
In the entries for:- NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle Crypt SP 5006 SE 7/442 12.1.54. I
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle St George's Tower SP 5006 SE 7/443 12.1.54. I
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle Well House SP 5006 SE 7/444 12.1.54. I
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle Base of round tower under cell-block on South side of Prison SP 5006 SE 7/780 II
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Boundary wall of Oxford Castle fronting Paradise Street SP 5006 SE 7/781 SP 5106 SW 8/781 II
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The entries shal be amended to read:-
HM PRISON OXFORD NEW ROAD SP 5006 SE 7/10001 St George's Tower, St George's Chapel Crypt and D Wing inc. The Debtor's Tower GV I St.George's Tower Tower. c1071 for Robert d'Oilly to guard the north-west angle of Oxford Castle (qv) bailey and serve as the bell tower to the castle Chapel of St. George. Now forms n.w. angle of Oxford Prison and part of D Wing. Coursed rubble. 4 storeys high, evidence of having been higher originally. Rectangular plan. Slightly receding vertically with offsets. Walls at ground level 9' thick. Later square headed mullioned windows. Ramparts with cruciform arrow slits in round- arched settings. South east stair turret with doorway which would have given access to former curtain wall. Interior has wide arch with imposts, formerly to nave. Ground floor appears to have been in use as a tread mill having wide floor boards worn with two concentric rings. Timber newel stair gives access to floors, most with old timber beams. St. George's Tower is a rare piece of stone military architecture surviving from the conquest period and was probably the earliest stone building in the Castle. St. George's Chapel Crypt Crypt, now beneath D Wing of Oxford Prison. c1074, probably rebuilt in 1794 and possibly again in 1848. Stone. 3 1/2 bays long by 3 wide. Renewed groin vaults spring from original columns with crudely carved chevron design Romanesque cushion capitals. Cobbled floor. The church itself projected eastwards from the base of St. George's Tower and probably had an apsidal end. St. George's began as a collegiate church for secular canons, founded and endowed jointly by Robert d'Oilly and Roger d'Ivry. Amongst the canons were notably learned men including Walter Map, Robert of Chesney and historian Geoffrey of Monthmouth whose presence may have contributed towards the establishment of the University in the town. D Wing including Debtor's Tower. Prison block and tower. 1785 onwards by William Blackburn. Coursed rubble with stone dressings. Wing - 2 storeys 11 windows. Round-arched ground floor openings linked by impost bands, mostly blind with grilled lunettes. Moulded stone 1st floor band to s.e. facade. Stone architraved, flat arch 1st floor windows linked by plain stone bands at half height. Coped parapet. Tower - 4 storeys. Ground and 1st floor architraved, flat arch windows linked by plain stone bands at half height. 2nd and 3rd floor windows half height with continuous 2nd floor sill band. Crenellated parapet. Interior has cantilevered stone stair with plain iron rail and supports leading to former cells. Mostly original beams, floor boards and doors. 2nd and 3rd floors appear to have been originally divided radially into wedge-shaped cells. Two hearths remain with remains of chimneypieces, one retaining enriched cast iron hobs.
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle Crypt SP 5006 SE 7/442 12.1.54. I 2. (1) the Crypt under what was probably the chancel of the chapel was reconstructed in 1794 and probably also moved in 1848. RCHM p 158 b.
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle St George's Tower SP 5006 SE 7/443 12.1.54. I 2. (2) The massive St George's tower of coursed rubble probably served as the campanile of the chapel. RCHM p 158 a. Fine arch on the East side.
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle Well House SP 5006 SE 7/444 12.1.54. I 2. (3) The Well House, sunk in the top of the motte, has an early C13 stone vault with chamfered ribs; it is 4 ft in diameter. Above the entrance to it are three C16 reset stone shields of arms somewhat weathered. RCHM p 158 a. The site of the castle suffered in C17 and was mostly cleared when the prison was built in 1805. For history see C W C Oman, Castles (1926), 41-44.
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Oxford Castle Base of round tower under cell-block on South side of Prison SP 5006 SR 7/780 II 2. Probably originally C13. Apparently the stone batter at the base of a round tower. Much repaired and renewed. See Loggan's plan of 1675.
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NEW ROAD 1. 1485 (South Side) Boundary wall of Oxford Castle fronting Paradise Street SP 5006 SE 7/781 SP 5106 SW 8/781 II 2. Mid Cl9, heightened later. Low plinth, articulated above by piers and panels. Cement rendered coping.
Listing NGR: SP5096506197
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 245996
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
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