The Plain and the Victoria Fountain The Victoria Fountain has stood at the The Plain gateway to East Oxford for over 100 years.

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Project supported by East Area Parliament, Magdalen College and CPRE Oxfordshire Buildings Preservation Trust

e: [email protected] www.oxfordpreservation.org.uk

Oxford Preservation Trust is a registered charity 203043 and a company limited by guarantee registered in England 225839

The Plain and the Victoria Fountain The Plain marks the entrance into East Oxford, with the roundabout leading to St Clement’s, Cowley Road and Iffley Road. The building in front of the roundabout is theVictoria Fountain.

St Clement’s Church 12th century–1830 St Clements toll-house 1771–1874 Victoria Fountain designed 1897 Victoria Fountain opening 1899 The Plain c. 1908 Victoria Fountain prior to restoration in 2008 Victoria Fountain restored 2009

St Clement’sChurch 1830 it was demolished. A toll-house was built in 1818 in was also responsible for the drink, catch them ‘ere they fly’. she turned to Lord Mayor traffic levels shot up between the Area Parliament, and additional A larger church was built on front of the Church, with gates Eastgate Hotel and buildings at The fountain itself features Thomas H. Kingerlee and said: Wars.The retained St Clement’s funds from Magdalen College The Parish Church of Marston Road, where it on either side to control traffic. the Radcliffe Infirmary and at scallop decorative details and ‘I entrust this fountain to your churchyard behind the fountain and the CPRE Oxfordshire St Clement stood near the site remains today,housing three When the railway came, the safe-keeping’. was cleared in 1950 whenThe Building PreservationTrust. of the present roundabout until Balliol, Magdalen and St John’s four basins which used to be original bells, one of which income from roads lessened, the Plain was converted into a Access to the original plans the 19th century.The original Colleges. lined with copper.On the outside, dates back to the 13th century turnpike was abolished, and the roundabout. Magdalen College’s assisted the work, which was St Clement’s Chapel is first four troughs provided water for 20th century and is the oldest in Oxford. toll-house was pulled down in This elaborate little building is Waynflete Building was built on enhanced by a careful lighting recorded in 1122.There is horses and dogs. 1874. constructed of stone, octagonal development the north side of The Plain in scheme so that the fountain evidence that there might in shape, with its eight columns 1960–61. now shines like a lantern in this have been Danish settlement St Clement’stoll-house The Victoria Fountain was paid Although the fountain survives TheVictoria Fountain supporting a tiled roof.This is for by George Herbert and Emily to this day,there have been many important gateway to East in the area in around 1000. In 1771 St Clement’s was Oxford. St Edmund’s Well, a place turnpiked and road users had 1897 was the year of Queen topped with a timber cupola Morrell, owners of Morrell’s changes to the area in the The restoration project where miracles were said to to pay tolls. A new Henley road, Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, but carrying a four-faced clock, Brewery in Oxford, who lived intervening years. In 1908 a In 2009 the restoration of the have occurred, was sited next later Iffley Road, was formed in it was not until 1899 that the crowned with a weather vane. nearby at Headington Hill Hall. monument to the Boer War was Victoria Fountain was to the church. Some 700 years the 1770s to link up with the Victoria Fountain was built to Around the clock tower can be It was inaugurated on 25 May erected behind the fountain, completed in a partnership Photographs of restored building by later,the church had become rebuilt Magdalen Bridge and mark the occasion. It was found a Latin inscription which 1899 by Princess Louise, Queen since moved to theTerritorial between Oxford City Council Greg Smolonski too small for the parish’s many houses around the designed as a drinking fountain translates as: ‘The water drips, Victoria’s daughter.Responding Army Centre. Horse trams and Oxford PreservationTrust, Historical archive images from English Heritage NMR growing population, and in church were demolished. by architect E. P.Warren, who the hours go by.Be warned, to a short speech by G. H. Morrell, stopped running in 1914 and with the support of the East Oxfordshire County Council Photographic Archive