DIRECTIONS HISTORY NOTES The wooden gate at the bottom is There is an Oxford boundary stone Walk from Headington to South Parks Road, Oxford open to the public: go through it, dating from the mayoralty of James via Cuckoo Lane and Mesopotamia passing King’s Mill lodge, and you Wyatt (1842/3) outside King's Mill will find yourself in MESOPOTAMIA. House) The walk starts in Cuckoo Lane, which can be picked up Follow the concrete path (which This walk is called “Mesopotamia” (from at any point between Old High Street and Pullens Lane crosses a bridge with wooden the Greek meaning “between the rivers”) diamond-patterned sides after about because the Cherwell has two branches Until the London Road was cut through the fields at the end of the eighteenth 300m). There should be water on here, one each side of the path. century, Cuckoo Lane was the main route from Oxford to Old Headington village. each side of you all the time. Near the end of Mesopotamia you will see The stretch from Marston Road to Headley Way marked the boundary between cyclists to your right using the cycle track Oxford and Headington from 1835 to 1929 (Do not be tempted to turn on to any (marked by a series of lamp-posts) which of the diversions on the right: these runs through the Parks from Ferry Road in will only take you back to the Marston to South Parks Road. This track, Marston Road) was opened in the early 1990s. After about half a mile, the path crosses a humped-back bridge. About The University acquired 91 acres of the 150m after crossing this bridge, you University Parks between 1853 and 1864. The Parks then included the present will come to a junction where ahead Science Area. of you is a locked wooden gate with In 1886 it acquired additional land on the spikes on top. At this point you east side of the Cherwell, and in 1934 the should turn left (opposite another meadow to the north-east of Rainbow sign for the University Parks) and Bridge. There is a bridge at one end of cross the bridge and then turn right. Cuckoo Lane (above) and a boundary Continue straight on and go through stone at the other end (right) that the metal gate Take great care here, Parson’s Pleasure, the large pool behind reads “Here endes Hedington way” as you are emerging on to a fast the rollers, only acquired its name in the cycle track: cross it, and turn left twentieth century. It was known as Patten’s  Not suitable for cyclists (narrow footpaths are for pedestrians only, Pleasure in the seventeenth century and and barriers prevent cycles entering the Mesopotamia) on the footpath. As well as being Loggerhead in the nineteenth century. safer, this will enable you to get a  Not possible after dark (no lighting), and Parks are locked at night: see Until the 1990s it was a nude bathing and http://www.parks.ox.ac.uk/closing/ for times gates are closed better view of the punt rollers and sunbathing place for men.  Negotiable by pushchairs that fold (a bit bumpy), but not wheelchairs PARSON’S PLEASURE.  Slightly muddy in places after rain. Mesopotamia is closed when the This short footpath brings you out on Linacre College, which is on the left as you Cherwell floods (usually around February) to the cycle track again, which you enter South Parks Road, moved into  Mesopotamia is usually closed on the Monday of St Giles’ Fair, Christmas Cherwell Edge (built as a private house in should follow until you reach SOUTH Day, and New Year’s Day. PARKS ROAD. This leads to Parks 1887, but latterly a convent) in the late Road and central Oxford. 1970s. www.headington.org.uk We hope you have enjoyed taking this ancient route from Headington DIRECTIONS HISTORY NOTES DIRECTIONS HISTORY NOTES William Wootten-Wootten, who bought As you reach Pullen’s Lane, a plaque on Cuckoo Lane starts in OLD HIGH At the end of Woodlands Road, do Headington House in 1848, also owned the the wall of Davenport House on the left STREET. You may prefer to start in land on the other side of Cuckoo Lane that not swing right into Franklin Road, reads: “Near this spot stood the famous OSLER ROAD, however, as the first is now occupied by Stephen Road. He but continue on to the footpath, elm planted by the Rev. Josiah Pullen section of the lane is more like a probably resented the fact that an ancient which is marked with a signpost about 1680 and known as Joe Pullen’s tree, dark tunnel, with two very low public right of way split his estate, and thus memorial stone put up in 2003. destroyed by fire on 13 October 1909”. reduced it to the minimum size imaginable bridges overhead. The grounds of Headington School Opposite is another plaque: “The Lime and and built the two foot bridges for himself. Plane trees nearby were planted by his wife If you do decide to try it, you will The lane marks the southern extent of the are on your left, and Rye St Antony and family in memory of Dr H. M. Harris find the entrance between the original village of Headington. When you School on your right. Continue of Wembley, Middlesex, and The Barn, bungalow at 40 Old High Street and emerge into Osler Road, the building on along this path until it reaches Pullen’s Lane. Beloved Physician 1894 to Headington House. Continue until your right is the former lodge of the large PULLEN’S LANE. (At the end, take 1976”. Dr Harris was the author of you emerge into the daylight again 1830s house now divided into Sandy and the left-hand fork in order to see the Between the White Gates: A History of the White Lodges; the row of houses on your Barn, the Tree, and Some Notable at Osler Road. left is clearly dated 1928. plaque that marks the site of Josiah Inhabitants of Pullen’s Lane, Headington Pullen’s tree.) Cuckoo Lane continues on the west The Manor Ground was the home of (Oxford Polytechnic Press, 1975). side of OSLER ROAD: the narrow, Headington and later Oxford United from A stone at the top of this footpath dated 1926 to 2002. The Manor House was built Cross Pullen’s Lane, and take 1901 was probably set up when the slightly concealed entrance has a in 1770 by Sir Banks Jenkinson and was Cuckoo Lane right down the hill biologist George Claridge Druce beat the wall letterbox to its left. only bought by Henry Mayne Whorwood, (with the wall of Headington Hill bounds at the end of his mayoral year Soon you will have Manor Court the Lord of the Manor, in 1801. The former House and then the railings of Headington Hill Hall was built by James flats (on the site of the old football name of Osler Road was Manor Road. Headington Hill Park on your left) Morrell in 1858, and the park below was ground) on your left, and fine views The John Radcliffe Hospital site was until you reach MARSTON ROAD. part of its grounds. Only a remnant of the of Headington Manor House on bought from the executors of the last Lord old lane was left in the process. of the Manor in 1919, and the hospital About 120 paces after passing a footpath to your right. You will emerge into buildings date from the late 1960s to the Straight ahead of you is the new John Garne Way is a stone marked C.J.S. SANDFIELD ROAD. present day. that was probably set up when Charles Take care crossing Sandfield Road: £75m Centre for Islamic Studies. James Sadler beat the bounds at the end of it can be busy. Continue on the Just to the right of it, you will see a his mayoral year in 1837. It marks the new 1835 eastern boundary of Oxford. footpath that runs alongside the You are now crossing the Boundary Brook, footpath (with a “No parking” sign” south side of Woodlands Road until which used to run across the London Road on the left and an old stone gate-pier When you reach the Marston Road, there is at the White Horse but was sent a very fine (listed) boundary stone dating you reach HEADLEY WAY. (It is to the right). Its name is KING’S underground in the 1930s. from the seventeenth century. It marks the best to make a slight sideways MILL LANE, but it has no sign. boundary of Headington and Marston, and Notice the boundary stone on the line of the detour in order to cross this very reads: “[Here end-]es Heding-ton way”. brook, marking the parliamentary division busy road via the new pedestrian between Oxford and Headington Take King’s Mill Lane down to the The King’s Mill stood here by the Cherwell crossing.) Continue walking established in 1889. The stone is inscribed River Cherwell. The gardens of until 1832. It belonged to the Manor of westwards along WOODLANDS “1892”, and “F.W. Ansell, Mayor”. Headington. Anthony Wood wrote in the Magdalen College lie behind the seventeenth century, “Kings Mill, soe ROAD, which at this point has wall on your left, and Merton called perhaps from King Ethelred that swallowed Cuckoo Lane College sports ground is on the right. lived sometimes at Hedindon”.