Brookes Goes Walking : A Guide to the Route

Starting from Brookes Students' Union: Follow the path to the bridge over the main road. This bridge was built in 1877 to link the two parts of the large Morrell estate on each side of the road below. The road was originally the Stokenchurch Turnpike constructed in 1775.

Don't cross the bridge, instead walk down the road and turn right into Headington Park. The park was originally part of the ornamental garden belonging to the Hall where the Morrells lived.

Turn left out of the park and cross the road with care. Take the path opposite down to the river. The large new stone building is the new Oxford University Centre for Islamic Studies.

The building on the right by the River Cherwell was once the King’s Mill. It dates from the Middle Ages but stopped working in 1832.

Turn right along the path. This area is called Mesopotamia, from the Greek for “between two rivers”. The original two rivers were the Euphrates and the Tigris so this Oxford version is on a slightly smaller scale!

Along this stretch you will see many pollarded willows, trees which have been cut at about head height. The regrowth was used by local people for poles for building and fencing. Pollarding also prevents the trees from splitting when they get top heavy.

On a map of 1887 a ferry was shown to operate here.

The fields on both sides are often quite wet. Several fields you will see along the route contain rushes and sedges showing the marshy ground. In the past this area was part of Marston parish whose name literally means “marsh town”.

The path leads over a bridge to a gate, turn left follow the path for around 150 to 200 metres (watch out for bike riders). Take the gate leading into the University Parks and follow the path (South Walk) around to the left until you reach Parks Road. The University Park began development in 1853 although originally “the Lord’s park”, a hunting park, was recorded in 1354. This was gradually enlarged and became farmland in the parish of Holywell, the manor belonging to Merton College. Parts were still growing crops until 1801 and pasture for cattle and sheep remained more recently. The Cricket Ground dates from 1881 and is the only one in the UK where first class matches can be seen free! Over the years some of the original park has been built upon for the Science Area and the University Museum.

At the Gate continue on the path (West Walk) along the circumference of the park, past the next gate and along the North Walk. Large trees in this area were planted in the late 1880s and include Corsican Pines and Wellingtonias. Look out for a large London Plane surrounded by a bench.

Follow the path round the far end of the pond then straight on alongside the River Cherwell past a spectacular curved bridge. This bridge was built in 1923 as a work project for the unemployed. It is sometimes know as the Rainbow Bridge.

Continue alondside the river until you get to the gate at the end of the park (Cox's Corner). Here turn left and take the path over a bridge. Again be careful of cyclists. Notice the rollers at the side of the weir for moving boats between the two levels of the river.

This grassy area and river bank is known as Parson’s Pleasure. Male undergraduates and dons bathed there for many years; it was always the custom for men to swim naked. Dames Delight was opened nearby in 1934 for families but closed in 1970 after flooding.

Across the bridge follow the surfaced path across two fields back to the cattle grid you crossed earlier. Continue straight on and turn right down Ferry Road. Ferry Road was one of the first streets built in New Marston in the early 1880s. Halfway along the road, look out for a small church, now a workshop. This was the Mission church linked to St Nicholas in Marston and was built in 1911 to serve the community here. The tower was constructed in the 1930s.

When you reach the main road, turn right and cross at the pedestrian crossing. Walk up John Garne Way, through the grounds of Morrell Hall past the allotments.

The path now leads up steps into Headington Hill Hall Campus and back to the SU.