OXFORD ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT 2011 THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD (1205-1540) Compiled by Ruth Beckley and David Radford Version: 30/1/2012 ii Introduction ............................................................................................................... 4 Nature of evidence base.......................................................................................... 4 Notable standing structure surveys ......................................................................... 6 Notable excavations by theme ................................................................................ 6 Key themes.............................................................................................................. 7 The landscape ........................................................................................................... 9 Inheritance............................................................................................................... 9 Chronology (the development of the medieval city) ................................................ 9 Key characteristics of the landscape..................................................................... 10 Urban development................................................................................................. 14 Documentary evidence.......................................................................................... 14 The development of domestic and commercial town houses................................ 14 Archaeological evidence for the principal street frontages and side streets.......... 15 The Jewish community.......................................................................................... 20 Suburban settlement .............................................................................................. 22 The northern suburbs ............................................................................................ 22 The eastern suburb ............................................................................................... 23 The southern suburbs............................................................................................ 24 The western suburbs............................................................................................. 24 Rural settlement...................................................................................................... 27 Settlement along the Grandpont............................................................................ 27 Binsey.................................................................................................................... 27 Cowley................................................................................................................... 28 Headington ............................................................................................................ 29 Marston.................................................................................................................. 29 Iffley....................................................................................................................... 30 St Clements........................................................................................................... 30 St Giles.................................................................................................................. 30 Wolvercote............................................................................................................. 31 Seacourt deserted village, formerly Berkshire....................................................... 31 North and South Hinksey and Botley (outside the LAA)........................................ 32 Social organisation................................................................................................. 33 The Old Gildhall and replacement......................................................................... 33 The Bocardo Prison............................................................................................... 33 The prison at the Castle ........................................................................................ 33 Hospitals................................................................................................................ 33 Transport and communications ............................................................................ 36 The River network ................................................................................................. 36 Fords, landing points, bridges and causeways...................................................... 39 Road network ........................................................................................................ 41 Craft, trade and industries ..................................................................................... 43 The markets........................................................................................................... 43 Inns and taverns.................................................................................................... 43 Guilds and trades .................................................................................................. 45 Book binding and printing...................................................................................... 46 Quarrying............................................................................................................... 47 Mills ....................................................................................................................... 47 Ceremony and religion ........................................................................................... 50 Norman monastic foundations............................................................................... 50 Rewley Abbey (Cistercian) .................................................................................... 53 Blackfriars (Dominican) ......................................................................................... 54 White Friars (Carmelite) ........................................................................................ 55 Grey Friars (Franciscan)........................................................................................ 56 Austin Friars (Augustinian) .................................................................................... 56 Crutched Friars...................................................................................................... 57 2 Friars of the Sack .................................................................................................. 57 Trinitarian Friars .................................................................................................... 57 Chantries and chapels........................................................................................... 57 Church foundations ............................................................................................... 58 Churches falling out of use.................................................................................... 58 The University of Oxford ........................................................................................ 60 The university: a short historical summary ............................................................ 60 Halls and colleges ................................................................................................. 61 Oxford colleges....................................................................................................... 67 Secular colleges .................................................................................................... 67 The monastic colleges........................................................................................... 78 Academic hall and college material culture ........................................................... 82 Warfare and defences............................................................................................. 85 The Town Wall and Ditch ...................................................................................... 85 The wall gates ....................................................................................................... 90 The Castle ............................................................................................................. 91 Material culture, diet and health ............................................................................ 93 Pottery ................................................................................................................... 93 Tile......................................................................................................................... 94 Glass ..................................................................................................................... 96 Metalwork .............................................................................................................. 96 Stone ..................................................................................................................... 96 Animal bone........................................................................................................... 97 Diet and health ...................................................................................................... 97 Miscellaneous finds ............................................................................................... 97 Bibliography ...........................................................................................................