Monday 23 March 2015

Oxford - Part 3 : Outer

Our final visit to Oxford takes in all the clocks that can be found outside of the city centre.

The Oxford History Centre is on Cowley Road, at its junction with the wonderfully named Between Towns Road. The building was originally St Luke's church, built by Lord Nuffield for the workers at the nearby Cowley car factory.




The hands are a bit tarnished, but overall I like this clock.


Templars Square shopping centre is on Between Towns Road. As these places go it is quite nice, probably because it is relatively small and is light and airy. It was opened in 1965, when it was known as the Cowley Centre.



The blue and silver clock stands out nicely against the white beams of the roof structure, and overall is rather pleasing.



Back on Cowley Road, although in the picture below we are sneaking up from the other side, is St Mary's and St John's church, built in 1875-83.





Still on Cowley Road (and it is a long way from the History Centre to here), we find Crown House.


Not a lot to say about this building or its clock really. It is there. Have a look if you are passing. But I wouldn't suggest going out of your way to find it.




And don't rely on all of the clock faces to give you the right time.

 
Out to the north of the city now, to the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies on Woodstock Road. This was originally the church of St Philip and St James, consecrated in 1862.
 






Woodstock Road runs north out of the city, and runs parallel to Banbury Road for a long distance. Summertown is on this parallel route, where those nipping out for a quick coffee can check the time on this clock on the local branch of Costa.




And just to the south you can check whether you have enough time to buy a new bike at Summertown Cycles.

 


 
Out to the east of the city, the Taylors estate agents is at the junction of London Road and Windmill Road.
 



This next building is sited on James Wolfe Road. From the name of the road (Major General James Wolfe was an 18th century British Army officer - who also gave his name to a long demolished pub near Aston University) and the style of the building, I assume that this was originally a military establishment, but it is now a depot for BT.


A bit of research shows that indeed this building was part of the Cowley Barracks (and the student accommodation facing it still has an underground nuclear bunker).




And finally, Headington School on Headington Road.


This is an independent girls school founded in 1915. The current building dates from 1930.




 

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