King's Arms

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Venue Type & Location

Inn

Site Name: King's Arms
Location: Oxford
County: Oxfordshire
Location Type: Town - in town at determined location

Overview

The King's Arms, on land owned by Wadham College, is located on the corner of Parks Road and Holywell Street. The King's Arms was named after James I, apparently in honour of his close relationship with nearby Wadham College.

The original buildings contained many lodging rooms, a large stable and a back courtyard. The inn now has a stuccoed Georgian front but the 2-storey N range of the building was built in the early 17th c. The N range has 3 gables running S; its N facade includes a rubble wall, with remains of chimneys, which may be earlier than the 17th c. building.

Performance History

Crosfield's Diary notes that the inn was used by visiting performers in the early 17th c.

Current Status

Still operational. Since 1991, a Young's pub.

History of the Venue

1268 The site of the King's Arms was originally an Augustinian Priory.

1540 Monastery dissolved and the land passed to the mayor.

1607 Opened as an inn named the King's Arms.

late 17th--early 18th c. Building expanded. The main part of the S frontage and rear wing were rebuilt.

by 1771 King's Arms became a coaching inn on the London to Gloucester road.

late 18th c. W block built.

1962 Wadham college converted the upper floors into students' rooms.

Record Source

REED Oxford 1.514, 518

Bibliographic Sources

View a list of abbreviations.

  • Crossley, Alan, and C.R. Elington, et al. A History of the County of Oxford: The City of Oxford. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. vol 4. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1979.
  • Elliott, John R., Jr., and Alan H. Nelson (University); Alexandra F. Johnston and Diana Wyatt (City), eds. Oxford. Records of Early English Drama (REED). 2 vols. London; Toronto: The British Library; U of Toronto P, 2004.
  • Hibbert, Christopher and Edward, eds. The Encyclopaedia of Oxford. London and Basingstoke: Macmillan London Ltd., 1988.
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus, and Jennifer Sherwood. Oxfordshire. 1974. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth, Midd: Penguin Books, 1999.
  • Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of Oxford. London: HMSO, 1939.
  • Speed, John. Map of Oxford. 10/27/2008 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:John_Speed%27s_map_of_Oxford,_1605.jpg)
  • Woolley, A.R. Oxford University and City. London: Art and Technics Ltd, 1951.