More information : 1. Oxford's Civil War Defences, constructed 1642-6. The first defences on the N. side of the city were destroyed together with other defence works. Sept-Oct. 1642 when the City was in the hands of the Parliamentarians. In Nov. the work was restarted, & construction & repair was carried on until the end of the seige. The works were described a 'very high, having many strong bulwarks so regularly flanking one another, that nothing could be more exactly done; round about the line, both upon the bulwarks and upon the curtain, was strongly set with storm poles; upon the outside of the ditch, round the line, it was strongly pallisadered'. On March 2nd 1646.7 the House of Commons ordered the new works to be 'slighted & dismantled.'
2 Civil War Earthworks now survive only in small portions 1 Course of Civil War defences [Map] 2 The surviving remains of these works are as follows (1939):
a. [SP] The boundary fence of the garden of Holywell Mill represents a portion of the work shown on De Gommes plan: the earthworks are levelled.
b. [SP] behind a house in Manor Road & under a building of the university is a slight bank.
c. [SP 518067] near Kings Mound Honsisa scarp 4'-5' high. Continuing on the W. side of Mansfield Road it becomes a definite rampart forming the NE boundary of Wadham Coll. garden. It is c. 34' wide & 7' above the garden.1
[De Gommes map 1644, opp.p.168,(1) shows poss. earthworks at SP 530063, & on 39NE: SP528054 & SP 526053] 'There are now (1939) no recognisable remains of the seige works on Headington Hill & in its neighbourhood, shown on de Gommes plan.' (1-3)
1.[SP527067-SP524053] "Civil War earthworks. Parliamentarian. In 1646 it is recorded that a Council of war ordered a 'great Work or Intrenchment upon Headington Hill: to receive & lodge 3,000 men [?site] & that a bridge should be built over the R.Cherwell, close by Merston... '[SP5208?].... 'These matters having been despatched, a line also began to be drawn from the great fort at Headington Hill straight to St. Bartholomews Common road & from thence to Campus pit or there abouts, all within Cannon shot.' It is only in S. Park that one can hope to find any traces of this today. A bank, poss. associated, is noticable behind the 8th block of houses in Morrell Ave., until 1870 the South Park was divided by hedges & ditches which may be associated. (Shown by trees on O.S. Maps). (4)
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