The Turbulent Medieval Story of Oxford

Early Medieval Oxford

Following King Sweyn Forkbeard and the Vikings’ raids of the early 11^th century, Oxford had become prosperous. It was a place where Witans, councils of the King, were convened and was notably where King Cnut, Sweyn’s son, was able to forge peace between the Danes and Saxons, establishing his rule over England.[1]

At the time, the town had around 5,000 residents – although no exact numbers exist. Theorised figures suggest it would have made Oxford the sixth or seventh biggest town in the country at the time.[2]

What was Oxford like in the Medieval Period? 

However, by the completion of the Domesday Book in 1086, Oxford appears a bit worse for wear. Of the estimated 1,018 houses inside and outside the walls, 57% are listed as ‘waste’, meaning they generated no taxation.[3] This is the second highest in England, worse than much of the north, which had been famously harried by William the Conqueror’s army. The population also seems to have declined to between 1,000 and 2,000.[4]

Yet despite this, there is no evidence that Oxford was part of a rebellion against William, nor suffered his army’s wrath.[5] What actually happened is still unclear. Suggested causes include:

1. In 1065, Edward the Confessor held council in Oxford to negotiate with Northumbrian rebels who had overthrown Earl Tostig. It’s possible that they ransacked the town during this time, and Edward only met them in Oxford after this.[6]
2. Oxford may have suffered indirectly from the conquest, as it lost its importance as a border town between two Earldoms and state priorities shifted elsewhere.[7]
3. The new Norman rulers of Oxford levied heavier taxation than before, as the Domesday Book shows, which impoverished the town as a result.[8]
4. More recent archaeological evidence would imply that new kinds of houses were being built in the era, resulting in the old houses being abandoned.[9]

Regardless of cause, Oxford needed rebuilding, and that was left to its new Norman overlord, Baron Robert D’Oyly. Robert was a minor magnate back in Normandy, but he built a powerful political base in England. He married the daughter of Wigod, the Saxon lord of Wallingford, and, upon his death, inherited his lands in Berkshire and Oxfordshire.[10]

Robert D’Oyly’s Impact on Oxford

Appointed High Sheriff of Oxford in 1071, he got to work building across the town, in particular churches.[11] It was during this time that the Collegiate Church of St George was built in the castle, and pre-existing churches like St Michael’s in the Northgate and St Peter’s in the east were rebuilt.[12] He also built a prominent causeway called ‘Grandpoint’ where the Abingdon Road now is, which helped to make the Thames more easily fordable for trade.[13]

The rebuilding efforts of D’Oyly, plus a general recovery across post-conquest England, meant Oxford had returned to its prosperous self during the 12^th century. It was such a prominent trade hub that a merchant guild formed, gaining trading rights in London that no other town in England had.[14] It also continued to play a large role in government affairs. King’s Councils continued to occur here throughout the 12^th and 13^th centuries, and royal apartments were maintained at Beaumont Palace for that purpose.[15]

The town’s importance could also be found at coronations, where its delegation sat alongside the far larger cities of London and Winchester.[16] This outsized role in the affairs of state, coupled with its prosperity, meant Oxford was granted a charter in 1155, giving it similar if not equal rights to those of London.[17] By 1227, it paid the third-highest taxation in the country, eclipsed only by York and London.[18]

The Beginning of Education In Oxford

Education also became a prominent part of the town. Teaching began in Oxford around 1096, but its importance rose as England came into increasing conflict with France.[19] Where previously English scholars had chosen to study abroad in Paris, they now had to do so at home, with Oxford being the natural choice. However, the growth of the university had some negative consequences for the town.

As land and buildings were bought up for colleges, the town lost important commercial areas. Rights were also lost as the university gained commercial and political powers, with the dispute between town and gown escalating into serious violence in the 14^th century. The eventual outcome was the town losing these rights permanently and, as a result, becoming subordinate to the university.[20]

Combined with the Black Death, which likely killed a third of the town’s population, and the cloth industry shifting from urban to rural areas, Oxford’s fortunes drastically declined.[21] Its revenue fell relative to other towns in England. It ranked 8^th in taxes paid to the government before the Black Death; it was 27^th by the Tudor era.[22] The university suffered too, with fewer buildings rented by scholars and by the Tudor era, it was clearly declining as well. What had once been one of the most important economic centres in the country had become a minor town, albeit with a prominent university.

Its medieval roots, however, are still on full display at our site. Not only with our Castle Mound and crypt, but also St George’s Tower – once home to our very own Empress Matilda, one of the most important figures of this era!

Author: Frederick Hudson, 2025

References

[1] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford: A history of the city by Janet Cooper’, in Alan Crossley (eds), The Victoria History of the County of Oxford Volume IV, (London, 1979), p. 10.

[2] H. C. Darby, Domesday England, (Cambridge, 1977).

[3] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p. 10.

[4] James Parker, The Early History of Oxford: 727-1000, (Oxford 1885), p. 233

[5] James Parker, The Early History of Oxford, pp. 186-200.

[6] James Parker, The Early History of Oxford, pp. 200-201.

[7] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p. 10.

[8] Anne Dodd (eds), Oxford before the University, (Oxford, 2003), p.51

[9] Anne Dodd, Oxford before the University, p.51, Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p. 10.s

[10] William Betham, The Baronetage of England, (London, 1802), p. 400.                `

[11] James Parker, The Early History of Oxford, pp. 206-207.

[12] James Parker, The Early History of Oxford, pp. 215-217.

[13] Anne Dodd, Oxford before the University, pp. 53-56.

[14] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p.35.

[15] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, pp. 12-13.

[16] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p.9.

[17] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p.50.

[18] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p.12.

[19] Anne Dodd, Oxford before the University, p. 63.

[20] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, pp. 56-57.

[21] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p. 19, 40.

[22] Janet Cooper, ‘Medieval Oxford’, p. 15.