St Ebbes
Encyclopedia
St Ebbes is a district of central Oxford
, England
, southwest of Carfax
. St Ebbes Street runs south from the western end of Queen Street
.
The area takes its name from the parish church of St Ebbe's
, dedicated to Saint Æbbe the Elder. The name was first recorded in about 1005, when the church and other nearby property was granted to Eynsham Abbey
. The parish extended to the River Thames
. By 1279 the area was known for property inhabited by the poorer townsfolk, and remained so until the middle of the 20th century.
In 1818 gas works were built on the north bank of the River Thames
in St Ebbes, to supply the city with gas
. St Ebbes expanded significantly in the 19th century, and by 1882 there was no room to expand the gas works, and new gasholders had to be built on the south bank of the river. A railway bridge (the Gasworks Bridge) was built across the river to connect the gas works to the Great Western Railway
line. The gas works were closed in 1960.
The area was redeveloped between the 1950s and the 1980s. A new main road, Thames Street
, was built through the area in 1968. Between 1970 and 1972 the Westgate Shopping Centre
was built in St Ebbes, and much of the rest of the area became car parks. Only a few residential properties remain to the north of Thames Street. There is a small housing estate between Thames Street and the river, known as St Ebbes by the River.
St Ebbe's Street runs south from Queen Street
past Pembroke Street
(on the right), to Brewer Street
(on the right). There the street becomes "Littlegate".
St Ebbe's
Church of England parish church
in Pennyfarthing Place, on the corner with St Ebbes Street is now an evangelical
congregation. St Ebbe's Church of England
Primary School is south of the river, outside St Ebbe's parish.
The Victorian
photographer Henry Taunt
was born at Penson's Gardens, St Ebbes, on 14 June 1842.
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, southwest of Carfax
Carfax
Carfax may refer to: about car history.* Carfax , a website with vehicle history information* Carfax 250, a motor race* Carfax, Oxford, England* The centre of Horsham, West Sussex, England...
. St Ebbes Street runs south from the western end of Queen Street
Queen Street, Oxford
Queen Street is a shopping street in central Oxford, England. It is one-way for buses and taxis, two-way for cyclists outside main shopping hours, and forbidden for cars. It runs west from the centre of Oxford at Carfax...
.
The area takes its name from the parish church of St Ebbe's
St Ebbe's, Oxford
St Ebbe's is a Church of England parish church in central Oxford which is in the conservative evangelical tradition. It has members from many nations, many of whom are students at Oxford University...
, dedicated to Saint Æbbe the Elder. The name was first recorded in about 1005, when the church and other nearby property was granted to Eynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey
Eynsham Abbey was a Benedictine monastery in Eynsham, Oxfordshire, in England between 1005 and 1538. King Æthelred allowed Æthelmær the Stout to found the abbey in 1005. There is some evidence that the abbey was built on the site of an earlier minster, probably founded in the 7th or 8th...
. The parish extended to the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. By 1279 the area was known for property inhabited by the poorer townsfolk, and remained so until the middle of the 20th century.
In 1818 gas works were built on the north bank of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in St Ebbes, to supply the city with gas
Coal gas
Coal gas is a flammable gaseous fuel made by the destructive distillation of coal containing a variety of calorific gases including hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and volatile hydrocarbons together with small quantities of non-calorific gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen...
. St Ebbes expanded significantly in the 19th century, and by 1882 there was no room to expand the gas works, and new gasholders had to be built on the south bank of the river. A railway bridge (the Gasworks Bridge) was built across the river to connect the gas works to the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
line. The gas works were closed in 1960.
The area was redeveloped between the 1950s and the 1980s. A new main road, Thames Street
Oxpens Road
Oxpens Road is a road in central Oxford, England, linking west and south Oxford. It is named after the marshy area of Oxpens, next to one of the branches of the River Thames in Oxford.- Locale :...
, was built through the area in 1968. Between 1970 and 1972 the Westgate Shopping Centre
Westgate Shopping Centre, Oxford
Westgate Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in central Oxford, England.- Overview :Westgate is located at the west end of Queen Street, where the west gate of the city of Oxford used to be situated. A car park, including a multistory section, is attached to the shopping centre, with access from...
was built in St Ebbes, and much of the rest of the area became car parks. Only a few residential properties remain to the north of Thames Street. There is a small housing estate between Thames Street and the river, known as St Ebbes by the River.
St Ebbe's Street runs south from Queen Street
Queen Street, Oxford
Queen Street is a shopping street in central Oxford, England. It is one-way for buses and taxis, two-way for cyclists outside main shopping hours, and forbidden for cars. It runs west from the centre of Oxford at Carfax...
past Pembroke Street
Pembroke Street, Oxford
Pembroke Street is in central Oxford, England. St Ebbes Street is to the west and major thoroughfare of St Aldate's is to the east.Modern Art Oxford is located on the north side of the street...
(on the right), to Brewer Street
Brewer Street, Oxford
Brewer Street is a historic narrow street in central Oxford, England, south of Carfax.The street runs east-west, connecting with St Aldate's to the east and St Ebbe's Street to the west....
(on the right). There the street becomes "Littlegate".
St Ebbe's
St Ebbe's, Oxford
St Ebbe's is a Church of England parish church in central Oxford which is in the conservative evangelical tradition. It has members from many nations, many of whom are students at Oxford University...
Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in Pennyfarthing Place, on the corner with St Ebbes Street is now an evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
congregation. St Ebbe's Church of England
Voluntary controlled school
A voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
Primary School is south of the river, outside St Ebbe's parish.
The Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
photographer Henry Taunt
Henry Taunt
Henry William Taunt was a professional photographer based in Oxford, England. His studio was in Broad Street, Oxford.Henry Taunt was born in Penson's Gardens in St Ebbe's, Oxford...
was born at Penson's Gardens, St Ebbes, on 14 June 1842.
External links
- Photographs on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
.