The Covered Market
Oxford’s Covered Market was designed by John Gwynn. It opened in 1774 and is still going strong today. Originally its width corresponded to the elegant and balanced frontage of the houses (now shops) at 13, 14, 15, and 16 High Street (above), which were rebuilt in 1774. It then had three entrances: one in the middle, and one at each end. It was extended eastwards to include Market Avenue No. 1 in 1838.
Oxford’s Covered Market owes its existence to the following section of the Oxford Mileways Act of 1771, which put a stop to the selling of meat, fish, and “garden stuff” in the High Street and Queen Street:
And whereas the holding of a Market as heretofore accustomed for selling of Meat, Fish, and Garden Stuff, in the High Street and Butcher Row [Queen Street], in the said City, hath been found very inconvenient, by reason of the great Number of Coaches, Carts, and other Carriages, and Travellers, passing and repassing through the same, to and from the Roads above mentioned: And whereas, it is necessary for the Benefit and Accommodation of the Inhabitants of the said University, City, and Suburbs, and of all persons resorting thereto, that a Market should be still continued for the Ale of all Kinds of Meat, Fish, Poultry, and Garden Stuff; and the Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the aid University, and Mayor, Bailiffs, and Commonalty of the said City, are desirous to erect, hold and maintain such Market; it is hereby further enacted, That the said Commissioners, or any Fifteen or more of them, shall have full Power and Authority to view, set out, and describe such Plot or Piece of Ground, between the High Street and the Lane called Jesus College Lane [now Market Street], within the said City, as they shall adjudge most convenient and proper for holding the said Market, and to and for making proper Avenues thereto.
The following article published in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 10 December 1774 states that the New Market (as it was originally known) would be completely finished by 21 December 1774, and that from that date it was unlawful to sell meat, fish, and “garden-stuff” anywhere except at this market (although corn, pigs, and butter could be sold in the existing markets).
It was not long before the Covered Market suffered break-ins. On 14 January 1775 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported:
On Wednesday night several shops in our New Market were broke open; from one of which was stolen a whole porker; from another divers joints of meats; and from a third some red herrings, and other things.
Then on 4 November 1775 the following appeared::
On the night between Thursday evening and yesterday morning a quantity of Lead was stripped from one of the Butcher's Shops in our New Market; and the Shop of Mr. Giles was likewise broke open by forcing a hole through the lath and plaister, and Meat stolen from thence to the amount of about thirty shillings in value.
The Universal Business Directory of 1794 gives this description of the market twenty years after it opened:
The old shambles in Butcher Row [Queen Street] are likewise taken away, and a new general market, upon an extensive scale, is erected between the High-street and Jesus College Lane; which market is universally allowed to exceed every thing of the kind in this kingdom. At the south entrance from the High-street it contains forty commodious shops for butchers. North of these are eight others equally commodious, occupied by gardeners, &c. between which are two spacious colonnades for poultry, eggs, bacon, cheese, &c. &c. divided into forty stalls; and beyond these, extending quite to Jesus College Lane, is a large area for country gardeners, fruit, and divers other commodities. There are likewise three avenues running through in direct lines, intersected by another in the middle, affording a free currency of air; and in the front, four elegant and commodious houses have been erected, which give an additional ornament to one of the finest streets in Europe. The open part of this market, fronting Jesus College, is inclosed by an iron pallisade; and the avenues opening upon the New Parade in the High-street are secured by iron gates. The whole extent of the ground appropriated to the purpose of erecting this market, is from north to south three hundred and forty-seven feet, and from east to west one hundred and twelve.
The layout of the original part of the market, described above, is very similar today. The original three avenues, each with its own entrance from the High (one at each end and one in the middle) still exist today as Market Avenues 2, 3, and 4.
In 1838 the market extended westwards to occupy the space behind Nos. 10, 11, and 12 High Street and a fourth entrance (now called Market Avenue No. 1) was cut through to the new part via the shop at No. 10.
By the mid-nineteenth century Jesus College Lane at the back of the Covered Market became known as Market Street
On 24 October 1874 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported:
The fish market, adjoining Market-street, has been covered in with a glass roof by Mr. Walter, builder, Walton Road, at a cost of 200l., from plans prepared by Mr. G. Young. Several repairs and alterations have also been made in the stalls.
At some point between 1889 and 1899 a pillar box was installed inside the Market, and it still survives today. In 1899 it was emptied nine times a day, with the last collection at 8pm.
In the 1890s Mrs Amos George opened a café in Units 95 & 96 in 1st Avenue in the Covered Market that became known as George’s and was to remain open for nearly a hundred years. The bottle on the right inscribed “George’s Market Dining Rooms”, dates from 1902. It is a ginger-beer bottle, as both Mrs George and her husband Amos George, who served as Mayor of Oxford in 1924/5, were dedicated members of the Band of Hope (a temperance organization). Kelly's Directory for 1899 lists George's in Units 15 & 16, suggesting that the units were renumbered during the 1890s.
In 1899 there were 156 units in the Covered Market occupied by 98 traders. There were 34 butchers, 29 greengrocers & fruiterers, eight poulterers, four florists, four fishmongers, three provision merchants, two refreshment/dining rooms, two corn merchants, and two seedsmen. There was just one confectioner, basket maker, potato merchant, market gardener, butter merchant, and hog pudding seller.
Above: Oxford Market at Christmas, Jackson's Oxford Journal, 22 December 1900
Below: Christmas poultry in Oxford Market, Christmas 2002. Hedges butchers has since closed
The market in c.1903, painted by William Matthison
The Covered Market in 1904
For more information about the early years of the Covered Market,
see Malcolm Graham, “The Building of Oxford Covered Market” (Oxoniensia, 1979)
Short film about the Covered Market by Malcolm Graham
Website of the current Covered Market website
Oxford City Council is currently (2024) working on a
£6.87m redevelopment of Oxford's Covered Market.
