The New Bodleian Library Conservation Plan - Central ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

its historic buildings still function for the purpose for which they were built, andprovide accommodation for the University of Oxford and its colleges.From small beginnings as a settlement in the Saxon period, Oxford grew bythe 11th century into one of the largest towns in England and a major tradecentre. The Norman conquest brought the construction of the Castle and theestablishment of major religious houses. The infant University arose in the12th century and gradually grew into a major force in the city's life. TheSaxons’ rigid street layout and the fixed line of the 13th century defensivewalls, together with the floodable river valleys, largely determined the plan ofthe historic centre as it is today. The gentle curve of the High Street, the greatmarket place of St Giles and the older churches, together with the postmedievaltimber-framed houses, belong to the town rather than the gown.The University as it expanded, colonised the eastern half of the town withcolleges and halls, building quadrangles of medieval and post-medieval gothicbuildings, both within and without the walled town. The growth of theUniversity's central institutions is well shown by the magnificent group ofbuildings situated between Broad Street and St Mary's Church. This groupbegan in the 15th century with the building of the Divinity School and the DukeHumphrey's Library, a nucleus which expanded in the 17th century with theaddition of the Schools’ Quadrangle, Convocation House and SheldonianTheatre. The group was further extended in the 18th century by the addition ofthe Old Clarendon Building and Radcliffe Camera to form a sequence ofbuildings and spaces of the highest architectural and historic interest, thattoday form the visual heart of the conservation area. Aspects of Oxford's 19thand 20th century change and growth may be illustrated by the considerableadditions made to University and College buildings in Victorian and recenttimes, by the vigorous commercial and shopping centre, and by the welcomefact that the presence of the University ensures that many upper floors ofbuildings in the conservation area are in use for residential purposes, ratherthan unoccupied as in some historic towns.Thomas Sharp, in his report to the City Council, published in 1948 as OxfordReplanned, set out and defined Oxford's special physical and architecturalcharacter and stressed its virtues and problems in a 20fh century context. TheCouncil, in its Review of the Development Plan, approved in 1967, approvedmuch of the central area as an area of great historic value, and since 1962 theCouncil has protected the prospect of the city's unique skyline with its highbuildings policy. The complementary views out of the city to its open countrybackground have been similarly protected by the Green Belt and otherpolicies.The Council designated a large part of the central area as a conservation areain 1971. An extension taking in the Folly Bridge riverside was designated on28th May 1974, a second extension covering part of Walton Street, FisherRow and lower St Aldate’s was designated on 23rd February 1981, while athird covering Cornmarket and Queen Street was designated on 29th April1985. On 9th December 1998, a fourth extension was made to theconservation area taking in part of the St Thomas' area, the UniversityNew Bodleian LibraryConservation Plan, April 201244
Observatory adjacent to University Parks and Magdalen College Schoolplaying field.New Bodleian LibraryConservation Plan, April 201245
Page 4: 6 BIBLIOGRAPHY 377 APPENDICES 39App
Page 9 and 10: 2 Understanding the Site2.1 History
Page 11 and 12: could easily accommodate the growth
Page 13 and 14: 3 Significance of the New Bodleian
Page 15 and 16: 3.2 Significance as part of the Bod
Page 17 and 18: Figure 7. Detail from the Ashmole B
Page 19 and 20: 3.5 Architectural Significance3.5.1
Page 21 and 22: Figure 9. Original desks in PPE Rea
Page 23 and 24: 4 Vulnerabilities4.1 The Ability of
Page 25 and 26: 4.3.2 Broad Street VestibuleThis pr
Page 27 and 28: Commonwealths existent at the time
Page 29 and 30: 5 Conservation PolicyHaving establi
Page 31 and 32: line with Section 5.1. It is accept
Page 33 and 34: 5.5.7.3 Retain the furniture, fitti
Page 35 and 36: 5.9.2 The Conservation Plan will be
Page 37 and 38: 6 Bibliography6.1 References from t
Page 39 and 40: 7 APPENDICESAppendix 1: Listed Buil
Page 41 and 42: and six internal staircases, clad i
Page 43: Appendix 2: Conservation Area Descr
Page 47 and 48: Appendix 3: Chronology of the New B
Page 49 and 50: Appendix 4CHECKLIST OF SIGNIFICANT
Page 51: THIS PAGE HAS BEEN LEFT BLANKNew Bo

The New Bodleian Library Conservation Plan - Central ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?