Event

The street later called Cornmarket already one of the main commercial areas of Oxford

Surviving Saxon Tower of Church of St Michael-at-the-Northgate built

Northgate Street (later Cornmarket) already marks the east–west divide of the four city wards

Record of skinners’ quarter on the site of the Golden Cross

Dr John Claymond had a lead roof supported on stone pillars erected in the middle of the street so that “thereby in wet seasons sacks of corne might be preserved from the violence of the weather”. Henceforth Northgate Street was known as Cornmarket

The roof of the corn market was demolished to provide lead for bullets during the civil war

Wooden water pipes were laid in Cornmarket

North Gate and Bocardo Prison demolished

Cornmarket was widened

Last use of pillory and whipping post in centre of Cornmarket opposite Frewin Court

The City Church of St Martin’s on the south-west corner rebuilt

Star Inn acquired by the Clarendon Hotel Company and renamed the Clarendon Hotel.

Large new premises for the grocer Grimbly Hughes were built at 56 Cornmarket

Tram-route to North Oxford laid from Carfax through Cornmarket

City Church of St Martin demolished except for its tower

Metropolitan Bank Ltd (later Midland/HSBC) built at SW end of Cornmarket

White Hart Inn at No. 21 replaced by a hotel and restaurant

Lloyds Bank built on the south-east corner of Carfax

Woolworth’s took over the old Roebuck Hotel, demolishing the original building at No. 8

Austin Reed gents’ outfitters opened in No. 38, and are still there

Old Clarendon Hotel demolished to make way for a new Woolworth’s and Clarendon House

Rubber surface laid on road proved to be too dangerous in wet weather and was removed

Grimbly Hughes replaced by Littlewoods

Marks & Spencer rebuiilt the store they had occupied since the 1930s

The pavements were widened, the kerbs were removed, and Cornmarket was closed to all vehicles except buses, taxis, and vehicles requiring access

Woolworth’s closed, and the present Clarendon Centre was created

Golden Cross closed, and Golden Cross Way was created, with 13 new shops, a restaurant, and a bar.

Cornmarket Street fully pedestrianised following removal of all buses

Disastrous attempt to repave Cornmarket: the granite sets cracked and the contractor went into liquidation. Voted second-worst street in Britain in a Today programme poll the following year

Cornmarket repaved again, and controversial new seats installed