Cornmarket: The Roebuck Inn
Left: The Roebuck just before it was demolished in 1850. Right: The Roebuck in 1924, just before it was demolished again
The Roebuck Inn (so named in 1610 after the arms of Jesus College) originally faced Market Street, but by 1740, when it had become a large coaching inn on the London to Gloucester run, its yard and main entrance faced on to Cornmarket Street.
In 1850 it was rebuilt as a new hotel to rival the Star on the opposite side of Cornmarket, and in 1865 the coaching office together with an ostler's house and Chaundy's cigar shop were demolished so that the Roebuck Vaults could be built in Market Street as a tap to the main inn.
In 1924, the Roebuck Hotel was demolished by Woolworths to make way for their new store, which was originally on the west side of Cornmarket. Woolworths later moved across the road and demolished the Clarendon Hotel, so is largely responsible for the ruination of Cornmarket.
In 1938 the old vaults were rebuilt and renamed the Roebuck, which has now become an Austrlian theme bar called the Bar Oz. Boots PLC occupy the site of the former coaching inn.