East Oxford: Cowley Road
Cowley Road in about 1900, with the Cowley Road Congregational church on the left. This church was established as a mission from the Congregational Chapel in George Street in 1868/9, changing its name to Tyndale Church in 1955. It was closed in 1962, and demolished in 1963.
Wesley Hall on the corner of Jeune Street is an Arts and Crafts stone Gothic building. The Oxford Chronicle for 23 October 1903 (p. 7, col. f) reports:
The Wesleyan church and schools are in course of erection in Cowley Road from designs of Mr. Stephen Salter, F.R.I.B.A., the builders being Messrs. Kingerlee and Sons, of Oxford. The church is built to seat 700, and the schools 500. The total cost will be nearly £9,000. The church is in Handborough stone with Bath stone tracings. The architect has striven to avoid the usual "stock pattern" buildings so much in vogue for this class of work.
The church was opened in 1904 and was renamed Cowley Road Methodist Church in 1934. It was divided at gallery level and completely renovated in 1984.
Cowley Road Hospital is shown on this postcard during the First World War. The sign at the front reads: "3rd Southern General Hospital: Cowley section: No admittance except on business".
The buildings were originally constructed as a workhouse for 330 inmates on eleven acres of land bought from Magdalen and Pembroke Colleges. Its foundation stone was laid on 6 April 1863 and it was completed in 1865.
The hospital closed in 1981 and has since been demolished.