Walton Manor

This morning I met up with Stellarossa and Beewriter at the South Oxford Farmers' Market for coffee. I'd not met B before and I was impressed with her photographic expertise, making me realise I have still a very long way to go!

Out on a wet walk later, I discovered this ancient fragment built into a garden wall in the conservation area of Walton Manor. There are some very interesting houses in this area: many have historic significance and were designed for the Oxford Cottage Improvement Society by Arts and Crafts Movement architects and builders. This particular area was originally in the possession of Osney Abbey and Godstow Nunnery but the street in which this segment of wall sits was renowned for being incomplete and thought to have been partly designed by the hands of Wilkinson / Moore / Rolfe.

Wilkinson designed largely in Gothic style and although his buildings are picturesque he is renowed for underplaying detail and for his generally uninspired church restoration. I think therefore this detail wasn't by his hand.

Moore, although he designed some of the best houses in North Oxford and his style was much copied, was renowned for his laziness. At a time when he was working for St John's College, the Bursar complained, writing to him of his 'dilatoriness and indeed complete neglect with which you treat the business entrusted to you.' A lazy designer wouldn't add this exquisite detail I think.

Rolfe was a frustrated Diocesan Architect - he had wanted a post entailing supervision of all major works on churches and parsonages in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire and was extremely put out when he didn't get the coveted post. I like to think that he, with his interest in religious architecture, planted this interesting feature in the wall.

But who knows...