 Looking west along Merton Street in April 2021 towards theCanterbury Gate ofChrist Church. | |
  Location within Central Oxford | |
| Former name(s) | Coach & Horses LaneKing StreetSt John Baptist’s Street |
|---|---|
| Namesake | Walter de Merton |
| Location | Oxford, United Kingdom |
| Postal code | OX1 |
| Coordinates | 51°45′05″N1°15′06″W / 51.7514°N 1.2518°W /51.7514; -1.2518 |
| West end | Christ Church |
| East end | Examination School /Ruskin School of Art |
| Other | |
| Known for | |
Merton Street is acobbled street in centralOxford, England.[1][2] It joins theHigh Street at its northeastern end, between theRuskin School of Drawing and Fine Art (together with theExamination Schools) and theEastgate Hotel at the historic east gate of the city. It then runs east–west, parallel and to the south of the High Street for most of its length.
Merton College, one of Oxford's older colleges, is situated to the south of the street. To the west of Merton,Corpus Christi College, one of Oxford's smallest colleges, also fronts onto the street. At the very western end, actually inOriel Square, is an entrance toChrist Church, Oxford's largest college. At the eastern end can be found the notorious 'Pink House', as well as an entrance toUniversity College.
Logic Lane (through University College, which backs onto the street) andMagpie Lane, both narrow lanes, lead off the street to the north. Also located here is theMerton Street tennis court, a rare example of an extantreal tennis court. To the south isMerton Grove (opposite Magpie Lane), providing pedestrian access between Merton College and Corpus Christi College toChrist Church Meadow to the south.
The street is designated theA420 due to the blockage of the High Street to normal traffic. To the west it continues through Oriel Square, whereOriel College is located.[citation needed]
Despite being cobbled, the street has been repaired byOxford City Council usingasphalt.[3]
The part of modern-day Merton Street adjoining the High Street used to be known asCoach & Horses Lane, named after a public house on the west side of the lane.[2] From the early 18th to the late 19th century, it became known asKing Street.
The rest of the street (the part running east–west) was originally known asSt John Baptist's Street, named after the church which is now Merton College's chapel. In 1751, the whole street had become King Street, but by 1772 just the east–west part was called Merton Street. The entire street became known as Merton Street only in the 20th century.
Siegfried Sassoon briefly took rooms in no 14 during 1919, on the recommendation ofLady Ottoline Morrell.[4] The historianMichael Brock (1920–2014) and his wife (and co-editor) Eleanor lived in the street in the early 1950s.[5] The academic and authorJ. R. R. Tolkien had rooms in Merton Street towards the end of his life in the early 1970s.
Media related toMerton Street, Oxford at Wikimedia Commons51°45′05″N1°15′06″W / 51.7514°N 1.2518°W /51.7514; -1.2518