Headington - History

History

The site of Headington shows evidence of continued occupation from the Stone Age, as the 2001 field excavations in Barton Lane found, suggesting a date in the 11th century BC. Pottery was found on the Manor Ground, suggesting an Iron Age settlement there in the 7th century BC. Roman kilns from about AD 300 have been found, including one now on display at the Museum of Oxford. Anglo-Saxon burial remains from about AD 500 have also been discovered.

Headington's toponym is derived from the Old English Hedena's dun, meaning "Hedena's hill", when it was the site of a palace or hunting lodge of the Kings of Mercia. In a charter of 1004, Ethelred II of England, "written at the royal ville called Headan dune", gave land in Headington to Frideswide's priory, which included the quarry and the area around it.

Henry I granted a chapel at Headington to the Augustinian canons regular of the Priory of St Frideswide, Oxford when the priory was founded in 1122. The Church of England parish church of Saint Andrew was built in the middle of the 12th century and enlarged in the 13th century. The bell tower was started in the 13th or 14th century and completed in about 1500. St. Andrew's was repaired in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Gothic Revival architect J.C. Buckler restored the building and lengthened the nave in 1862–1864.

Headington developed rapidly in the early 20th century, significant amounts of housing developed around the medieval village, now known as Old Headington. In 1927 it became an urban district separate from the Headington Rural District and in 1929 it was added to the city of Oxford. The other side of the London Rd is called New Headington.

Oxford United was originally Headington United F.C. Until 2001 its home ground was the Manor Ground, which had its main entrance on London Road. In 2001 Oxford United moved to the Kassam Stadium near Blackbird Leys. The Manor Ground has since been demolished and a private hospital built on the site.

In 2002 a re-warding of the City created a ward called Headington representing both sides of the London Road, from Bury Knowle Park to Headley Way, with two elected representatives. The first councillors for this ward were David Rundle (2002–) and Stephen Tall (2002–2008). Ruth Wilkinson was elected to succeed Stephen Tall in May 2008.