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All the United Kingdom England Oxford Port Meadow

Port Meadow

Legend says this public grazing area hasn't been plowed for thousands of years.

Oxford, England

Added By
Fred Cherrygarden
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Please respect the residents.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Port Meadow.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Port Meadow.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Port Meadow.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Port Meadow.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Port Meadow.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
Port Meadow.   Phlizz (atlas obscura user)
  LeviEthan107 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Port Meadow is a large common land area in the middle of Oxford, which has allegedly never been plowed at least since the prehistoric period. It has been used for free pasture since the Saxon times, according to the records in the Domesday Book.

The meadow is used for horses and cattle even to this day. You could easily find ungulates grazing here, along with a plethora of wildfowl such as geese, plovers, shelducks, and teals.

According to legend, the land was gifted to the Freemen of the city by Alfred the Great as a reward for taking part in the defense of the kingdom against Dane invaders. However, this theory is considered unlikely. 

There are quite a few well-preserved archaeological and historical sites across the meadow, including the remains of Bronze Age burial mounds, Iron Age dwellings, foundations of English Civil War-era fortifications, and stone bridges built for horse racing in the 17th and 18th centuries, fortifications from the English Civil War era, and stone bridges built for horse racing in the 17th and 18th centuries.

While not widely known, it is also an important site in the history of literature. On July 4, 1862, a mathematician named Charles Lutwidge Dodgson took the three daughters of Henry Liddell, dean of Christ Church, on a now-famous boat trip from Folly Bridge to the village of Godstow, passing along Port Meadow. At one point, requested by the second daughter, Alice, Dodgson improvised and told a fantasy story “with nonsense in it,” the strange adventures of a curious little girl named Alice. This story was published three years later under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, titled Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and became one of the most beloved classics in the world.

Related Tags

Horses Cows Livestock Agriculture Archaeology History Literature Children's Literature

Know Before You Go

When visiting, be aware of horses and cattle and keep your dogs under control. Please do not approach or harass the animals. Be careful about your footing, especially in winter, when the meadow sometimes becomes flooded.

Community Contributors

Added By

Fred Cherrygarden

Edited By

Kerry Wolfe, LeviEthan107

  • Kerry Wolfe
  • LeviEthan107

Published

January 17, 2020

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Sources
  • https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20003/parks_and_open_spaces/823/port_meadow
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/15/travel/alice-in-wonderland-oxford-lewis-carroll.html
  • https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2014/jun/11/port-medow-in-pictures
Port Meadow
Oxford, England
United Kingdom
51.771746, -1.285086

Nearby Places

The Perch Inn

Binsey, England

miles away

Saint Margaret's Well

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miles away

Godstow Abbey Ruins

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oxford

Oxford

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Places 46
Stories 8

Nearby Places

The Perch Inn

Binsey, England

miles away

Saint Margaret's Well

Oxford, England

miles away

Godstow Abbey Ruins

Oxfordshire, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Oxford

Oxford

England

Places 46
Stories 8

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