Oxford History: The High

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Although it faces Rose Lane and overlooks the Botanic Garden, Magdalen Gate House (today numbered 61) is deemed to be in the High Street. Its attractive Georgian façade faces east, giving visitors approaching Oxford the benefit of its front view: the side facing the High is much less attractive, especially as the windows have been blocked off. It was built in 1802 but only became known as Magdalen Gate House after it was purchased by Magdalen College in 1859.

It is a Grade II* listed building (List Entry No. 1047287), and its walls and gate piers are Grade II listed (1369363). It was in St Peter-in-the East parish until that parish was united with St Cross parish in 1957.

From the 1830s to 1898, Magdalen Gate House was divided into two and the sections were numbered 60 and 61 High Street. (When it became one house again in 1898, the number 60 was reassigned to the last building on the north-east side of the High.)

Until the late eighteenth century three houses or shops stood on this site, and the 1772 Survey of Oxford showed that they were then occupied by Mr Watson, Mr Lewis, and Mrs Hoddington. The current house was built in 1802 for Thomas Roberson (who was to be Oxford’s Town Clerk from 1825 to 1839). He went bankrupt, however, in 1812, and as a result the property was sold to the Revd John Cooke, who was President of Corpus Christi College until his death in 1823.

On 1 January 1816 Cooke gave the property to Dr George Williams, the son of his sister Anne and Fellow of Corpus Christi College, who was Sherardian Professor of Botany from 1796 to 1834. The Revd W. Tuckwell, recalling the 1820s in his Reminiscences of Oxford, wrote, “… the nondescript residence built by Daubeny had not then risen, and the Professor, Dr Williams, lived in the large house facing Rose Lane.”

Dr Williams, who died unmarried on 17 January 1834, bequeathed this house to the Loring family, who appear to have divided it into two sections (originally numbered 60 and 61) and let it out.

At the time of the 1841 census one part was occupied by the physician Charles Daubeny and his four servants, who, although he was Professor of Chemistry at Oxford from 1822 to 1855 and also Sherardian Professor of Botany from 1834 to 1867, he described himself simply as a physician. The other part of the house was occupied by Mary Williams (sister of the previous owner Dr George Williams) and her three servants.

By 1850 the main part of the house was occupied by the Revd Vaughan Thomas, the Vicar of Yarnton, whose first wife Charlotte Williams (who had died at Holywell Lodge at the age of 67 on 31 July 1843) was another sister of the previous owner, Dr George Williams. On 8 February 1851 it was reported in Jackson's Oxford Journal that the Revd Thomas reported to the Oxford Sanatory [sic] Enquiry that “the kitchen and passages of his house, No. 60 High-street, were occasionally flooded when a heavy fall of rain took place, which the grating opposite Magdalen College was incapable of carrying off”. The 1851 census shows the main part of the house (then numbered 60) occupied by the Revd Vaughan Thomas (74), and his second wife Catherine, plus their butler, cook, housemaid, and footman. The other part of the house (then numbered 61) was occupied by the widow Elizabeth Penson (68), who was described as a house proprietor.

Vaughan Thomas died at Magdalen Gate House at the age of 83 on 26 October 1858 and was buried on 2 November in the same grave in St Peter-in-the-East churchyard as his first wife Charlotte. He had no children. In 1859, pursuant to a Decree of the High Court of Chancery made in a cause of Loring v. Thomas and approved by the Vice-Chancellor, the Judge appointed Messrs. T. Mallam to sell the house by auction, and the following advertisement appeared in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 23 July 1859:

The FREEHOLD DWELLING HOUSE lately occupied by the Rev. Vaughan Thomas, deceased, well situate opposite to Magdalen College, and overlooking the Botanical Gardens, which, together with the Meadows and Walks beyond, form a lively and picturesque scene from the principal rooms, viz., the drawing room, dining room, and study. There are also three best bed chambers, each with dressing rooms attached, and six other chambers and attics; in the basement are the servants' offices, including kitchen, pantry, larder, butler's and housekeeper's rooms, wine and beer cellars, brew-house, &c., &c., the whole enclosed within a conveniently-sized walled garden.
   The out-goings are a Land Tax of £5 14s. 6d., and 3s. 8d. paid annually to the City of Oxford.

On 30 November 1859 Magdalen College duly bought this house from Lady Loring and the Revd H. N. Loring, and gave it the name of Magdalen Gate House. It continued to let it out to private individuals.

At the time of the 1861, 1871, and 1881 censuses, the main part of the house (then numbered 60) was occupied by the physician Richard Giles and his niece, plus their servants. In 1861 Elizabeth Penson continued to live in the smaller part of the house (then numbered 61) with her daughter Elizabeth and their servant. In 1871 only a servant, the widowed charwoman Sarah Hills, was listed here. On 2 July 1874 in Paddington Richard Giles married the widow Agnes Campbell, and the 1881 census shows the physician Richard Giles (65) was back here with his wife Agnes and his niece, plus their two servants, but he moved to Torquay soon afterwards and died there on 8 August 1882.

In 1881 once again Elizabeth Penson (now 64) was living in the other part of the house with her cook and housemaid.

The 1891 census shows only two housemaids were at home in the main part of the house (which was now occupied by Edward Chapman), while Miss Penson was still in the smaller part of the house in 1891. She died there at the age of 75 near the beginning of 1892, and Edward Chapman left Oxford in 1894, with Jackson's Oxford Journal on 9 June 1894 advertising the forthcoming auction of his furniture, china, books, pictures and ornaments upon the premises.

In 1898 Magdalen Gate House appears to have been turned back into one house, numbered 61.

At the time of the 1901 census Charles Cannan (42), Secretary to the Delegates of the Oxford University Press and a Tutor at Trinity College, lived here with his wife Mary, their three daughters, and six servants. He was still here in 1911 with his wife and their daughters Margaret (18), May (17), and Joanna (14), and once again six servants. The house was described as having twenty rooms not including bathroom(s). They remained here until 1920.

From 1921 to 1947 Magdalen Gate House was occupied by Stephen Grosvenor Lee, Fellow of Magdalen College. The 1921 census shows Lee (32) living here with his wife Eleanor and their three children, plus three servants.

In 1950 Magdalen Gate House became an annexe of Magdalen College.

The Oxford University Radio Society met in the Magdalen Gate House in the 1960s.

In 1991 Magdalen College was granted permission relating jointly to 61 High Street and 1 Rose Lane for “conversion and refurbishment, including demolition and rebuilding of rear extension at 1 Rose Lane to provide 18 student study bedrooms with associated kitchen and sanitary facilities and two teaching rooms” (91/00152/L).