Brief History
| c.1130 | St Giles’ Church was founded in the fields to the north of the town of Oxford |
| 1100s | Settlement in part of St Giles’ Street |
| 1294 | Cows purchased outside the North Gate suggest
that there may have been a cattle market in St Giles’ Street in the thirteenth century |
| 1325 | First record of the name St Giles’ Street |
| 1437 | St Bernard’s College founded on the site of St John’s College |
| 1555 | St Bernard’s College (now only an
academic hall) bought by Sir Thomas White and refounded as St John’s College |
| c.1600 | Black Hall (now 21 St Giles’ Street) built |
| 1624 | First record of St Giles’ Parish Wake, the forerunner of the Fair |
| 1650 | First mention of the Eagle & Child |
| 1669 | A fire to the north of Black Hall (No. 21) burnt out 6–8 families |
| 1672 | St Giles’ was paved from St Mary Magdalen Church
to St John’s College; continued towards St Giles’ Church in 1675 |
| c.1695 | Lamb & Flag alehouse opened |
| c.1700 | 41 St Giles’ Street built |
| 1702 | St Giles’ House (No. 16) was built for Thomas Rowney, MP for Oxford |
| 1786 | Drains or sewers were installed in St Giles’ |
| 1823 | Beaumont Street was cut through land belonging
to St John’s College, providing access to Worcester College from the south end of St Giles’ Street |
| 1841–3 | Martyrs’ Memorial built |
| 1844 | Completion of Taylor Institution |
| 1875 | Oxford High School for Girls first opened at 16 St Giles’ Street (moving to 38 St Giles’ for two years in 1879, and then on to 21 Banbury Road) |
| 1881 | Development of North Quad of St John’s College (completed in 1900) |
| 1895 | Oxford’s first public conveniences opened in St Giles’ Street |
| 1912–14 | Pusey House and Chapel replaced five old houses at 57–61 St Giles’ Street |
| 1921–9 | Blackfriars replaced three old houses at 62–64 St Giles’ Street |
| 1932 | Northern extension of Taylorian replaced seven old houses at 68–74 St Giles’ Street |
| 1968 | Mathematical Institute replaced six old houses at 24–29 St Giles’ Street |