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Covered Market (Oxford)

Description: The Covered Market was started in response to a general wish to clear untidy, mess and unsavoury stalls from the main ... more

Covered Market (Oxford) ... streets. John Gwynn architect of Magdalen Bridge, drew up the plans and designed the High Street front with its four entrances. In 1772 the newly-formed Market committee (half of whose members came from the town and half from the university) accepted an estimate of nine hundred and sixteen pounds ten shillings, for building twenty butchers shops. Twenty more soon followed and after 1773 meat was only allowed to be sold inside the market. From this nucleus the market grew, with stalls for garden produce, pig meat, dairy products and fish. The earliest stalls were in colonnaded blocks: the high-raftered roofs of today are the outcome of nineteenth century rebuilding. Some stalls are used as single units but many traders have expanded their businesses and taken over several tenancies. Today you can still buy a great selection of meat and fish here, and numerous cheeses, but the scope of trading has enlarged since the early days. Fruit and vegetable stalls still make colourful displays but much of the produce is now imported from all over the world. You will find all sorts of goods, clothes, records, pine furniture and much, much, more. As with many a market, its smells are part of the atmosphere. It may be the smell of fresh ground coffee that draws you in for refreshment, but it could be the attractive displays of the tenants, flowers, fruit, and so on that prompts you to look for the unexpected or special gift. If the spice of life is variety, then it will be seen here.

Newest Review: ... sheep. They are also renowned sausage-makers and still follow the shops original recipes, including the famed Oxford Sausage, which they claim to have invented. Then there is M. Feller, Son and Daughter, that's a bit different isn?t it? Feller's have been very successful since they started in the market in 1979 they have adapted to public demand and have established themselves as a ... more

... specialist organic butcher and have won the Organic Retailer of the Year award for meat. They also offer free delivery on orders over £15 which overcomes the problem of carrying meat around town. Feller's have a web site with information on their ...more

Read Reviews for Covered Market (Oxford)

Covered Market (Oxford): Shopping - The Old Fashioned Way (1966 words)
by zebra - written on 05/09/02 (Very useful, 4562 readings)
Rating:

The covered Market is a Victorian shopping area in the centre of Oxford. It can be accessed from the High St., Market St., or through the Golden Cross Arcade in Cornmarket St. It was originally established in the 16th century in order to remove the 'untidy mess and unsavoury stalls' from the Oxford streets. Originally it housed only butcher's shops but eventually had a variety of food stalls. The market has changed quite dramatically in recent years. It used to house almost only food shops, the majority supplying the kitchens of the University colleges but in more recent years many of the traditional shops have given way to a variety of ...

One of the joys of life in Oxford (302 words)
by Alan Rice - written on 01/06/01 (Very useful, 97 readings)
Rating:

It is a sad consequence of the advance of large supermarkets that local markets have almost disappeared from life in England. True, there are some left, but they are rare. What a delight that one of these exceptions is in the centre of Oxford, a city whose centre is otherwise suprisingly poorly served by food shops- a very small and unattractive Sainsbury's and an even worse Asda that is more akin to Russian supermarket than anythig one might hope to find in 21st century Britain. The covered market is home to about two dozen shops, the vast majority of which sell food. There is also a cobbler, a rather meagerly stocked second-hand bookshop and some ...

Covered Market (Oxford): Oxford Covered Market (105 words)
by S - written on 18/07/00 (Useful, 82 readings)
Rating:

One of Oxford’s historic shopping areas located off the main street. A strange collection of little shops selling things such as clothes, shoes, jewellery, flowers, arts and craft goods etc. As well as sandwich shops, bakeries and unfortunately butchers. You cannot escape the nauseating smell of the meat that is hanging out side of the shops. It really ruins what could be quite a nice area to shop and puts people off of exploring the market. However, if you can mange to stomach the smell it is worth wandering around, you will be quite surprised by what you might find. ...

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