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Soil is dry, being on a fine Gravel, which renders it not lefs healthful than pleasant.

The Town, including the Suburbs, is a Mile in Length from Eaft to Weft, and almost as much in Breadth from North to South, being three Miles in Circumference; but it is of an irregular Figure, and several void Spaces are comprehended within thefe Limits, befides the many Courts and Gardens belonging to the respective Colleges.

The City, properly fo called, formerly furrounded by a Wall, with Baftions at about 150 Feet Distance from each other, is of an oblong Form, and about two Miles in Circumference. Magdalen College, with the Eaftern as well as Northern Suburbs, which contain the Parishes of Holy-well, Magdalen, and St. Giles's, with Balliol, Trinity, St. John's and Wadham Colleges, are without the old Walls, of which a confiderable Part remains as a Boundary to New College; begining near Eaft-Gate, and continuing almoft to the Clarendon Printing-houfe, where there was a Portal and a Chapel; fome Remains of which are ftill vifible: Likewise from Eaft-Gate Southwards, almost to Chrift-Church. The Walls make an entire boundary to the East and South Sides of Merton and Corpus Chrifti Colleges. The Fortifications and Outworks, raifed by the Royalists in the Time of the Civil Wars, included all the Suburbs; but they are now almost entirely demolished.

The principal Street of the City runs from Eaft to Weft, almost the Length of the Town, but under different Names; the High-Street, beginning at Magdalen College, includes at leaft two Thirds of that Length; the Remainder is called the Old Butcher-Row, and Caftle-Street. The High-Street is B 2 perhaps

perhaps without a Rival; being of a spacious Width and Length, adorned with the Fronts of three well built Colleges; St. Mary's and All-Saints Churches; terminated at the Eaft End with a View of Magdalen College Tower. Some object to its not being ftrait; but others think that a beauty; for every Turn of it presents a new Object, and a different View; each of which would make an agreeable Picture in Perfpective: Whereas, had it been trait, every Object would have been seen at one and the fame Inftant, but more fore-shortened than at present.

The fecond Street is that which runs from South to North, croffing the Street already defcribed, from whence the Centre has obtained the Name of Quater Vois, or the Four Ways, corruptly called Carfax. Carfax Conduit was erected in the Year 1610. at the Expence of Mr. Otho Nicholson, Mafter of Arts, of Chrift-Church. The Water is convey'd from Hinkley, two Miles from the City. Mr. Nicholson was an eminent Traveller, had attained a great Knowledge of the Oriental Languages, and was Treasurer to King James the First.

The South End of this fecond Street is called Fish-Street, and the other End of it the Corn-Market; from whence we pafs into Magdalen Parish, and St. Giles's, which form a very fpacious Street, and in fome refpects is preferable to either of the former, especially to fuch as love Retirement; it having the Pleasure and Advantage of the Country, tho' connected with the Town. One End of this Street is handfomely terminated by St. Giles's Church, and adorned with the Front of St. John's College.

On the East Side of Fish-Street (commonly call

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ed St. Tole's, by Corruption from St. Aldate's) ftands. Chrift-Church College; the magnificent Front whereof is extended to 382 Feet in length. On the fame fide is the TOWN-HALL where the Town and County Seffions, and the Affizes, are held; which was rebuilt with proper Conveniences for the fe parate Courts, at the Expense of THOMAS RowNEY, Efq; late Reprefentative in Parliament, and High Steward of this City.

The chief Bridges are, firft, the Eaft, called Magdalen Bridge, over the Cherwell; which is 678 Feet in length, and confifts of 20 Stone Arches. It was first built by Robert D'Oilie, who built the Castle as abovementioned; but it has been confiderably widened. This Bridge being much decayed, and the Entrance to the City both at the Eaft and North being found very inconvenient, an Act was obtained, 11 Geo. III. to make a commodious En-trance through St. Clements to Magdalen Bridge, to rebuild the Bridge, to take down the Gates, to pave: and light the Streets, and to remove all Nufances and Annoyances; which, when accomplished, will render this Place as commodious and beautiful a City as any in the Kingdom. This is the Entrance from London. The second, on the South Side of the Town, is over the Thames; where there is a Gate commonly called Friar Bacon's Study. This is the Entrance from Abingdon in Berks, and is it-felf alfo in that County, and confifts of three Stone: Arches. The Third, on the Weft Side, is likewife over a Branch of the Thames, and is called High-Bridge. By two Acts of Parliament of the feventh and eighth of Geo. III. a beautiful new Road has been made at an uncommon Expense from St. Pe- ̈ ters le Baily Church though the Caftle-Yard to Bot-

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ley, which there divides to Fifield on the Left, and Witney on the Right. This fingle Mile, which before was a very inconvenient narrow Causeway, is now completely finished with four New Bridges, and is become as ornamental as it is an useful Key to the Weft and North-Weft Part of the Kingdom.

There are in the City of Oxford, and Liberties, thirteen Parishes, viz. 1. St. Mary's. 2. All-Saints. 3. St. Martin's, or Carfax. 4. St. Aldate's, or St. Tole's. 5. St. Ebb's. 6. St. Peter's le Bayly. 7. St. Michael's. 8. St. Mary Magdalen's. 9. St. Peter in the Eaft. 10. Holywell. 11. St. Giles's. 12. St. Thomas's, and 13. St. John's.

Of the Churches which give Names to the feveral Parishes already enumerated, there are but four which are remarkable, viz. St. Mary's, AllSaints, St. Peter's in the Eaft, and St. John's.

St. Mary's ftands on the North Side of the HighStreet, and is the Church to which the University refort on Sundays and Holidays. It is well-proportioned, and handfomely built, in the Gothic Stile. The Porch indeed is in a more modern Tafte, built at the Expense of Dr. Morgan Owen, Chaplain to Archbishop Laud, An. Dom. 1637. The Church confifts of three Ifles, and a large Chancel, which is paved with black and white Marble. The Vice-Chancellor fits at the Weft End of the middle Ifle, on a kind of Throne elevated fome few Steps; a little below which fit the two Proctors; on either Hand,defcending, the Heads of Houses and Doctors; below thefe, the young Noblemen; and in the Area, on Benches, the Mafters of Arts. At the West End, with a return to the North and South Isles, are Galleries for Bachelors and Under-graduates; and under the Middle one are Seats for the Ladies. Adjoining

Adjoining to the North Ifle is Adam de Brome's Chapel; where the Vice-Chancellor, Heads of Houfes, Proctors and Preacher affemble before Sermon, and from thence go in Proceffion to their refpective Places. The Pulpit ftands in the Center of the middle Ifle. In the Arch between the Church and Chancel, is a good Organ, originally built by Father Smith, and fince improved by Mr. John Byfield. The Tower and Spire, which rifes from the Ground. to the perpendicular Height of 180 Feet, is a very noble and beautiful Structure, and contains a Ring of Six large Bells. The Room on the North-Side of the Chancel, lately repaired in the Style of the reft of the Church, is now the Common Law School, where the Vinerian Profeffor reads his Lec

tures.

On the Left-fide of the Weft Window, next to the High-Street, is a pretty Piece of Sculpture, representing a woman down to the Waift: It is well defigned, and properly executed; though Time or Accident hath fomewhat impaired the Face, which has been beautiful. The Hood is of modern Fafhion. It is remarkable that Foreigners compliment this Curiofity with their Notice, tho' it is little obferved by the Inhabitants.

All-Saints Church ftands in the fame Street, a little to the Weftward of St. Mary's; and is a very beautiful Fabric of white Stone. It is adorned, both within and without, with Pilafters of the Corinthian Order, an Attic Story and Balluftrade elegantly finishing it without, a curious fretwork Cieling, a neat Altar-Piece, and well finished throughout. This Church is 72 Feet long, 42 wide, and 50 high without a Pillar. The Steeple is built after the Manner of fome of the new Churches in

London.

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