Turl Street

Turl Street is a street in Oxford, England. It is located in the city centre, linking Broad Street at the north and High Street at the south. It is colloquially known as The Turl and runs past three of Oxford's colleges: Exeter, Jesus and Lincoln. It meets the High Street by the early 18th century All Saints church, now the library of Lincoln College. To the west are Ship Street and Market Street, north and south of Jesus College respectively, both leading to the busy Cornmarket, a pedestrianised shopping street. To the east is Brasenose Lane, between Exeter College and Lincoln College, leading to the historic Radcliffe Square.

History

The Turl has been closed to traffic (except for access) since 1985. A rising bollard, installed by the city council, cuts it off in the middle.

Turl Street was called St Mildred's Street in 1363, but was known as Turl Gate Street by the mid-seventeenth century. It acquired this name from a twirling gate (demolished in 1722) which was in a postern in the city wall. The part to the south of Ship Street was known as Lincoln College Lane in 1751.

Originally the Turl came to an abrupt halt at its junction with Ship Street, where it hit the city wall and the twirling gate. By 1551, it was extended by a path (known as "The path leading from the Hole in the Wall") to reach what is now Broad Street, and in 1722 the gate was removed altogether.

Commerce

The street houses several shops, including Walters of Oxford. In addition, the QI building ("QI Oxford"), including a private club, bookshop and café/bar (associated with the Quite Interesting television show) was based here from 2004 to 2007. [ [http://www.qi.com/about/building.php The QI Building] .]

Miscellaneous

Turl Street is the subject of an obscure ecclesiastical joke, based on its location. "In what way is the Church of England like the Turl? It runs from the High to the Broad and goes straight past Jesus."

[http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2246505731&ref=ts Turl Street Wanderers FC] is a football club playing in the [http://www.londonfootball.co.uk/MyTeam/LeagueTables/tabid/85/Default.aspx?TabId=85&Current=True&CompetitionSeasonID=76& London Football League Sunday PM Premier Division] . For the first four years of its existence the club played in the West End (London) Amateur Football Association. The club was founded in 2004 by alumni of Lincoln College and Jesus College.

Turn of the century male Oxford University poets would tease early female students at girls colleges such as Lady Margaret Hall, with poems such as: 'I thought I saw a 'dinosaur'........... down the Turle;I looked again and saw it was A Lady Margaret girl.'

The Turl Street Arts Festival is organized annually by students from the three colleges in the street, Exeter, Jesus and Lincoln.

References

External links

* [http://www.headington.org.uk/oxon/high/tour/north/turl.htm Turl Street information]