Summertown, Oxford

:otherplaces3|Summertown

Summertown in North Oxford is a suburb of Oxford, England.

The focal part of Summertown is a busy area of shops on both sides of Banbury Road. There is also a smaller street of shops and resturants, South Parade, that links Banbury Road and Woodstock Road.

Summertown is home to much of Oxford's broadcast media. BBC Radio Oxford and the BBC Television's Oxford studios are on Banbury Road. The studios for JACK FM (FM107.9) and Six TV Oxford are on Woodstock Road.

Oxfam has its headquarters in Banbury Road. Norwich Union has an office block on Banbury Road.

Educational facilities

The county secondary school for the area is Cherwell School on Marston Ferry Road to the east of Banbury Road. There is also an independent boarding school, St Edward's School on Woodstock Road. Ewert House Hall in Ewert Place is part of the University of Oxford. It houses lecture and seminar rooms of the Continuing Education Department and a large examination hall.

Places of worship

Summertown's Church of England parish church is St Michael & All Angels in Lonsdale Road. [http://www.stmichaels-summertown.org.uk/links.htm St Michaels Church, Summertown, Oxford ] ] Summertown United Reformed Church is the former Congregational Church on Banbury Road. Both St. Michael's and the URC church belong to the Summertown-Wolvercote Church Partnership which is a local ecumenical partnership.

Summertown's Roman Catholic parish church is SS Gregory and Augustine on Woodstock Road. [ [http://gregoryandaugustine.blogspot.com/ SS Gregory & Augustine ] ] Also on Woodstock Road is Woodstock Road Baptist Church, [ [http://www.wrbc.org.uk/ Woodstock Road Baptist Church (WRBC) Oxford UK Evangelical Christian church believing that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and our personal saviour ] ] a member of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches.

History

Summertown was built in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century as suburban Oxford expanded northwards, with large houses being built on farmland either side of Banbury Road and Woodstock Road. Much of the land belonged to St John's College, Oxford and the houses were originally sold leasehold. St John's has since sold the freehold on most of these properties.

In 1898 the City of Oxford Tramways Company extended its Banbury Road horse tram route to a new terminus at Summertown. In 1913 the company replaced its horse trams with motor 'buses. [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22819 Public Services | British History Online ] ] Today Banbury Road is one of Oxford's busiest 'bus routes.

Public transport

Buses between central Oxford and Summertown "via" Banbury Road include the Oxford Bus Company 2, 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D, RH Transport Services 25 and 25A and Stagecoach 7, 7A, 7B, 17, 27A, 27B and 27C. Banbury Road also has limited-stop Park and Ride 'bus services linking Water Eaton with central Oxford (route 500 run by the Oxford Bus Company) and with the John Radcliffe Hospital (route 700 run by RH Transport Services).

Notable residents

*Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse novels lives in Summertown [ [http://property.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14049-2553873,00.html Times report] ]
*Lord Berkeley, chairman of the Rail Freight Group [ [http://www.rfg.org.uk/about/directors/ Rail Freight Group - Directors ] ] lives in Summertown
*Yannis Philippakis of Foals has his family home in Summertown
*Thom Yorke of Radiohead owns a property in Summertown
*Professor Leszek Kolakowski, philosopher and publicist lives in Summertown

References

External links

* [http://www.summertown.info/ Summertown Info: Community website for Summertown]
* [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=oxford&om=1&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=51.777665,-1.265273&spn=0.011683,0.042572&iwloc=A Map of Summertown at Google Maps]
* [http://www.headington.org.uk/oxon/old_oxford/banbury_road/summertown.htm Historic photographs of Summertown]
* [http://www.summertownhc.co.uk/ Summertown Health Centre (NHS)]