Oxford Milestones: Oxford–Witney turnpike road
WITNEY
9
OXFORD
2
Eynsham Road, Botley:
(near Grange Court)
Early nineteenth century.
Made of limestone
Grade II listed
List Entry No 1048339
(Historic England wrongly give
distance to Oxford as 8)
This is the second milestone on the turnpike road from Oxford to Witney.
See this milestone,
marked “M.P.” for Mile Post,
on the 1900 map of Oxford
The Botley Road causeway was turnpiked in 1767 when the Swinford Bridge was built across the River Thames, providing a new and better route from Oxford to Eynsham. A turnpike gate was set up near Osney Bridge around this time.
Measurement appears to have started at the west end of Park End Street, but the first milestone, which would have stood roughly where the Botley Road meets West Way, near Wickes (marked here on the 1900 map as M.P.) is missing.
The next milestone (Witney 8) also appears to be missing.
The one after that (right), reading WITNEY 7, OXFORD 4, is further along the B4044 outside 4 Oxford Road. It is also Grade II listed (list entry 1181978):
There is a toll house attached to Swinford Bridge that was built in 1767 at the same time as the bridge and is still in use:
The bridge is Grade II* listed (list entry 1284764) and the toll house is Grade II listed (list entry 1048311).
The toll house near the start of this route
For more information about the toll house (the building on the left above), see under the Oxford–Faringdon turnpike road.