St Giles', Oxford facts for kids

St Giles' is a wide and important street in the city of Oxford, England. It stretches north from the city center. At its northern end, the road splits into two main roads: Woodstock Road on the left and Banbury Road on the right. Both of these roads lead through the area called North Oxford.

At the southern end, St Giles' connects to Magdalen Street. You'll also find Beaumont Street joining from the west. Halfway along St Giles', Pusey Street also joins from the west. A big part of St Giles' is owned by St John's College, just like much of North Oxford.

St Giles' Church

At the very top, or northern end, of St Giles' street, you'll find St Giles' Church. This church is very old, dating back to the 12th century. Its churchyard is also home to Oxford's main War Memorial, a place to remember those who served.

Famous Buildings and Places

The Remembrance Sunday parade in 2011, a special event held on St Giles'.

St Giles' is lined with many interesting and historic buildings. If you walk from north to south, here are some you'll see:

• On the east side:
  • The Lamb & Flag pub, which used to be a place where horse-drawn coaches would stop.
  • St John's College, one of Oxford's famous colleges.
  • The Oxford Internet Institute, a research center about the internet.
  • Balliol College and Trinity College, two more well-known Oxford colleges.

• On the west side:
  • The International Study Centre of d'Overbroeck's College.
  • St Benet's Hall.
  • The Theology Faculty, where people study religion.
  • The Oxford Quaker Meeting House.
  • The Eagle and Child pub. This pub is famous because writers like J. R. R. Tolkien (who wrote The Lord of the Rings) and C. S. Lewis (who wrote The Chronicles of Narnia) used to meet there with their friends, a group called the Inklings.
  • Regent's Park College.
  • Pusey House and St Cross College.
  • Blackfriars.
  • The Taylor Institution, which is a library, and behind it is the Ashmolean Museum, a very important museum.

At the very southern end of St Giles', you'll see the Martyrs' Memorial. This monument was built in 1843 to remember the Oxford Martyrs, who were important figures in history from 1555–56.

The Dragon School's Beginnings

Long ago, a school that would become known as the Dragon School started its lessons in rooms on the east side of St Giles'. This was in September 1877. The school grew quickly and moved to new locations before settling in its current home in Bardwell Road in North Oxford in 1895.

St Giles' Fair

Every September, for two days, St Giles' street is closed to cars for a special event called the St Giles' Fair. This is a very old and traditional fair, full of rides, games, and food stalls, bringing lots of fun to the city!

Images for kids

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  The Martyrs' Memorial at the southern end of St Giles'.

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  St Giles' Church, looking north from the churchyard.

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  Pusey House on the west side of St Giles'.

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  The Eagle and Child public house, also on the west side of St Giles'.