Dead Man's Walk (or Deadman's Walk
) is a footpath running east–west in central
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the Un ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
, situated immediately to the south of
Merton College
Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, ...
and just outside the old
city wall
A defensive wall is a fortification usually used to protect a city, town or other settlement from potential aggressors. The walls can range from simple palisades or earthworks to extensive military fortifications with towers, bastions and gates ...
, with
Corpus Christi College at the western end.
To the north,
Grove Walk connects with
Merton Street
Merton Street is a historic and picturesque cobbled street in central Oxford, England. through a gateway. Immediately to the south is
Merton Field with
Merton Walk connecting to the wide tree-lined
Broad Walk, which runs parallel with Dead Man's Walk. Beyond that is
Christ Church Meadow.
History
The walkway itself appears to be the route of medieval
Jew
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""T ...
ish funeral processions.
A procession would begin at the synagogue (near to where
Tom Tower now stands) and proceed towards the Jewish burial ground (now the site of the
University of Oxford Botanic Garden).
Historical markers
Near to the eastern end of the walkway is a plaque marking the first
hot air balloon
A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carrie ...
ascent in Britain, made by
James Sadler (1753–1828). He ascended from Merton Field on 4 October 1784, landing nearby in
Woodeaton
Woodeaton or Wood Eaton is a village and civil parish about northeast of Oxford, England. It also has a special needs school called Woodeaton Manor School.
Archaeology
There was a Romano-Celtic temple north of where the parish church now stand ...
.
There is a stone slab in the University of Oxford Botanical Garden with a history of the origin of the footpath.
Stone slab in University of Oxford Botanical Garden
', The slab was laid into the ground in July 2012.
It reads:
Beneath this garden lies a medieval cemetery.
Around 1190 the Jews of Oxford purchased a water meadow outside the city walls to establish a burial ground. In 1231 that land, now occupied by Magdalen College, was appropriated by the Hospital of St John, and a small section of wasteland, where this memorial lies, was given to the Jews for a new cemetery.
An ancient footpath linked this cemetery with the medieval Jewish quarter along Great Jewry Street, now St Aldates. For over 800 years this path has been called 'Deadman's Walk,' a name that bears silent witness to a community that contributed to the growth of this City and early University throughout the 12th and 13th centuries.
In 1290 all the Jews were expelled from England by King Edward I. They were not permitted to return for over 350 years.
May their memory be blessed
יהא זכרונם לברכה
Local legend
The walkway is the site of what has been described as one of the most well-known Civil War hauntings.
The ghost of
Francis Windebank, a Colonel executed by firing squad in 1645 against the length of town wall that borders Merton College, has been reportedly sighted here. The ghost is allegedly only seen from the knees up, due to the raising of the ground level.
It has been suggested that reports of a haunting are to be expected here given the evocative name.
However, it has been a long time since any new reported sightings have been made.
References
Christ Church Meadow, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Footpaths in Oxford
Reportedly haunted locations in South East England
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