The Church of St. Peter in the Eaft, ftanding near the High-Street, was partly built by St. Grymbald, 800 years ago; and is reported to be the firft Church of Stone that appeared in this part of England. It was formerly the University Church; and even at prefent, with a view of afcertaining their original claim,, the Univerfity attend their fermons in it every Sunday in the afternoon during Lent. The tower and eaft end are curious pieces of antiquity. In the year 1760 this Church was beautified and new pewed at the Expence of the Parish; and in 1768 by a liberal Subscription from the Inhabitants and fuch Heads of Houses as live in the Parish, the Organ was rebuilt by Meffrs. Green and Byfield of London.

We must not here omit the many elegant and useful improvements that have taken place, in purfuance of an Act of Parliament obtained in the 11th year of his prefent Majefty. The narrow and incommodious paffage at Eaft Gate has been opened, which renders this part equal to the magnificence of the High-Street; and in the year 1779 a new Stone Bridge, at this entrance of the Town, was erected at the expence of upwards of Eight Thoufand Pounds.

At Carfax, in the very centre of the city, many buildings have been removed, in order to continue the principal ftreet, which opens a fine avenue to the new Botley Road, now completely finished, on a fuperb plan; as it contains no less than seven bridges, built with hewn ftone, in the compass of one mile.North Gate, ufually called Bocardo, the only City Gate lately remaining, has alfo been demolished; and the removal of this nuifance perhaps produces the most striking effect of any of these modern improvements; the Corn-Market and St. Giles's being now connected, and thrown into one long and noble ftreet. The old Shambles, in the Butcher-Row, are likewife taken away, and a new General Market, upon an extenfive

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tenfive Scale, is erected between the High-Street and Jefus College Lane: Which Market is univerfally allowed to exceed every thing of the kind in this Kingdom. At the South Entrance, from the High Street, it contains forty commodious Shops for Butchers;-North of these are eight others, equally commodious, occupied by Gardeners, &c. between which are two fpacious Coltonades, for Poultry, Eggs, Bacon, Cheefe, &c. &c. divided into forty Stalls; and beyond thefe, extending quite to Jefus College Lane, is a large Area for Country Gardeners, Fruit, and divers other Commodities. There are likewife three Avenues running through in direct Lines, interfected by another in the Middle, affording a free Currency of Air; and in the Front four elegant and commodious Houses have been erected, which give an additional Ornament to one of the finest Streets in Europe :-The open Part of this Market, fronting Jefus College, is inclosed by an Iron Pallifade; and the Avenues opening upon the New Parade in the High Street, are fecured by Iron Gates. The whole extent of the Ground appropriated to the purpofe of erecting this Market, is from North to South 347 Feet, and from Eaft to Weft 112; of which the annexed Plate exhibits an accurate Plan and Elevation.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

BELONGING TO THE UNIVERSITY.

THE

ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

HE Church of St. Mary, in which the public Sermons of the University are preached on Sundays and Holidays, is fituate about the middle of the north fide of the High-Street. It was rebuilt in the Reign of Henry VII. as it appears at prefent. It confifts of three ailes, with

a fpacious

a fpacious choir or chancel, which is separated from the nave by an organ, with its gallery, originally made by Father Smith, and fince improved by Mr. John Byfield. The pulpit is placed in the centre of the middle aile. At the weft end of the fame aile is fituated the Vice Chancellor's Throne, at the foot of which are feated the two Proctors. The feats which defcend on either fide, are appointed for the Doctors and Heads of Houfes, and those. beneath for the young Noblemen. The area consists of benches for the Mafters of Arts. On the weft end, with a return to the north and fouth, are galleries for the UnderGraduates and Bachelors of Arts. The Tower, with its Spire, is a noble and beautiful fabric, 180 feet in height, and richly ornamented with Pinnacles, Niches, and Statues, which, as Plott informs us, were added by King, the first Bishop of Oxford, in the reign of Henry VIII. It contains fix remarkably large Bells, by which the proper notice is given for Scholaftic Exercifes, Convocations, and Congregations. On the fouth fide is a portal, of more modern ftructure, erected by Dr. Morgan Owen, Chaplain to Archbishop Laud, A. D. 1637. Over it is a statue of the Virgin, with an Infant Chrift holding a small Crucifix; which laft circumstance was formed into an article of impeachment againft the Archbishop by the Presbyterians, and urged as a corroborative proof of his attachment to Popery.. The choir, above-mentioned, was built by Walter Hart, Bishop of Norwich, about A. D. 1462. The room on the north fide of this choir, formerly a Library, has lately been converted into a Law-School, for the Lectures of the Vinerian Profeffor; and being refitted in the ftyle of the reft, is no small ornament to this part: of the church..

RADCLIFFE LIBRARY.

HE new, or Radclivian Library, is fituated in the

THE

midst of an ample and fuperb fquare, formed by St. Mary's Church, the Schools, Brazen Nose, and All Souls Colleges. Without perplexing the mind of the reader with abftrufe terms of Architecture, or a scientific detail of the conftruction of this fumptuous pile, we think it beft to refer him to the plate annexed, for a general idea of its external form and appearance. The building ftands on arcades, which, circularly difpofed, enclofe a fpacious dome in the centre. From hence we pafs by a well executed flight of fpiral fteps into the Library itfelf: This room, which is a complete pattern of elegance and majesty, rises into a capacious dome, ornamented with fine compartments of ftucco. The pavement is of two colours, and made of a peculiar fpecies of ftone brought from Hartz Foreft in Germany. The room is enclosed by a circular feries of arches, beautified with feftoons, and supported by pilafters of the Ionic order. Behind thefe arches are formed two circular galleries, above and below, where the books are arranged. The compartments of the cieling, in the upper gallery, are finely ftuccoed. Over the door, at our entrance, is a ftatue of the Founder, Dr. Radcliffe, by Ryfbrac, which is moft advantageously viewed from the point oppofite to it, in the laft-mentioned gallery. Over the entrance of one of the galleries is a good buft of Gibbes the Architect. The dome is 80 feet high from the pediment.

The firft ftone was laid May 17, A. D. 1737, and the library opened April 13th, 1749, with great folemnity, The Librarian, according to the founder's appointment, is nominated by the great officers of ftate. His falary is fixed at 150l. per annum, 100l. per annum is appropriated to purchase books, with the fame annual fum to keep the Library in repair.

THE