The Ford of Oxford

Extract

It has often been discussed where the ford was which gave its name to Oxford. As far as is known, it is mentioned in two documents only which are of the Middle Ages, and the second of them is so obscure that it would not be intelligible by itself. The first is a charter, which will soon be printed in the Oseney cartulary, dated 27 June 1352, by which Roger Brekebeke grants to John de Sancta Frideswida a messuage in St. Aldate’s, a plot of land in St. Michael’s parish, an acre of meadow and a ham : the two last are described in these words ‘ acra vero prati iacet retro pandoxinam abbathie de Oseney inter pratum domini Ricardi Dammory quod tenet de domino rege ad feodifirmam ex parte australi et pratum quod quondam fuit Ricardi le Spicer ex parte boriali ; dicta vero hamma iacet in eodem suburbio inter pratum priorisse et conventus de Stodleghe ex parte boriali et vadum vocatum Oxenforde iuxta pontem ducentem versus Northhengseye ex parte australi ’.