No. 11: Middleton Hall/St John’s House
No. 11 St Giles’ Street (formerly Middleton Hall) is between the President’s Drive to the south and Lamb & Flag Passage to the north. It was probably built in1663, and was heavily restored soon after it became a private hall in 1898. It is a Grade II listed building (List Entry No. 1047133), and lies in St Giles' parish.
At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford, Middleton Hall was occupied by the Revd Mr Cox, and its frontage was given as 22 yards and 10 inches.
The Revd Henry Hubert Cornish lived here in 1841, but only three servants were at home on census night. Cornish was home here at the time of the 1851 census with his wife Mary and their five children, plus a cook, nurse, and under-nurse. He was the chaplain of Corpus Christi College (and was to become Principal of New Inn Hall in 1866).Gardner’s Directory of 1852 states:
Middleton Hall, now the residence of the Rev. Mr. Cornish, bears the date 1663 in the spandrils of an elliptical arch on the staircase. The original fabric anciently belonged to the nunnery of Godstow.
In 1857 the Revd Bartholomew Price, Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy, married Amy Eliza Cole and they moved into the house. Their seven children were born here at 11 St Giles' Street between 1858 and 1870, and all were baptised at St Giles' Church. At the time of the 1861 census Professor & Mrs Price were away and their two eldest children, Amy (2) and William (1) were being looked after by the servants (a butler, housemaid, cook, and nurse). In 1871 his wife Amy was at home with six of their children and seven servants. Price enlarged this house in 1875: Jackson’s Oxford Journal in October that year reported that a dining room, drawing room, and offices had been added that year. The Prices were at home in 1881 with three of their younger children: Alice (17), Rose (15), and Elinor (12), plus a footman, cook, housemaid, and lady’s maid. At the time of the 1891 census only the servants were in the house. The family moved out in 1892 when the Revd Price was elected Master of Pembroke College, and he let the building out to Timothy Edward Cobb from 1893 to 1896.
From Clarke's Hall to Pope's Hall to Campion Hall (1898–1936)
In 1898 Father Richard Clarke moved the private hall for Jesuit undergraduates known as Clarke's Hall (which he had opened at 40 St Giles' Street in 1896) to this building. In 1898 two Jesuit students were matriculated from here, and in 1899 four. Father Clarke died when on retreat in York on 10 September 1900.
At the time of the 1901 census John O'Fallon Pope (50), the Roman Catholic priest who was Master of Clarke's Hall, lived here with his young servant.
In 1903 it was renamed Pope's Hall with Father John O'Fallon Pope the new Master. In 1902 he also purchased 14 & 15 St Giles' Street, and in 1903 13 St Giles' Street. The 1911 census shows Pope (60) living in seven rooms here with his butler and page (with the other 18 rooms occupied by his hall).
In 1919 Pope's Hall became a permanent private hall and was renamed Campion Hall after St Edmund Campion. The 1921 census shows the Revd Father John Henry Keane (44), the Master of Campion Hall, living here with a lecturer and two students.
Campion Hall remained here until June 1936 when it moved to Brewer Street.
Since 1936 No. 11 St Giles' Street has been part of St John's College
Occupants of 11 St Giles’ Street listed in censuses and directories |
|
1839 |
Percival Walsh & Sons |
1841–1846 |
T. E. Washbourne |
1851/1852 |
Revd Henry H. Cornish |
1858–1891 |
Revd Bartholomew Price,
F.R.S. |
1893–1896 |
Timothy Edward Cobb, J.P. |
1898–1936 |
Clarke’s Hall Campion Hall |
| 1936–today |
St John’s House |