Grand Tour

   (History of each of
   the hundred houses
   of Holywell Street)

Holywell Bowling Green

Holywell Cemetery

Holywell Church 

Holywell Cock Pit

Holywell Cottage

Holywell Gallows

Holywell Manor

Holywell Mill

Holywell School

The Holy Well

Window tax

Listed buildings

House numbering

1830 directory

1839–1847 directories

1667 poll tax

Pubs

Timeline

9 Holywell Street dates from the end of the eighteenth or beginning of the nineteenth century and is owned by Merton College.

It is a Grade II Listed Building(1335832), with the following descrption:

No 9 SP 5106 NE 6/217 12.1.54. II GV 2. H
ouse. RCHM 2l3. A C18-19 three-storeyed stuccoed timber-framed front on a stone base with cellars and probably a remodelling of an earlier build. There is a moulded eaves cornice, small parapet, and brick stacks. There are sash windows, those in the first floor being of three lights in a moulded wood frame with four pilasters and a moulded architrave. The second floor has double sash windows in moulded frames with glazing bars. The modern doorway has a bracket hood coupled with that of No 8 on the East.

The Kensell family of bootmakers occupied this house, possibly from when it was newly built, as when Stephen Kensell senior died at the age of 87 on 25 June 1832 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported that he had been an inhabitant of Holywell for nearly 62 years.

On 14 July 1832 his sons, Stephen Kensell junior and James Kensell, announced that they would carry on their father's business together. Neither of the brothers married, and they were still working together here at the ages of 77 and 68 at the time of the 1851 census, with Stephen described as the employer of three men. Both Kensell brothers died the following year: Stephen in April and James in October 1852. The executors of the late James Kensell advertised an auction of all his property in Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 30 October 1852. This included:

A convenient DWELLING HOUSE, known as No. 9 Holywell-street, Oxford, for many years occupied by the deceased proprietor, and which, with a moderate outlay, might be made a very comfortable Private Residence for a family of respectability; it contains three sitting rooms, three large bed rooms, and servant’s room, with cellar, kitchen, and other domestic offices; a pump and well of excellent water, a large garden at the back, and other advantages. — This Property is held by lease under Merton College, Oxford, for a term of 40 years, from 5th April, 1850, subject to money and corn rents, amounting to about 12s. per annum, and a Land Tax of 18s. per annum. — Immediate possession may be had.

A quarter of a century later, this house came up for auction again, and was advertised thus on 5 January 1878:

Lot 1 —- All that very desirable LEASEHOLD RESIDENCE, being No. 9 Holywell-street, containing entrance passage, two sitting rooms, kitchen, and scullery on the ground floor; two sitting rooms and four bed rooms on the upper stories; a cellar in the basement; and a large garden in the rear, the whole being in the occupation of Mrs. Hinton.
This lot is Leasehold under Merton College for 40 years, from the 5th of April, 1850, and is subject to an annual quit rent of 1s. 8d. and two pecks of barley malt.