Oxford Ghost Signs
The definition of a ghost sign varies: purists would say that it is an obsolete, faded, hand-painted advertising sign on the brickwork of a building that has probably long had another use: What is a Ghost Sign? (PDF) goes into far more detail. The list below is less restrictive and includes engraved stonework, mosaics, and metal commercial signs .
Central Oxford
- 118–119 St Aldate's Street: Mr Therm (Gas Co)
- Cornmarket: Woolworth's and W. H. Smith
- 24 & 26 George Street
- 124 High Street: Acott's Music Warehouse
- 133 High Street: Will R. Rose (photographer)
- 1–3 Broad Street: Boswell & Co.
- 13 Broad Street: Castell & Son
- Gloucester Green: Corn Exchange Hotel
- Queen Street: Frank East
- 14 Turl Street: Hedderly
East Oxford
- 55 Randolph Street: Organ Brothers (builders)
- 92 Cowley Road: Curry's
- 169 Cowley Road: Butler's ironmongery
- Temple Street: J. W. Reeve
- 22 Regent Street: Axtell Monumental Masons
- 2 Stockmore Street: Two chimney sweeps
- 103 & 104 St Mary's Road: Co-op boot repairs
- 27 Iffley Road: Lewis Field, decorator
- 43 Iffley Road: The Cricketers' Arms
South Oxford
West Oxford
- 4–5 Park End Street: Nicholl's Boots
- 11 & 12 Park End Street: Ward's (Furniture & Prams)
- 14 Park End Street: Hartwell's Motors
& King's Motors - 36–39 Park End Street: Archer Cowley
- St Thomas's Street: Gates of Morrell's Brewery
- Flory's Commercial Hotel, 4 Becket Street
North Oxford (including Walton Manor and Summertown)
- 46 Leckford Road: G. H. Dennis, (decorator etc)
- 127 Walton Street: George Lumley (grocer)
- 20 Kingston Road: Blencowe (grocer etc)
- 294 Banbury Road: Twining's grocer's shop
Headington
Cowley
Brewery signs
- Signs of breweries that no longer exist
(or are no longer relevant to the building)
Temporary reappearances
When buildings are being refurbished there an old sign can reappear temporarily, as shown for example in this photograph of 95 London Road in Headington taken on 4 January 2023. The Oxford Orthodontic Centre in preparing to move to the ground floor removed the Pen to Paper sign ready to put up its own, revealing in the process a Fleece Carpets sign dating from c.1993.
Non-Commercial ghost signs
These are not included here, but there are also many stone inscriptions in Oxford that show the former use of institutional buildings.
Many of these can be found both in the Schools and the Inscriptions sections of this website.
Right: Example in New Inn Hall Street
Unsolved ghost sign
This ghost sign over the front door of 95 St Clement's Street appears to say DAVE and probably once said DAVEY, but no correlation has yet been made with anyone of that name. It appears to have been a private house throughout the twentieth century.