Church Cowley Road Explained

Church Cowley Road is a major road in Cowley, Oxford, England, leading from Rose Hill to Cowley Centre. It continues as Between Towns Road.

History

The original village of Cowley became known as "Church Cowley" in the 12th century to differentiate it from Temple Cowley, located to the east.^[1] In c.1250, the spelling was "Chirche Couele" and in 1316 "Church Couele", then "Churchcovell". The road was created between Church Cowley and Iffley Turn in 1853. It was previously known as Cemetery Road or New Road and was named "Church Cowley Road" in 1930.

Location

The road is mainly residential. It has a church (the Parish Church of St James and the Apostle) and graveyard (Rose Hill Cemetery). It separates the area of Florence Park from Cowley and Littlemore.

House prices here are around average for the city of Oxford.^[2]

Notable residents

The comedian Ronnie Barker lived in the road as a boy from the age of four, when his family moved there, and a blue plaque by the Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board commemorates this.^{[3] [4]}

Notes and References

1. Book: The Origins of Oxford Street Names . . Church Cowley Road . 2010 . 88 . 978 1 899536 99 3 . Symonds . Ann Spokes . Morgan . Nigel.
2. Web site: Current property values in Church Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 . . UK . 29 March 2014.
3. News: Ronnie Barker: Oxford childhood home plaque unveiled. . . UK . 29 September 2012 . 28 September 2012 .
4. News: Blue Plaque honour at Ronnie Barker’s former home . . UK . 5 September 2012 . 30 December 2015 .