Headington Subway
Headington Action supported the painting of the Headington subway, which was originally constructed in 1970, and in 2002 community artists decorated it with brightly painted murals, depicting local scenes. The artwork, begun in 2001, was originally started by young offenders led by former policeman Roger Dicks. This project fell by the wayside and so local residents, led by Arthur Treherne, took over the work with the support of Headington Action. Pictures included shops, the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford Brookes University, and scenes from books by Headington authors C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Children from Windmill First School designed a football match under the subway as a memorial to Oxford United. Images of the mural being painted can be seen below.
The paintings in the Headington subway were officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Oxford on Saturday 22 June 2002, when members of Headington Action and the painters attended a champagne breakfast supplied by the Co-op. Pictures of the opening can be seen below
In June 2010, the pedestrian subway under London Road, near Kennett Road in Headington was filled in as part of works by Oxfordshire County Council to enhance the Headington shopping area, and it was replaced with a pedestrian crossing. Before it was filled in, Oxfordshire County Council had the paintings photographed as two continuous panoramas, including the ramps within it, which can be found by clicking on either mural 1 or mural 2. A description of the Information about each image is displayed if the cursor is placed over the relevant ‘I’ buttons within the mural.
The paintings encapsulate Headington at it was in 2002. Some of the pictures just represent a type of business (e.g. banks, hairdressers) rather than a specific shop.
A description of the images that appear in the above panoramas as PDF documents are available from the panorama 1 and panorama 2 links, and the information has been updated to reflect the fact that more shops have closed since the panoramas were made.
The paintings encapsulate Headington at it was in 2002. Some of the pictures just represent a type of business (e.g. banks, hairdressers) rather than a specific shop.
A description of the images that appear in the above panoramas as PDF documents are available from the panorama 1 and panorama 2 links, and the information has been updated to reflect the fact that more shops have closed since the panoramas were made.
Designed by Jeff McIlhinney