History

54 St Giles’ is a sixteenth-century Oxford townhouse with an eighteenth-century frontage. The building was split into two properties from c. 1771 to c. 1866. The site of the house has been occupied from the thirteenth century to the present day, though incidental archaeological finds are possibly from a much earlier period (the Neolithic onwards).

Origins in the Sixteenth Century

The building existed by the sixteenth century as it is shown in Agas’ map of 1578, depicted as a single residence set lengthwise to the street. It appears to have been laid out with a ground floor hall, heated by a large fireplace in the southern bay and an externally expressed chimney stack.

Two Residences: 1772-1866

The original plot underwent substantial development by c. 1750 and the original house had been subdivided internally to create two residences by 1772 at the latest. In that year, a ‘Plan of Admeasurement’ was drawn up by Thomas Blowfield to assist in the improvement of Oxford’s streets – at this time, the two properties were occupied by Mr Walton and Mrs Gingill respectively. An improvement report in April 1774 bracketed the two as occupying a property that had ‘dripping eaves penthouse and bow’ – bays (‘bows’) had been added to the front elevation of the building by this point, with dormers in the roof creating a second floor in the former attic space. In May 1774, it was ordered that ‘dripping eaves spouts and penthouses’ should be removed from houses in the parish of St Giles’, but the bow windows of 53-54 St Giles’ ultimately survived these street improvements.

The internal division must have been well-established by 1836-9, at which point two numbers were allocated to the property – 53 and 54. At the time of the 1851 Census, 54 was occupied by Thomas Busby, a ‘landed proprietor’ and his wife. Meanwhile, 53 was occupied by Francis Berry, a tinplate worker and brazier and his four daughters. Berry had been resident since at least 1846.

Between 1830 and 1860, and likely before 1851, additional houses were built around a yard to the rear of St Giles’, accessed via the side passage between 53 and 52, which became known as Drewitt’s Yard.

Busby died in 1856 and in May 1862 the lease on 54 St Giles’ was put up for auction – the purchaser is unknown.

Tinsmith’s, China Warehouse and Jeweller’s: 1866-1956

C. 1866, Francis Berry took over 54 St Giles’, reuniting the property for the first time since the eighteenth century. It is likely that Berry used the large sixteenth century fireplace on the ground floor as the site for his tinsmith’s hearth or brazier from this date, because the fireplace shows damage from heat much more intense than that of a domestic cooking fire.

Francis Berry died in 1888 and after being unoccupied for a short time, both 53 and 54 St Giles’ were acquired by John Lisemore. He owned a store on George Street and in January 1892 announced that he was opening a branch store on St Giles’ selling china, glass and hardware. The Lisemore family operated a china warehouse and ironmongers from the building until 1930.

From 1932-1954, 53 and 54 were occupied by Roland Bradley Bennett, a jeweller, and his lodgers.

Part of Regent’s: Since 1956

Having moved into 55 St Giles’ in 1927, Regent’s has acquired 53-54 St Giles by 1956, when Senior Tutor and Bursar, Rev. W. Morris was the resident. The rear stair tower behind 53 was enlarged to accommodate a new stair winding around the back of the sixteenth-century external chimney stack. A kitchen was placed in the footprint of the former stair tower.

When the main college buildings were constructed c. 1938-1940, Drewitt’s Yard was partially demolished. Today, the side passage is blocked off from 53-54 and provides side access to number 52.

A proposal to rebuild the college’s St Giles’ Street properties in 1958 did not come to fruition and, by 1969, a flat roofed extension had been added to the rear of the property.