Oxford Canal Walk - Radiators and Murals
Part of my series of caches from the terminus of the canal up to Kidlington. See GCBJD99 Oxford Canal Walk - Not The Terminus or GCBQRNH Oxford Canal Walk - Kings Bridge 230 for suggested parking and transport options if doing the series.
This area once saw a lot of industry formally a clay pit and brick industries but subsequently part of the old Osberton Radiators plant for Morris Motors (Later Austin Morris). The site to the west of the towpath was bought by Lord Nuffield in 1926 with the former clay pit now a pond which was retained (now off Elizabeth Jennings Way). During the 2nd world war the plant built radiators for Rolls Royce Merlin engines and other parts for Spitfires. At the factories height over 3,000 people worked there day & nght. After the war and the sunsewquent mergers of Austin & Morris into BLMC the factory became part of Unipart.
After its closure in the late 1990's the Waterways housing estate was built consistong of over 500 houses and two new bridges were built in 2001/2 to provide access. To help stop the grafiti that used to plague the area a series of murals and paintings was commissioned in 2016/2017 by the Oxford Canal Mural Project which is what you can see here today. with the other being on the Frenchay road bridge.
The two murals here depict canal life.
The history mural on the tow path side of the Elizabeth Jennings Way bridge was painted by artist Dan Wilson. The mural is a fictional scene representing the history of the canal corridor, with references to traditional and modern uses of the canal and the surrounding area
The Elizabeth Jennings Way mural was designed by Dan Wilson and painted by Tom Webb. The mural depicts traditional canal artwork but is painted using modern street art. The mural portrays the shire horses that would have towed work-boats along the Oxford Canal and traditional flower motifs
For more info on the Murals see https://oxfordcanalmuralproject.wordpress.com/
To find out more about the heritage of the area including a downloadible map and a aufio guide visit Oxford Canal Heritage Trail
Congratulations FTF..... Sapphirites
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