Merton Field

Merton Field is a grass playing field north of the main part of Christ Church Meadow and south of Merton College in central Oxford, England.[2]

Merton Field
View north of Merton Field, with Merton College in the distance.
TypePlaying field
LocationChrist Church Meadow, Oxford, England
Coordinates51.7489107°N 1.2524569°W / 51.7489107; -1.2524569
Operated byChrist Church Cathedral School[1]
StatusOpen all year

To the west are Merton Walk and Christ Church, one of the Oxford colleges. To the east is the University of Oxford Botanic Garden. To the south is Broad Walk a wide path on the northern edge of Christ Church Meadow.[3] To the north, Dead Man's Walk skirts the edge of Merton Field following the line of the old city wall and Grove Walk leads to Merton Street, between Corpus Christi College and Merton College. The tower of Merton College Chapel dominates the view north from Merton Field.

Near to the eastern end of Dead Man's Walk is a plaque marking the first hot air balloon ascent in Britain, made by James Sadler (1753–1828).[4] He ascended from Merton Field on 4 October 1783, landing in Woodeaton to the northeast of Oxford.

References
  1. "Christ Church Cathedral School :: Music, Sport & Art". cccs.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  2. Rhodes, John (1988). "Merton College from Merton Field, 30 April 1908". Oxford: The University in Old Photographs. Alan Sutton Publishing. p. 42. ISBN 0-86299-461-6.
  3. "Broad Walk – Merton Field". Panoramic Earth. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  4. "Inscriptions: James Sadler's balloon flight". Oxford History. UK. Retrieved 27 May 2014.


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