Radcliffe Observatory

The Radcliffe Observatory stands on Woodstock Road in Oxfordshire. Built in the late 18th century, it was Oxford’s main astronomical site until 1934. The Grade I listed building features an octagonal tower modelled on the Tower of the Winds in Athens. A statue of Atlas holding up the world crowns the tower, carved by John Bacon. The observatory was founded by the Radcliffe Trustees after the astronomer Thomas Hornsby suggested it. Hornsby had observed the 1769 transit of Venus from a room in the nearby Radcliffe Infirmary. The observatory’s history reflects changes in astronomy and university roles. Until 1839, the Savilian Professor of Astronomy oversaw its work. That year, the new post of Radcliffe Observer was created after George Henry Sacheverell Johnson took the chair without observational experience. Six astronomers held the Radcliffe Observer role between 1839 and 1950. Manuel John Johnson became the first, followed by Robert Main, Edward James Stone, Arthur Alcock Rambaut, Harold Knox-Shaw and David Thackeray. The original instruments now belong to the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford. Today the building belongs to Green Templeton College and serves as a centrepiece. The Radcliffe 18/24-inch Twin Refractor telescope was moved to the University of London Observatory. The site remains part of the college’s grounds and links to Observatory Street to the north. It also gives its name to the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, a local development area. The building’s architecture and history make it a notable landmark in Oxford.