Background
Cowmead is one of 35 allotment sites in Oxford comprising some 2,700 plots. Each of the Allotment Associations are required, by Oxford City Council, to elect their own committee. In turn, associations are invited to send representatives to the Allotment Liaison Meeting three times a year, which is managed jointly by Oxford & District Federation of Allotment Associations (ODFAA) and Oxford City Council.
History of Cowmead
The following text, supported by a number of historical maps, describes the history of the site from the beginning of the last century to the present day. Information sourced from South Oxford Community Centre, www.old-maps.co.uk, Oxfordshire History Centre and Cowmead allotment archives.
01
1886
A map of the Abingdon Road shows that the land either side of the road was virtually undeveloped at this time, with most of it used as small holdings.
02
1900
By the turn of the century, the region was becoming more developed. Council-associated allotments had been in existence around Oxford since the 1890’s although not in the region depicted.
03
1914
By 1917 a plan of “The War Allotments” was published which covered an area on the western side of Abingdon Road, from Sunningwell Road to what is now Monmouth Road. More allotments were eventually set up, again on the western side, in an area now occupied by Wytham Street, Northampton Road and Oswestry Road.
04
1922
In the 1920’s the City Council bought land either side of Weirs Lane from University College for housing development and allotments. A map published in 1922 shows Cowmead allotments (an area of just over nine acres), but no housing development.
05
1944
Another map which was revised in 1938 shows the area either side of Weirs Lane had been developed as housing (Cold Arbour/Harbour) and all of the allotments on the east side of Abingdon Road had been built on.
No written records exist regarding the activity on Cowmead until 1944. A record book dating from 1944 until 1962 shows that the allotments were in a good financial state and that most of the plots were taken. At this time Cowmead, Spragglesea and Dean’s Ham were covered by one Association but in 1992 Spraglesea and Deans Ham formed their own Association.
06
Today
Cowmead is now a thriving site with over 100 functioning plots (10-pole plots, approximately 250 sq m).