OxfordLocal

Jericho

Oxford's bohemian quarter — independent cafes, the arthouse cinema, and canal walks.

Jericho is Oxford's answer to a creative quarter. A grid of Victorian terraced streets north of the city centre, it was originally a working-class neighbourhood serving the Oxford University Press and the canal. Now it's one of the city's most desirable areas, with a character quite different from the college-dominated centre.

What defines Jericho

Walton Street is the main drag — a long parade of independent cafes, restaurants, bookshops, and boutiques. The Phoenix Picturehouse (Oxford's arthouse cinema) is the cultural anchor. Jude the Obscure, the Thomas Hardy novel, is set partly here — the pub of the same name is on Walton Street.

The Oxford Canal runs along Jericho's western edge, and the towpath walk north towards Port Meadow is one of Oxford's best urban escapes.

The feel

More relaxed than the centre. Fewer tourists, more locals. The cafe density is high — Jericho has a large number of independent coffee shops for its size. In the evenings, the restaurants fill with academics and young professionals.

Getting here

A 10-minute walk north from the centre, via Beaumont Street (past the Ashmolean) or through Somerville College. The 6 bus runs along Walton Street.

Places in Jericho