About Us

Oxford Preservation Trust is committed to ensuring a positive future for Oxford, preserving and enhancing the City's historic character and green setting, whilst recognising the needs of the 21st century city. Founded in 1926, the Trust was one of the first local amenity societies in England, and is now Oxford's largest, with over 1000 members.

The Trust owns over 600 acres of land in and around the City. It encourages an active interest in it, manages it an environmentally sensitive way and gives public access wherever possible. Two of the City's important green spaces, South Park and Shotover, were given by the Trust to the City for the benefit of the public. There are several listed buildings in the Trust's ownership, including a fifteenth-century merchant's house in Abingdon which is open to the public, and the row of seventeenth-century cottages in Turn Again Lane close to the Westgate car park, one of which houses the Trust's offices.

In recent years direct project work has increased, notably the restoration of the Martyrs' Memorial, the completion of a plan for the future of Broad Street, the creation of a new visitor attraction, learning centre, café and public square at Oxford Castle, and throwing open hidden venues of Oxford through Opening Doors Opening Minds 2007.

Other work of the Trust includes an active involvement in all aspects of Oxford's planning process, an annual environmental awards scheme highlighting high standards in new building, conservation and landscape schemes and a small grant making programme.

Click for more details on:

• Aims
• Trustees
• Structure and Governance

Oxford Preservation Trust is a company limited by guarantee registered in England Number 225839
Registered with the Charity Commission Number 203043

© 2002-8, Oxford Preservation Trust