The Mitre: A history
At the time of Lincoln College's foundation in 1427, the land on which the Mitre now stands was a property known as the Bicester Inn. It was owned by the chantry of St Anne, given to it by Nicholas de Burcestre in the 14th century!
In 1475, Thomas Rotherham, Bishop of Lincoln and acknowledged as our second founder, incorporated St Anne's Chantry into the College. The College was then responsible for the maintenance of the properties of the chantry, including the Mitre. The Covered Market stands on the site of the Mitre's large garden, developed in the 1770s.
Lincoln owned for four inns in Oxford city centre: the Mitre, the Christopher, the White Hart /Dolphin (both near the former Debenham's store), and the Ram (now 113/114 High Street). Custodianship of these and its other properties produced the rental income necessary to sustain the life of the College.
By the 19th century, the Mitre was the most prominent amongst these. The development of the Covered Market in the late 18th century facilitated the construction of the current facade along the frontage of the Mitre on the High Street.
This indenture is the first extant lease of the Mitre in the College Archive. The agreement is between Richard Kilbye, Rector of Lincoln College, and Henry Wilkes, glover. The Mitre, recorded as "two tenements, & garden, w[i]th all shopps, cellars, edefices & buildings" was leased for 40 years. The annual rent was £3, paid quarterly in equal parts.
Ref: LC/EL/OAS/L/7 24 November 1591
This deed of foundation of St. Anne's Chantry in All Saints' church records the bequest of Nicholas de Burcestre to maintain the chantry. Details of the services, plate, vestments, and other arrangements are listed and confirmed by the Bishop of Lincoln.
Ref: LC/EL/OAS/80a 4 December 1350
The cellars at the Mitre retain their impressive vaulted 13th or 14th century structure. Writing in the 17th century, antiquarian Anthony a Wood describes: "to this day is an ancient and deep vault underneath, curiously arched with stone, like under divers halls and religious places within this city in our great-grandfather's dayes". A cellar closet is purported to have been used as a priest-hole by recusant Mitre tenants.
Ref: LC/CB/4/13
Oxford Journal Illustrated reprint from 10 May 1911
Town & Gown Coalesce at the Inn
While the College maintained the Mitre, it was not usually involved in its operations. Landlord Thomas Peake and his wife Margaret ran the Mitre from 1815-1841.
The English Spy (1825) records one bloody town and gown riot when the Peakes were entreated to supply 'gown' with ammunition: broom handles, old chair legs, and the cook's rolling-pin. The author quotes Thomas Peake, "Doey be quiet, and go along, for God's zake, gentlemen! I shall be ruinated and discommoned if I open my door to any body."
The Mitre's popularity and centrality to Oxford life was confirmed with the 1926 publication Round About `The Mitre' at Oxford (Episodes of the University, City and Hotel) by R A H Spiers.
Mitre Cigarette Card
Mitre Cigarette Card
Old feature page on The Mitre Hotel, Oxford
The development of photography and cheaper printing in the 19th century allowed the Mitre to publicise its reputation as a coaching inn with fine dining and quality rooms, by printing items such as these postcards and brochures.
Coloured postcard showing the Mitre with Thomas Peake's name above the door, 19th century.
Counterpart Leases of the Mitre by Rector Edward Tatham for Lincoln College to Thomas Peake, innkeeper. The term of the lease is for 40 years from 1815, extended for another 40 years from 1828. Ref: LC/EL/MIT/L/21, 24
The `shopps' mentioned as part of the Mitre in the 15th and 16th century leases still provide space for trading. Here is a plan for the alteration to the shop layout by a tenant at 5 Turl Street. Ref: LC/EL/MOD/2/2 7 November 1912
Up with the Students!
As student numbers increased through the 1960s, College wished to provide all undergraduates with at least two years in residence. In 1969, Lincoln was able to take over the bedrooms of the Mitre Hotel, adding 38 sets within the precincts of the College.
The pub and restaurant portion of the Mitre was taken over by Berni Inns, succeeded by Whitbread as a Beefeater restaurant, and more recently by Marstons. Lincoln developed the Turl Bar into the Turl Yard in the 2010s.
The Mitre is firmly part of the Lincoln student experience, thus appears in most editions of The Imp.
The Imp from 1976 contains an interview with Dr Vivian H H Green, later Rector. He describes the acquisition of the Mitre rooms part of a major change in the physical character of the College.
The Imp from 1979 features an advertisement for the Semi Inn on the back cover, imploring Lincoln students "Let Us Help You".