From a roundabout on Garsington Road rises the Nuffield Needle. It’s a curious monument, a pale futuristic obelisk that seems oddly out of place amidst the modern buildings of the Oxford Business Park. This needle, modelled on the badge of the early Morris Minor car, commemorates the legacy of Viscount Nuffield and the Morris Motor Works that once dominated this very spot. At its base, an ox fords a river, mirroring both the coat-of-arms of Oxford and the one adopted by Lord Nuffield himself. The Nuffield Needle stands as a testament to the transformation of this area. What was once a bustling car factory churning out thousands of vehicles is now a business park, a testament to the changing times. A nearby plaque, unveiled by Eddie Jordan of Jordan Racing in 1995, tells more of the story. It explains that Arlington Securities Plc commissioned the needle to honour William Morris, Lord Nuffield, and the Morris Motor Works, whose first factory began production here in 1913. It’s a little-known fact that this somewhat overlooked monument is the City of Oxford’s main memorial to Viscount Nuffield. While some find it unimpressive, the Nuffield Needle represents a significant shift in Oxford’s history, marking the transition from a university-dominated city to one shaped by industry. The surrounding business park, developed on the 88-acre site of the former Morris Motors factory, further emphasizes this transformation. The area feels almost like a palimpsest, where layers of history are overlaid, one upon the other. From bustling factory to quiet business park, the Nuffield Needle marks this change. The needle also reminds us of William Morris’s complex legacy. He was an industrialist who employed thousands and revolutionized car production, but also a philanthropist who gave away a substantial fortune to causes related to health and education. This duality makes him a fascinating figure in Oxford’s story, and the Nuffield Needle, in its own unconventional way, captures that complexity.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to