# Jews College,Near Oxford, Oxfordshire.



## DogRecon (Aug 24, 2010)

Went here with a few friends a few weeks back. Really nice buildings, most of the grounds are residential and watched over by the groundsmen who guard this place with a passion. We were lucky as we got permission from the landowners.
Is there a history?. 

The school was founded in 1948 by the late Kopul Rosen and closed in June 1997 due to bad management, diminishing pupil numbers and financial difficulties. The school grounds were sold to property developers for an undisclosed fee in 1997, however, the sale was overturned by the Charity Commission following significant pressure from parents and former students who claimed the land was undersold. The distinctive concrete synagogue, dining hall, and amphitheatre, designed by local architect Thomas Hancock, are Grade II listed buildings; the Julius Gottlieb gallery and boathouse, designed by Sir Basil Spence, is Grade II* listed.

The Mansion House was an old manor house with particular significance. Agatha Christie (who lived nearby in Wallingford) used it as the basis for the mansion in "Mouse Trap". It was also the site for the briefing for the "bouncing bombs" raids of Operation Chastise - which left from nearby RAF Benson.

The school grounds in Mongewell Park had the straightest run of the River Thames flowing through it, and Oxford University made full use of this during their preparation for the annual varsity boat race.

It was attended by children from the age of 11 until 18 - although earlier on there was a preparatory school which took children from around the age of 8. Later a girls school was built - about a mile from the main campus, although the buildings were never actually used for this purpose. Instead, it was turned into a junior school in the late 1960s for children up to the age of 13, when they then moved to the main school. Girls were later admitted into the main school, starting at the sixth form in the early 1970s. However there were daughters of teachers at the school even before this, including the youngest daughter of Carmel's founder Rabbi Kopul Rosen, who was a pupil in the late 1960s. The Junior school was closed down several years before Carmel closed, and the buildings sold.
(ripped mercilessly from wiki)

Anyway, on with the photos.






The synogogue





Wall with kids graffitti















Storeroom














Plaque for the statue





Plaque for the synogogue





Footbath















Top of the boathouse





Collecting Pool





Boathouse Plaque





Boathouse Exterior










The main building.
(some might think 'Jew' is an offensive word but this is what it is known to many in the area.)


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## tommo (Aug 24, 2010)

nice one some great looking buildings there, wouldnt mind a peep there my self cheers


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## DogRecon (Aug 24, 2010)

As I say it is a great place, but there is still quite alot of activity surrounding the site. If you do go here, try not to look like chavs, as they've had quite alot of trouble with them. Go with good intentions and tripods. 
Enjoy.


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## night crawler (Aug 25, 2010)

Little bit disrespectful calling it Jews College, but you have taken some great photo's from round the place. I have been round a few times though I must go and get a photo of a bench mark on the main house when I get a chance. Least you have cleared it up about the boat house as I did wonder what the building was used for.


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## night crawler (Aug 25, 2010)

DogRecon said:


> As I say it is a great place, but there is still quite alot of activity surrounding the site. If you do go here, try not to look like chavs, as they've had quite alot of trouble with them. Go with good intentions and tripods.
> Enjoy.


Not sure you can call the local kids chavs more like brats will very little to do in the summer holidays.


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## Alansworld (Aug 25, 2010)

That boathouse is almost a perfect miniature replica of a Greenham GAMA!

A


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## TranKmasT (Aug 25, 2010)

Hi Dog,

Glad you managed to salvage something from the EPIC failure of those three sites we visited that one Sunday. I liked the computer laboratory. Has an old "Tomorrows World" look and feel about it.


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## Foxylady (Aug 25, 2010)

Unusual set of buildings and some great features. Cheers Dog.


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## timbly (Aug 27, 2010)

*Coincidence!!!!*

I'll be damned! I was there there the same damn day! I hadn't asked permission though &, consequently, didn't get into any of the buildings. I had to resort to pressing mt camera up to the glass & hoping that the shot came out.


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