A fascinating history of a family firm and their predecessors the Townesends, who over 200 years have built a significant number of architecturally important buildings in and around Oxford. (BAR 254, 1997)

This lively and authoritative account of Oxford's historic background describes the origins of the prosperous medieval town and of its university and colleges. David Sturdy draws on a lifetime's knowledge of Oxford, its archaeology, architecture and archives, to examine the many myths and legends that have sprund up there.