Marston Ferry Road

{{Short description|Road in North Oxford, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use British English|date=January 2018}} [[File:Cycle route under Marston Ferry Road - geograph.org.uk - 1740300.jpg|thumb|Cycle route under the Marston Ferry Road in Summertown, north Oxford.]] [[File:Victoria Arms, Marston - geograph.org.uk - 130968.jpg|thumb|The Victoria Arms pub on the River Cherwell, just north of Marston Ferry Road.]]

'''Marston Ferry Road''' is a link road in north Oxford, England.<ref>[http://www.houseprices.co.uk/marston-ferry-road-oxford-ox2/ Marston Ferry Road Oxford OX2], [http://www.houseprices.co.uk/ House Prices], UK.</ref> It is named after the ferry that used to cross the River Cherwell at the village of Marston from at least 1279.<ref name="hibbert">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopaedia of Oxford | publisher=Macmillan |chapter= Marston Ferry Road | year=1988 | pages=242–243 |isbn=0-333-39917-X | editor-last=Hibbert|editor-first=Christopher |editor-link=Christopher Hibbert }}</ref>

The road links the Banbury Road in North Oxford just south of Summertown, continuing as Moreton Road to the Woodstock Road, with Cherwell Drive in Marston, continuing as Headley Way to Headington to the southeast. It is a modern link road with a bridge over the River Cherwell about halfway along, opened on 12 November 1971.<ref name="hibbert" />

As the name implies, there was previously a ferry over the river.<ref name="hibbert" /> This latterly consisted of a punt a little to the north that could be pulled from one bank to the other using a tow rope, and carried pedestrians and bicycles only. The link road was constructed in 1971.<ref>[http://www.headington.org.uk/history/marston_history/timeline.htm Marston, Oxfordshire: Timeline] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423215845/http://www.headington.org.uk/history/marston_history/timeline.htm |date=2010-04-23 }}, [http://www.headington.org.uk/history/ History of Headington], Oxford, UK.</ref>

At the western end is Cherwell School. Oxford High School (on Belbroughton Road) is to the south. In 2021 the Swan School, located on the eastern end of the road, was officially opened.<ref name="OM3">{{cite web |last1=Rice |first1=Liam |title=Dame Sarah Gilbert helps open The Swan School in Oxford |url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19577888.dame-sarah-gilbert-helps-open-swan-school-oxford/ |website=Oxford Mail |access-date=8 January 2023 |date=14 September 2021}}</ref>

There are a number of sports fields and facilities in the vicinity. For example, the Oxford Cavaliers play rugby at the Oxford Harlequins Rugby Union Football Club here, and the Ferry Sports Centre run by the Oxford City Council, which includes a swimming pool, is off the road to the north.<ref>[http://www.oxford.gov.uk/leisure/ferry-sports-centre.cfm Ferry Sports Centre], Oxford City Council, UK.</ref> Just to the north on the east bank of the river is the Victoria Arms (or "Vicky Arms"), a public house frequented by people out punting.<ref>[http://www.victoriaarms.co.uk/ Victoria Arms], Old Marston, Oxfordshire, UK.</ref> It is possible to moor punts in the grounds of the pub.

The road is designated the B4495.

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:1971 establishments in England Category:Streets in Oxford Category:Sports venues in Oxford Category:Transport in Oxford Category:Roads in Oxfordshire