Slade Camp

Come and rediscover one of Oxford’s lost communities – Slade Camp. Hidden in the foothills of Shotover Country Park lie the remains of what was once a thriving community, which hundreds of families called home after WWII. Explore at your own leisure or join a guided tour.

Slade Camp was born in the 1930s as a military training facility on land donated by Lord Nuffield, and it saw its last military use as a demobilisation centre. With Britain facing a post-war housing crisis, Oxford City Council turned it over to civilian use as temporary accommodation and many families would go on to live for over a decade. It was renamed Slade Park and a community was born which remained till it was closed in 1971. Today, its traces are still visible—crumbling foundations, wild hedgerows, an old electricity substation, and the roads that once connected it all. With the help of former residents and volunteers, this lost community is being remembered and recorded: through oral histories, photographs, and the careful uncovering of its physical remains.

Guided tours with leading local historians: Maurice East, Liz Woolley, Brian Lowe and Wendy Austen
View over 100 evocative photographs shared by former residents
Hear personal memories and stories from those who once called Slade Park home
Enjoy homemade cake and tea in a tranquil woodland setting
Experience post-war working-class Oxford from a fresh perspective
Explore Shotover on a restorative, history-filled walk

Timings & Tours

Sunday 14 September:

1230-1600

Location & directions

The Ridings, Shotover Country Park, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 8TB

Directions:

The walking tours will leave from the pillbox on The Ridings (What3Words ///dozen.ground.stroke) between 12.30 and 3.30pm. The main car park at the top of Shotover Hill on Old Road (OX3 8TA) is free and a 15 minute walk. There is paid parking at Headington Retail Park Car Park, near Aldi, a 10-minute walk across the field. The nearest bus stop is on Titup Hall Drive, a 20-minute walk.

Contact on day:

Anna Clark

Telephone number:

+441865242918

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

There is parking next to the venue, which can be accessed from the Eastern Bypass, turning left at What3Words ///minus.grab.bend. The road surface from the car park and around the camp is Generally Accessible.

Additional information

Slade Camp is in Shotover Country Park, which is open 24/7. Our Open Doors event will run from 12.30 to 16.00, when visitors can explore the site at their own leisure, look at photographs and artefacts, and enjoy cake and refreshments. We will have guided tours between 12.30 and 15.00, which will leave regularly and on a first come first serve basis with a maximum 30 per tour.

Max no of people per tour:

30

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