01/06/2026
If anyone asks for evidence that women’s history is often overlooked from Oxford’s story, you only have to stand on Beaumont Street.
Right here, at the site of the now-demolished Beaumont Palace, Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of medieval Europe’s most powerful women; gave birth to not one, but two future kings of England: Richard I (“the Lionheart”) and John.
Yet today there is barely a trace on the street itself. No grand marker, no obvious monument just a low-key plaque and a story most people walk straight past.
It’s a striking contrast with how Oxford chooses to monumentalise Iman people elsewhere
Oxford’s women’s history is there, but it’s often hidden in plain sight.
This is exactly why the Oxford History Tour premium range includes a tailored women’s history strand bringing these overlooked stories back into focus, from medieval queens to reformers, thinkers, and the women who shaped the city from behind the scenes.
Get in touch for details or bespoke tours.