Oxford News
Covid pandemic was a reminder of the plague in 1600s
Historian and former fire officer John Lowe has unearthed details of the strict rules imposed in Oxford at the height of the emergency in 1645.
The plague had been detected in several parts of the town and orders were made to “provide for the sick and to keep the sick from the whole”.
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In other words, help those with the disease as much as possible, but don’t run the risk of catching it yourself.
When anyone fell sick in any house, strangers were banned from entering until the sickness was confirmed as infectious or not.
What were described as ‘overseers’ were given the job of checking the nature and symptoms of the disease, caring for the patient and giving “further directions”.
As soon as any house was infected, or suspected of being infected, it was to be “shut up” and everyone living there was to stay inside until further notice.
A watchman was appointed “to keep the persons within the house and to fetch them such
necessaries as they want, to be delivered to them so discreetly and warily as may not endanger themselves, or those to whom they shall resort”.
A red cross was to be put on the front door of any house infected with the plague, with an inscription in capital letters, LORD HAVE MERCY UPON US.
The cross and inscription were to remain in place until the house was given the all-clear.
Watchmen appointed to make sure the rules were observed had to take an oath “for the faithful performance of that service”.
When sitting or walking in the streets, every watchman had to carry a white stick “so that others may be admonished not to go too near into his company”.
If a house had a back door, it had to be kept shut, the padlock hung on the door and the key kept by the watchman.
The overseers in charge of the emergency appointed “searchers and tenders” for the sick and “bearers and buriers” for those who died. All had to take oaths to “observe their several employments faithfully”.
Any who neglected their duties would be “proceeded against with all strictness and severity”.
Burials of those with the plague had to take place after 10pm with no mourners and bodies laid at least four feet underground. No churchyards in Oxford were to be used.
All cats and dogs had to be sent out of the town and strays were to be “knocked on the head”.
Oxford University did not escape the restrictions. If any colleges or halls were infected, governors had to tell the overseers and appropriate action, including possible closure, would be taken.
The collision happened on the southbound carriageway between Junction 6 for Lewknor and Junction 5 for Watlington in the late morning on Saturday, August 29.
The emergency services attended the scene and closed the road,
National Highways said lanes two and three of the three-lane motorway were shut as a result while crews dealt with the incident, leading to delays of around 40 minutes.
Congestion was worsened by separate lane closures between Junctions 4 and 5 in both directions following damage to the central reservation from an earlier incident.
Traffic built up on approaches to the crash, with nearby areas including Stokenchurch and Lewknor also affected.
Images from traffic cameras showed long queues of vehicles and emergency workers at the scene throughout the afternoon.
AA Travel also reported that one lane was closed on the northbound carriageway between Handy Cross and Stokenchurch due to emergency repairs.
National Highways later confirmed that all southbound lanes between Junctions 6 and 5 had reopened and that the lane closures linked to the earlier incident were also being removed.
Despite the reopening, delays of around 40 minutes remained on the approach as traffic slowly returned to normal.
The closure affects the route between the A420 and Coxwell Road near Great Coxwell to allow for carriageway widening and the construction of a new signal-controlled junction.
The closure, in effect 24 hours a day, will begin on September 7, 2026, and is expected to remain in place until April 16, 2027.
An alternative route will be signposted via the A420, London Street, Coxwell Street, and Coxwell Road.
The order, issued by Oxfordshire County Council under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, will remain in force for up to 18 months if necessary.
Exemptions are included for emergency vehicles, and signage will be in place to advise drivers of the closure.
The coffee dispenser at the Headington Waitrose is out of order and not for the first time according to reports, leaving customers disappointed they can no longer access their free cappuccino or flat white using their Waitrose card.
The Headington News said: “The Headington Waitrose free coffee machine is out of order again today (Saturday 29 August).”
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The notice on the machine at the store in Old High Street says: “The coffee machine is currently out of order. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
The issue is not a universal problem – coffee machines at other Waitrose stores are working well.
The Waitrose chain, owned by the John Lewis Partnership, restored its free coffee offer in January 2025.
Following outrage over the withdrawal of the offer during the pandemic, the company told the nine million members on its My Waitrose loyalty scheme they would again be entitled to a complementary americano, cappuccino, latte or tea once a day regardless of whether they bought anything – as long as they have their own reusable cup.
In a statement, Waitrose said at the time: “Some of our My Waitrose members like to have the free coffee before they shop or during the shop, rather than afterwards, so we are just offering a bit of flexibility in response to customer feedback.”
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There were queues at coffee stations and complaints from customers that the offer was attracting the “wrong type of shopper” when Waitrose introduced the perk in 2013.
In 2017, it cracked down on ‘freeloaders’ by forcing members to buy something before pouring themselves a free hot drink.
The scheme was scrapped during the Covid crisis, but reintroduced in November 2022 – again for customers making a purchases. This is no longer a requirement.
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