Free Entry
Open for pre-scheduled guided tours only. Visit Oxfordshire Preservation Trust's website for further details.
Address:
Harcourt Hill, North Hinskey, Oxfordshire, OX2 9AS
This roofed conduit house is a remarkable survival of Oxford’s first piped water supply. Built during the early 17th century, it was part of a system designed to take clean drinking water from the springs at North Hinksey to the Carfax Conduit, an extravagantly decorated fountain in the centre of Oxford. Resembling a miniature fortress, the conduit house covered and protected a 20,000-gallon lead cistern which continued to supply water to the city until 1868. On the walls are some beautifully chiselled graffiti dating from the 17th to 19th centuries.
Read more about the history of North Hinksey Conduit House.
Access to the Conduit House is by pre-scheduled guided tours only. Please visit Oxford Preservation Trust's website for further details.
Before You Go
Access: Access to the conduit house is on foot only and is about a ten minute walk from the road. View details.
Opening Times: Access to the conduit house is only possible during special events, dates and details of which are availble on the Oxford Preservation Trust website. The site is closed from October until April.
Drone flying: Please see our Drone guidance
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome.
Plan a Great Day Out
Don't miss; As part of Oxford Open Doors, Oxford Preservation Trust will be opening up the Conduit House for visitors on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September.
Why not complete your day out with a visit to Abingdon County Hall Museum with its fine rooftop views?
Or visit the remains of a large, well-built Roman courtyard villa with a nearly complete mosaic tile floor at North Leigh.
You could also enjoy the extensive riverside remains of Minster Lovell Hall - a popular spot for family picnics.
Your Places Appeal
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With your help, we can protect these historic places and make sure they can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Whether your donation today helps pay for the work of an expert stonemason, a key keeper’s time to unlock the gates or the restoration of a rare artefact, you’ll help care for precious heritage.
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