Headington stone

[1][2][3] Around 160 million years ago, during the Late Jurassic period, Britain was located further south and was submerged beneath a subtropical sea.

Headington stone was traditionally used for a number of the older Oxford University college buildings.

Later stone extracted from the quarry was of less good quality, for example, that used to build the lower part of the Radcliffe Camera.

[4] The use of Headington stone in Oxford University buildings was mentioned by John Betjeman (1906–1984) in his poetry:[5] Friend of my youth, you are dead!

and the long peal pours from the steeple Over this sunlit quad in our University city And soaks in Headington stone