It passes between the main site of Oriel College (hence its name) to the east and Oriel's newer "Island" site to the west.
At the High Street end to the east is the 1911 Rhodes Building, named after the former Oriel student Cecil Rhodes, who went on to colonize the African state of Rhodesia (also named after him).
From 1210 it was called Schidyard Street, although the spelling changed over time, according to Thomas Hearne in 1728 it was Sched Row — Writers' Row,[1] and between 1542 and 1772 it was known as St Mary Hall Lane.
[2] A map of 1814 shows the street running south through what is now Corpus Christi as far the President's lodgings.
It is generally thought that this refers to the Oriel Square tennis court.