The Perch (Binsey)
Encyclopedia
The Perch is a historic, thatch-roofed public house
in Binsey, Oxfordshire
on the River Thames
overlooking Port Meadow.
in nearby Oxford
.
The Perch was extensively damaged by fire in 1977 and again in 2007. The Perch re-opened in September 2008.
in his poem Binsey Poplars, written when he found the riverside trees felled. The replacements for these trees, which stretch from Binsey to Godstow, lasted until 2004, when the present replantings began. It was frequented by author Lewis Carroll
and is noted as one of the first places that he gave public readings of Alice in Wonderland. It was also a favorite of C.S. Lewis and fictional character Inspector Morse
.
. Although it ceased to be a jazz venue after 1949, in 2009 the Perch was named by the Brecon Jazz Festival
as one of 12 venues which had made the most important contributions to jazz music in the United Kingdom.
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Binsey, Oxfordshire
Binsey, Oxfordshire
Binsey is a village by the River Thames about northwest of the centre of Oxford. It is the opposite side of the river from Port Meadow and about southwest of the ruins of Godstow Abbey.-History:...
on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
overlooking Port Meadow.
History
The Perch dates back 800 years, and the current building, a Grade II Listed Building, to at least the 17th century. It is said to be haunted by a sailor. The Perch, together with most of the other buildings in Binsey, is owned by Christ ChurchChrist Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
in nearby Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
The Perch was extensively damaged by fire in 1977 and again in 2007. The Perch re-opened in September 2008.
Literary connections
The Perch is close to an avenue of poplars made famous by Gerard Manley HopkinsGerard Manley Hopkins
Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J. was an English poet, Roman Catholic convert, and Jesuit priest, whose posthumous 20th-century fame established him among the leading Victorian poets...
in his poem Binsey Poplars, written when he found the riverside trees felled. The replacements for these trees, which stretch from Binsey to Godstow, lasted until 2004, when the present replantings began. It was frequented by author Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
and is noted as one of the first places that he gave public readings of Alice in Wonderland. It was also a favorite of C.S. Lewis and fictional character Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse is a fictional character in the eponymous series of detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, as well as the 33-episode 1987–2000 television adaptation of the same name, in which the character was portrayed by John Thaw. Morse is a senior CID officer with the Thames Valley...
.
Historic jazz venue
From 1928 through 1948, the Perch was hugely popular among Oxford University students as a venue to hear the latest jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. Although it ceased to be a jazz venue after 1949, in 2009 the Perch was named by the Brecon Jazz Festival
Brecon Jazz Festival
Brecon Jazz Festival is a music festival held on an annual basis in the rural surroundings of Brecon, in south Powys, Mid Wales. Normally staged in early August, it plays host to a range of jazz musicians who travel from across the world to take part and to many visiting tourists who are attracted...
as one of 12 venues which had made the most important contributions to jazz music in the United Kingdom.