Radcliffe Infirmary

The Radcliffe Infirmary is a former hospital and Grade II* listed building featuring Georgian architectural style in Oxford. The structure displays symmetrical facades with white stone columns and large windows distributed across three stories, characteristic of its construction period.

Construction began in 1761 on land donated by Thomas Rowney, an Oxford Parliament member, and the hospital opened in 1770. This founding project was one of the most significant hospital ventures in England at the time.

Today the building houses the Philosophy Faculty of the University of Oxford and specialized research libraries within its spaces. This transformation shows how historic medical institutions adapt to serve new academic purposes while remaining centers of intellectual activity.

The building is located in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, about 3 miles from Oxford city center and is accessible by public transportation. The surrounding academic buildings and green spaces make the site easy to navigate on foot.

In January 1941 the first clinical trials of penicillin took place here, a breakthrough in modern medicine. This event made the institution a center of medical research during World War II.

Location: Oxford

Inception: 1770

Website: http://oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk

GPS coordinates: 51.76028,-1.26194

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:22