St Scholastica riot

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The St. Scholastica Day riot of February 10, 1355, is one of the notorious events in the history of Oxford. Following a dispute about beer in The Swindlestock Tavern (now the site of the Abbey Bank on Carfax) between townspeople and two students of the University of Oxford, the insults exchanged grew into armed clashes between locals and students over the next two days which left 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead, the scholars being eventually routed.

The dispute was settled in favour of the university with a special charter. Annually thereafter, on February 10, the town mayor and councillors had to march bareheaded through the streets and pay to the university a fine of one penny for every scholar killed. The penance ended in 1825 when the mayor refused to take part.

[edit] See also

• St. Scholastica, on whose feast day the riot occurred.
• Town and Gown, term used to describe the parties in such conflicts.