Oxford kungaba yindawo efanelekile yezivakashi evakashelayo ENgilandi, njengoba leli 'dolobha lezipikili' liyisitimela esifushane noma ukugibela imoto usuka eLondon. Kumele kuqashelwe ukuthi i-Oxford idume ngokuba neyunivesithi endala kunazo zonke emhlabeni okhuluma isiNgisi.
Namuhla cishe akunakwenzeka ukucabanga nge-Oxford ngaphandle kwamanyuvesi amaningi anezwe, kepha ukuqala kwemfundo namasiko alo kubuyela esikhathini samaSaxon.
Baqokomisa, ngendlela, umlando we University of Oxford kanye ne-University of the Church of Santa María de La Virgen ezihlanganisiwe selokhu kwaqala le ndlu yezifundo. Ngaphezu kokusebenza njengendawo yokukhonza, iSanta Maria la Virgen kwakuyindawo yemihlangano yokuqala yaseyunivesithi, igumbi lenkomfa kanye nomtapo wolwazi.
Futhi njengoba othisha nabafundi abaningi bejoyina lesi sikhungo, inyuvesi yakhipha isakhiwo sesonto ngakho kwakhiwa amakhaya nezikole ezintsha eSanta Maria la Virgen Church. Ingxenye endala kakhulu yesonto elikhona manje ngumbhoshongo, owakhiwa ngo-1280, futhi umbhoshongo walo ohlotshisiwe wanezelwa phakathi kuka-1315 no-1325. Ngandlela-thile, izivakashi ezikhuphuka kulo mbhoshongo zithole imibono emihle nge-Oxford.
Umlando ulandisa ukuthi iSt Mary of the Virgin Church kwakuyindawo okwakuqulwa kuyo amacala abefundisi abathathu abadumile bamaProthestani abaziwa ngokuthi i-Oxford Martyrs - uMbhishobhi Hugh Latimer, uMbhishobhi uNicholas Ridley, noMbhishobhi Omkhulu uThomas Cranmer. Abasolwa ngokuhlubuka, uLatimer noRidley bashiswa ngo-Okthoba 1555; UCranmer wabulawa naye ngoMashi 1556. Isiphambano emgwaqweni ngaseBalliol College sikhomba indawo abashonele kuyo.
Enye imininingwane engokomlando ukuthi uJohn Henry Newman waba yindlalifa kaSanta Mary the Virgin ngo-1828 lapho izintshumayelo zakhe zazidume khona. UNewman wabamba iqhaza kwi-Oxford Movement, iqembu elazama ukubuyisela iSonto Lase-Anglican emfundisweni yenkolo. UNewman waguqukela ebuKhatholika ngo-1845 futhi waba ukhadinali ngo-1879.