Macdonald Randolph Hotel

The Randolph Hotel was built in 1864, the architect being William Wilkinson, who was responsible for the plans of many larger homes in North Oxford. At the same time there was much debate over the design of the building. Ruskin was in favour of Sir George Gilbert Smith’s gothic revival, e.g. the martyrs’ memorial. The city council advocated the classical design and did not want to see the neo-gothic style extended into Georgian Beaumont Street. Eventually, a compromise was reached and a simplified gothic design was accepted, described as “Scottish Early English”, following the example of the University Museum and the Union Debating Society.