Oxford Castle

Oxford Castle was constructed by Robert D'oilly in 1071. There are parts of the castle that can still be seen today, but most are in ruins. What is left is St George's Tower, the bottom of the round tower, and The Mound. The former Oxford prison, a fine example of a colonial prison, closed its doors in 1996 and is situated behind the County Hall building. Castle Mound is a hill, and used to be a part of defense for the castle. It was built during Saxon times, using the forced labor of prisoners. At the top of the hill there used to be a tower overlooking the main road coming into town from the west.