HEADINGTON residents will be able to enjoy historic stories about their area with a series of new ‘listening benches’ and audio units.

The listening benches will feature wind-up and solar powered audio devices that will play recordings about the history and stories of Headington.

Oxford City Council will install the devices in eight locations across the area – including Headington Road, London Road and Bury Knowle Park – during April.

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People will be able to use the devices to listen to local history, the history of the Headington Shark, which landed on 9 August 1986, and how a football team called Headington United – a village team founded in 1893 and known as ‘the boys from the hill’ – became Oxford United.

Oxford Mail:

The benches are being positioned and will include a bespoke cut-out shark and inset wind-up audio unit on the corner of London Road and New High Street.

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Marie Tidball, cabinet member for supporting local communities, said: “Oxford has a rich and diverse history, and photographic boards across the city have been used as a visible record of it. The Headington listening benches are an innovative way of bringing back the oral history tradition and a wonderful way for people to learn about their local area.

Oxford Mail:

“As well as describing significant figures who resided there they will preserve the stories of the origin of important local landmarks like the Headington Shark.”