Oxford's oldest monument - the Port Meadow stretch of common land - is to get a £37,000 upgrade to mark the Millennium.

The Sheriff of Oxford, Bob Price, and the city council suggested that features like boundary markers and bridges on the meadow should be restored to their former glory in time to celebrate the year 2000. The plans were backed by the council's city management committee.

Plans include renovation of the stone bridges that surrounded the 17th century racecourse on the meadow and restoration of the merestones - city boundary markers - and brick bridges that were a feature of Victorian pleasure walks.

Modern concrete tracks will be removed and fencing round the Walton Well Road and Wolvercote entrances will be changed to a more historical style.

A council spokesman said: "In Victorian north Oxford pleasure grounds were a big thing. Where Bossom's boatyard is now was a punt and boat hire place so people from north Oxford would hire punts for a pleasant time on the river by Port Meadow.

"The stone bridges were built across ditches on the meadow so the horses could race over them. Horse racing was the big entertainment back in the 18th century particularly." The Sheriff and Freemens' annual inspection of the meadow this year found that the number of thistles and weeds there was going down thanks to new ways of land management tried out in partnership with the Agricultural Development and Advisory Agency.

Port Meadow was a test case for weed management because it has been used as common grazing land since the time of the Domesday Book in 1086.

Mr Price said: "The information from the research is of great value in the management of parks and meadow all over the country."

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