Justified criticism

Hornby mentions Bill Bryson’s satirical criticisms of modern Oxford, particularly a certain structure at Merton College poised like a random ‘pile of bricks’ in the angle of Merton Street: an act of architectural barbarism on the part of the college and local building control authorities.

Bryson as an acknowledged anglophile felt compelled to slate the Oxford authorities, both civic and collegiate, for imposing so incongruous a structure on an otherwise impeccably architected institution as Merton.

Bryson’s acerbic observations were noted at Merton, because in the summer of 2011, the college embarked on a radical revamp of its brick-clad façade, replacing its brick frontage with simulated stone.

The provocative modernist features were modified into a style more in keeping with its stone-clad near-neighbours, only the previous fenestration patterns betrayed its modernist origins. The transformation of the former ‘ugly incongruous intruder’ was discreetly transformed into a quite comely resident of Merton Street.

Congratulations to all concerned, Bill Bryson for prompting the alarums, Paul Hornby for suggesting all is not well in the state of Oxford and the members of Merton College for responding to justified criticism.

Tony Bentley, Abingdon