All things to doView nextThe White Horse→Explore the story
Food & drink / Oxford
The Turf Tavern
Hidden down an alley once called Hell Passage, built hard against the old city wall to escape college jurisdiction.
CostFree to visit
Time to allowAllow 45–90 minutes
PaceEasy
PlaceSt Helens Passage
Best timeYear-round
01 / Why it matters
More than a stop on a list.
The hardest pub in Oxford to find and the most rewarding to stumble on — low beams, three courtyards and a stretch of the medieval city wall.
You reach the Turf down St Helens Passage, an alley off New College Lane so narrow that people walk under the Bridge of Sighs without noticing it. The alley was once called Hell Passage, which tells you what the area was for. The pub grew up just outside the line of the old city wall, deliberately beyond the jurisdiction of the colleges — which is precisely why undergraduates drank here, and still do. A section of the medieval wall forms one edge of the courtyards. Its sign advertises 1381. The pub itself opened around the end of the eighteenth century, under the name The Spotted Cow; the older date belongs to the ground rather than the business. It is low-beamed, largely outdoors across three small courtyards, and reliably full.
02 / The essentials
What makes it remarkable.
- 01
Opened around the end of the eighteenth century, originally named The Spotted Cow.
- 02
Reached down St Helens Passage, formerly called Hell Passage, off New College Lane.
- 03
Built just outside the old city wall to sit beyond the jurisdiction of the colleges.
- 04
A stretch of the medieval city wall forms one boundary of the courtyards.
- 05
Advertises 1381, a date belonging to the site rather than to the pub.
03 / The place
The building in context.
A story written in stone since 1790.
- Built
- Earliest supported date: 1790
- Style
- Historic Oxford public house
04 / Before you go
Plan it well.
Enjoy it properly.
Practical detail, separated from the story so you can scan what matters when you are ready to visit.
Tickets & entry
Free to enter; you pay for what you drink and eat. No admission charge.
Opening hours
Ordinary pub hours, which change with the season, the day and the licensee — check the pub’s own page before making a special journey. Most Oxford pubs serve food at lunchtime and in the evening rather than all day.
Continue exploring / Oxford
What will you
do next?
Compare the practical essentials first, then open the experiences that earn a place in your plans.
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43CollegesAll the collegesEvery Oxford collegeOpen the college guide →Food & drink / a storyThe nine oldest pubsWalk the timeline →
Plan / Itinerary builderBuild your Oxford dayStart planning →05 / Where it is
Find it
on the map.
Drawing routeThe itinerary still works without the map.
05 / Good to know
Questions,
answered.
01How do I find it?
Down St Helens Passage off New College Lane, beside the Bridge of Sighs, or from Holywell Street. It is genuinely hidden — follow the alley rather than looking for a frontage.
02Is it really from 1381?
The pub opened around 1790 as The Spotted Cow. The older date refers to the site, not to the business.
03Is there room inside?
Very little. It is mostly three small courtyards, so it works best in decent weather.