The Oxford Guide

Carfax is the name of the central crossroads in the centre of Oxford. It is the intersection of two roads which both change their name.

• North - Cornmarket, Pedestrianised
• South - St. Aldate's, Open to traffic.
• East - High Street (also known as The High), Open to traffic with restricted hours.
• West - [Queen Street]? (also known as [Queens]?), pedestrianised, buses and taxis only

The name 'Carfax' is a corruption of the Latin Quadrifurcus, or the French "Quatre faces". What would 17th Century inhabitants make of the modern meaning of car-fax I wonder?

[Carfax Tower]? sits on the North-west corner of the junction. This is part of what was St. Martin's Church, which was demolished in 1896 for road widening. The building is now a tourist attraction.