There has always been a degree of conflict between the interests of Town and Gown. The Scholastica's Day Riot in 1355 in Oxford was the worst eruption.

Through the Eyes of a Cartoonist

In 1674 in his history of the university, Anthony Wood wrote:

On tuesday 10th February 1354 (being the feast of St Scholastica the virgin) came Walter de Sprinheuse, Roger de Chesterfield, and other clerks to the tavern called Swyndlestock. And there calling for wine, John de Croydon the vintner brought them some, but they disliking it.. and he avouching it to be good, several snappish words passed between them. At length the vintner giving them stubborn and saucy language, they threw the wine and vessel at his head. The vintner therefore receding with great passion, and aggravating the abuse to those of his family and neighbourhood, several came in encouraged him not to put up with the abuse, and withal told him they would faithfully stand by him. Among those were John de Bereford, Richard Forester and Robert Lardiner, who out of proposed malice seeking all occassions of conflict with the scholars, and taking this abuse for ground to proceed upon, caused the town bell at St Marton's to be rung that the commonality may be summoned together into a body. Which being begun they in an instant were in arms, some with bows and arrows, others with divers sorts of weapons. And then they, without any more ado, did in a furious and hostile manner set upon divers scholars, who at the time had not any offensive arms, no not so much as anything to defend themselves. The chancellor, perceiving what great danger they were in, caused the university bell at St Mary's to be rung out, whereupon the scholars got bows and arrows, and maintained the fight with the townsmen until dark night.

A DAY WITH A MEDIEVAL UNDERGRADUATE

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