Crowds gathered at Oxford’s Castle Mound for the historic moment a flaming tribute was set alight to mark the grand milestone of the Platinum Jubilee.
A network of thousands of beacons across the country were lit at the same time last night, to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.
The act of lighting beacons is a long-held tradition and has also been used to mark royal weddings and coronations.
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The Oxfordshire Lieutenancy brought together civic leaders from across the county for the awe-inspiring moment at Oxford Castle, with the Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor James Fry, representing Oxford City Council.
The sound of a bugle was heard before the lighting of the beacon by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Brian Buchan.
The flaming tribute in Oxford was lit at 9.45pm, joining almost 3,000 sites across the UK, including the Tower of London, Windsor Great Park, Hillsborough Castle and the Queen’s estates of Sandringham and Balmoral, along with the tops of the UK’s four highest peaks.
The first beacons to be lit were in Tonga and Samoa in the South Pacific, and the final one in the central American country of Belize.
Oxford’s flaming display stood tall on the castle mound as it lit up the castle grounds. People from across the county joined to catch a glimpse of the display.
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Oxford's Lord Mayor said: "It's great to see everyone in the spirit of the Jubilee post Covid; it is a privilege. It's the first time I've worn this hat."
Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, said: "I think it is wonderful that Oxford Preservation Trust has come together with the civic authorities and a number of other organisations so we can have a beacon lighting in Oxford."
Debbie Dance, of Oxford Preservation Trust, said: "We are really proud that they have chosen the castle mound. Such an important part of Oxford's town history and, of course, the Queen came to open it here 15 years ago, when it was open to the public for the first time ever."
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Today, a Lord Lieutenant’s parade will take place through the city, with a civic procession from Oxford Town Hall to Christ Church Cathedral for a Service of Celebration at 2pm.
The procession will be led by bagpipe player Will Bissett.
Read more from this author
This story was written by Rebecca Whittaker, she joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.
Rebecca covers education and news in Abingdon and Wantage.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Rebecca.Whittaker@newquest.co.uk or calling 07824524333
Follow her on Twitter @RebecWhitt
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