 A contract for the Cripley Meadow site was already in place, but a change in leadership at GWR meant that the workshops were built at Swindon instead.Before 1891, it is likely that Cripley Meadow was used for horse grazing, similar to Port Meadow, and also hay production.By March 1891, about 14 acres of the land was let to the "North Oxford and Jericho Allotments Association" for allotments.