The shark's fiberglass construction weighs approximately 440 pounds.
Local planning officials initially ordered the shark's removal, citing its lack of planning permission and the potential for a dangerous precedent.
The sculptor, John Buckley, worked on the piece for several months in his workshop before installing it in a single night using a crane.
The shark is officially titled 'Untitled 1986', though it is globally recognized as the Headington Shark.
Bill Heine, the original owner, successfully argued that the shark represented a person feeling helpless in the face of world events, which protected it under freedom of expression laws.
The house has been used as a rental property and vacation home, occasionally allowing visitors to stay inside the shark-topped residence.
The Headington Shark is a 25-foot long fiberglass sculpture of a shark installed head-first into the roof of a private residential home. Created by sculptor John Buckley, it was commissioned by radio journalist Bill Heine and unveiled on August 9, 1986. The shark commemorates the 41st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The installation was originally intended as a protest against the development of nuclear weaponry and the limitations of local planning control. It occupies a standard Victorian terraced house in a quiet Oxford suburb. Despite early attempts by the Oxford City Council to have it removed for being an eyesore, the sculpture was granted permanent planning permission in 1992. It remains a privately owned residence that functions as a functional home while serving as a public landmark.
From the opposite side of New High Street, providing a full view of the roof and the shark's orientation.
Since the shark is located on a private residential street, be mindful of residents' privacy and noise levels.
There is no official visitor center or ticket desk as the site is a private home, so visits are self-guided from the sidewalk.
Combine your trip with a walk through the surrounding Headington neighborhood to see more of Oxford's residential architecture.
Do not attempt to enter the private property or touch the house; view the sculpture from the public sidewalk only.
