Oxford
With its compelling combination of majestic architecture, literary heritage and double identity as (parts of) Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, Christ Church…
Must-see attractions in Oxford
Oxford
At least five kings, dozens of prime ministers and Nobel laureates, and luminaries such as Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien have studied in Oxford's…
Oxford
Guarding access to a breathtaking expanse of private lawns, woodlands, river walks and even its own deer park, Magdalen ('mawd-lin'), founded in 1458, is…
Oxford
Britain’s oldest public museum, Oxford’s wonderful Ashmolean Museum is surpassed only by the British Museum in London. It was established in 1683, when…
Oxford
If exploring an enormous room full of eccentric and unexpected artefacts sounds like your idea of the perfect afternoon, welcome to the amulets-to-zithers…
Oxford
Founded in 1264, peaceful and elegant Merton is one of Oxford’s three original colleges. Like the other two, Balliol and University, it considers itself…
Oxford
New College isn’t really that new. Established in 1379 as Oxford’s first undergraduate college, it’s a glorious Perpendicular Gothic ensemble. Treasures…
Oxford
Little now remains of Oxford Castle, which was built for William the Conqueror in 1071, and largely destroyed after the English Civil War because the…
Church of St Margaret of Antioch
Oxford
Binsey’s small 12th-century church stands half a mile west of the Thames (and The Perch pub), in a splendid rural setting that’s only slightly marred by…
Oxford
One of Oxford’s wealthiest and most tranquil colleges, All Souls was founded as a centre of prayer and learning in 1438. Much of its facade dates from…
Oxford University Museum of Natural History
Oxford
Housed in a glorious Victorian Gothic building, with cast-iron columns, flower-carved capitals and a soaring glass roof, this museum makes a superb…
Oxford
Small, select and elegant, Brasenose College was founded in 1509. A Brasenose Hall, belonging to Oxford University, already stood here by 1262, however,…
University Church of St Mary the Virgin
Oxford
The ornate 14th-century spire of Oxford’s university church is arguably the dreamiest of the city’s legendary ‘dreaming spires’. Otherwise, this is famous…
Oxford
Built from 1663 onwards to provide an appropriately grand setting for the university’s degree ceremonies – a function it still performs – this monumental…
Oxford
Surely Oxford’s most photographed landmark, the sandy-gold Radcliffe Camera is a beautiful, light-filled, circular, columned library. Built between 1737…
Oxford
Famed worldwide as a debating society, and also known for attracting prominent international speakers, Oxford’s legendary Union is largely off-limits to…
Oxford
Dating its foundation to ‘about’ 1263, Balliol College claims to be the oldest college in Oxford, though its current buildings are largely 19th-century…
Museum of the History of Science
Oxford
Students of science will swoon at this fascinating museum, stuffed to the ceilings with awesome astrolabes, astonishing orreries and early electrical…
Oxford
Founded in 1555, this small college boasts a lovely 17th-century garden quad, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. Its exquisite chapel, a masterpiece of…
Oxford
Founded in 1314, Exeter is known for its elaborate 17th-century dining hall, which celebrated its 400th birthday in 2018, and ornate Victorian Gothic…
Oxford
Known for its musical excellence, this college is steeped in esteem and heritage. Although founded in 1341, its main claims to architectural fame are the…
Oxford
Founded at some point before 1317, St Edmund Hall is the sole survivor of Oxford’s original medieval halls, the teaching institutions that preceded the…
Oxford
With a doorway sporting a lion’s head knocker, flanked by two golden fawns, this tiny alley is often said to have inspired elements of CS Lewis’ magical…
Oxford
As Oxford colleges go, St Peter's is modest in age, size and decoration. Founded in 1929, it comprises a handful of architecturally contrasting buildings…
Oxford
Showcasing stimulating temporary exhibitions in its bright white airy galleries, and graced with a spacious cafe and a good shop, this excellent museum is…
Oxford
As you stroll along New College Lane, look up at the steeped Bridge of Sighs linking the two halves of Hertford College. Completed in 1914, it's sometimes…
Oxford
All that remains of St Martin's Church, demolished in 1896, this 13th-century landmark looms over what has been a crossroads for 1000 years. Climb the 99…
Oxford
Christ Church Cathedral, entered from the quad, doubles, uniquely, as the college chapel and the city’s cathedral. From the 8th century onwards, this site…
Oxford
Stretching beside the River Cherwell, Oxford's small, peaceful botanic garden was founded in 1621 for the study of medicinal plants. The oldest of its…
Oxford
The ruined chapel is all that remains of Godstow Nunnery, on the Thames’ west bank 3 miles northwest of Oxford, near The Trout pub. Founded in 1145 by…
Oxford
Although archeologists have identified traces of Bronze and Iron Age settlements bulging from this marshy Thameside meadow, northwest of Jericho, it has…
Oxford
Conceived in celebration of Oxford’s unparalleled storytelling heritage, the Story Museum sprawls its way through a courtyard complex that includes…
Oxford
Opened as the New Bodleian Library by King George VI in 1946, and renamed following a modernist overhaul in 2015, the Weston Library remains an extension…
Oxford
Long one of Oxford’s wealthiest colleges, Christ Church has amassed an exceptional art collection. Drawn from the 14th century onwards, it’s displayed in…
Oxford
Christ Church Meadow, a lush expanse bordered by the Cherwell and Thames (or Isis) rivers, stretches away south and east of Christ Church. It's ideal for…
Oxford
Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien (1892–1973) is buried with his wife Edith at Wolvercote Cemetery, 2.5 miles north of Oxford city centre. Their…