Think of OXFORD and inevitably you think of
its university, revered as one of the world's great academic
institutions, inhabiting honey-coloured stone buildings set around
ivy-clad quadrangles. Much of this is accurate enough, but although the
university dominates central Oxford both physically and mentally, the
wider city has an entirely different character, its economy built on
the car plants of Cowley to the south of the centre. It was here that
Britain's first mass-produced cars were produced in the 1920s and,
despite the fact that there have been more downs than ups in recent
years, the plants are still vitally important to the area.
Oxford
started late, in Anglo-Saxon times, and blossomed even later, under the
Normans, when the cathedral was constructed and Oxford was chosen as a
royal residence. The origins of the university are obscure, but it
seems that the reputation of Henry I , the so-called "Scholar
King", helped attract students in the early twelfth century, their
numbers increasing with the expulsion of English students from the
Sorbonne in 1167. The first colleges, founded mostly by rich bishops,
were essentially ecclesiastical institutions and this was reflected in
collegiate rules and regulations - until 1877 lecturers were not
allowed to marry and women were not granted degrees until 1920. There
are common architectural features , too, with the private rooms
of the students arranged around quadrangles (quads) as are most of the
communal rooms - the chapels, halls (dining rooms) and libraries.
Oxford
should be high on anyone's itinerary, and can keep you occupied for
several days. The university buildings include some of England's finest
architecture, and the city can also boast some excellent museums and
numerous bars and restaurants.
The City
The
compact centre of Oxford lies in between the Thames and the Cherwell
rivers, just to the north of the point where they join. In theory, and
on most maps, the Thames is known within the city as the "Isis", but
few locals actually use the term. Central Oxford's principal point of
reference is Carfax , a busy junction from where three of the city's main thoroughfares begin: the High Street runs east to Magdalen Bridge and the Cherwell; St Aldate's south to the Thames; and Cornmarket
north to the broad avenue of St Giles. Many of the oldest colleges face
onto the High Street or the sidestreets adjoining it, their mellow
stonework combining to create one of the most beautiful parts of
Oxford. Here, as elsewhere in the city, all of the more visited colleges have restricted opening hours
to enable them to control the flow of tourists, and some impose an
admission charge, too, while others permit no regular public access at
all. Of those that do open their doors, opening times are fairly
consistent throughout the year, but there are sporadic term-time
variations, especially at weekends. It's also worth noting that during
the exam season, which stretches from late April to early June, all the
colleges have periods when they are closed to the public. For more
specific information, call the relevant college.
Copyright Rough Guides Ltd as trustee for its authors. Published by Rough Guides.
All rights reserved.The Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd.
