Oxford: More than a matter of degree

A fascinating blend of academia and history, Oxford is hard to resist, says Rachna Singh 

Oxford is not exactly regarded as the hot spot on a tourist itinerary. It figures significantly only on the ‘must-do’ list for students attracted by Oxford University’s reputation for academic excellence. So whenever I try to describe the beauty of Oxford, I’m met with a stony silence and an expression that seems to say ‘Hey, its just another university’.

But for those of us who can appreciate a blend of rustic charm and history with overtones of academia, Oxford proves to be a dream destination. From the time you alight at the railway station, you can feel the old-world charm retained by the place. The cobbled streets, the topsy-turvy pathways, the hidden alleyways, the fairy-tale spires, the colorful baskets of flowers hanging outside quaint red-brick houses and, of course, the colleges that date back to the 13th century, all create an ambience steeped in history.

The best way to enjoy Oxford is to tour it on foot. The information centre at the station on Bond Street is equipped with a map of the city and various brochures on places of interest in the city. So armed with a map and a strong desire to explore, I strolled through the city examining its various treasures. But for those who would like to be introduced to the city by experts, the ‘hop on hop off buses’ with tour guides are the ideal choice. The Oxford City Council has also arranged for various Guided Walking Tours. You could take the ‘Pub Tour’ that takes you to various pubs, inns and hostelries where the likes of Churchill and C.S Lewis drank.

If you have a fascination for the dark side of life, you could take the ‘ghost tour’ that takes you through alleys in search of the city’s ghouls. Then for the more conservative, there is the ‘city tour’ of historic buildings and architectural wonders. There is a lavish feast for nature lovers as well in the form of botanical gardens and the Harcourt Arboretum. In the botanical gardens, 100-year-old cacti jostle for space with giant Victoria water lilies that are big enough and strong enough to hold a baby. The Arboretum in spring offers the quintessentially English bluebell woodland to explore and relax. For punting enthusiasts, the Cherwell offers the ideal ride that allows one to soak in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity, even as one sips champagne and nibbles on juicy strawberries.

For the museum lover, there is a rich repast on offer. The Museum of Oxford brings to life the story of Oxford through artefacts and room-settings. For the youngsters, there is a display on Alice in Wonderland and its creator Lewis Carroll, who was in fact Charles Dodgson, mathematics tutor at Christ Church from 1855-98. It is said that he befriended the Liddell sisters (daughters of Henry Liddell – the Dean of Christ Church College) and spun out stories to entertain them. The ‘Alice’ of his stories is in fact Alice Liddell. Alice’s dresses when she was a child and the taffeta gown she wore for her wedding are on display.

The ‘Ashmolean’ Museum on Beaumont Street, with its wonderful collection of sculptures and paintings, is another must-see. The Egyptian section with its mummies and settings of the life and times of the Egyptian Pharoahs is one of the most comprehensive collections in the UK. The paintings section consists of the works of great masters like William Turner. Then, of course, there is the Bodleian Library on Bond Street. You might wonder how a library could be of interest to anyone other than a scholar. But this one is definitely different. The library takes you on a trip to adventure land as you explore hidden underground tunnels and passages leading to book stacks where over seven million volumes occupy shelves spread over 180 km. Here you will also find the medieval library of Duke Humfrey that is still in use. Famous scholars like Oscar Wilde and C.S Lewis studied here. It is in fact claimed that 40 Nobel Prize winners were scholars here and so were 25 British Prime Ministers. The first rotunda library in Britain, interestingly called the ‘Radcliffe’ camera, also adds to the charm of the city.

For history ‘buffs’, Crafax tower is a mandatory stopover. This tower was a part of St Martin’s Church built in 1818. It was demolished in 1896 to solve the mounting traffic problems. The east fa`E7ade of the tower is adorned by a church clock and two ‘quarter boys’ that hit the bells every ‘quarter’ of the hour. The more adventurous could climb the 99 steps to the tower for a bird’s-eye view of the ‘dreaming spires’ of Oxford.

Every nook and cranny of Oxford has a story to tell. The Oxford castle is a veritable cauldron seething with gory tales. The castle, used as a place of incarceration from 1071 till 1996, brings alive the city’s turbulent past. The 900-year-old crypt inside the castle echoes with the story of Anne Green who survived her hanging and narrowly escaped being anatomised by an Oxford medical student in 1650.

Interestingly, the hangman character of the Punch & Judy show was none other than Jack Ketch, the public executioner of this infamous castle-prison. The cathedral on the premises of Christ Church College has a story all its own. It is the shrine of Saint Frideswide, who lived a thousand years ago. It is said that Algar, an evil king, wanted to marry Princess Friedswide. So Frideswide ran away and hid in the jungle. When Algar pursued her, he was struck blind. Frideswide took pity on him and cured his blindness and attained sainthood.

The Oxford story would be incomplete without a peek into the academic history of the city. For almost 800 years, Oxford has been an academic mecca. Originally, colleges began as medieval halls of residence for scholars tutored by a master. Balliol and Merton, founded in the 13th century are the oldest colleges while Kellog College, established in 1990, is the newest establishment.

Surprisingly, Oxford even has one all-girls college, which is appropriately called St Hilda. Strangely, one doesn’t see scholarly type students with their heads struck in huge tomes. The campuses are alive with an atmosphere of relaxed low-key energy. The sight of students reclining under trees or next to a fountain or sitting in a caf`E9 enjoying their books is so appealing that it makes you wish you were a student here.

Christ Church College, apart from its academic reputation, is also popular because the first two films of Harry Potter were filmed on its premises. The huge staircase and dining room in Hogwarts is the formal dining hall for students of the college. The dining hall also finds a place in Lewis Carroll’s books. The narrow spiral stair behind the ‘high table’ becomes the rabbit hole in the book. There is also a portrait of Henry VIII in the hall. Henry VIII executed his two wives. Lewis Carroll is hinting at this gory story when the ‘Red Queen’ in Alice’s adventures is continually shouting "off with her head". So Oxford with its blend of academia, history and old-world charm is like a huge story within a story that the visitor lovingly absorbs.

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