After soaking up the atmosphere in the Lake District, England, it was now time to head to the university city, Oxford. Oxford University was calling our name!
Getting to Oxford was not a straightforward undertaking. It would not be the first time that our drive through the English countryside was disrupted because of narrow carriageways or livestock. A couple of these interruptions slowed our progress. Bob and I found it quite entertaining!
When a delivery truck and coach bus met at a narrow crook in the road, the breadth of the two vehicles was going to make it near impossible for them to pass at the bend. Our lane of traffic had to back up to a lay-by in order for the bus to proceed.
A little further on, I spotted a shepherd about to guide his flock of sheep across the highway. I missed the shot of the farmer in the fold with the sheep.
Bob was more than pleased when the shepherd asked him to block the sheep’s path of escape while buses and cars served that purpose in the other direction. The flock crossed to a pasture with the farmer bringing up the rear.
We still arrived in Oxford with time left in the afternoon for a walking tour. From our accommodation, Bath Place Hotel, it was a comfortable walk to a number of major attractions including Oxford University, Christ Church Cathedral, and the Bodleian Library. The Tower of Five Orders seen above is the main entrance to the Library, one of the oldest libraries in Europe.
Sir Thomas Bodley is the man responsible for re-founding the library at Oxford University in 1602. It was one small room above the Divinity School. Today, the library is called Duke Humfrey’s Library. It is one of five libraries in five separate buildings that constitute the whole of the Bodleian Library. Sir Thomas Bodley’s chest was his personal strongbox for safekeeping of money and valuables.
Being avid Harry Potter fans, our son and I were thrilled to visit this location since Duke Humfrey’s Library was featured in the iconic scene where Harry explores the restricted section of the library under his Cloak of Invisibility in The Philosopher’s Stone movie.
The Divinity School itself is a medieval building. The elaborate lierne vaulting on the ceiling was designed in the 1480s by William Orchard.
As Bob and I navigated the streets after leaving the Divinity School, our eyes were drawn to this delightful bridge called the Bridge of Sighs. This city landmark, also referred to as the Hertford Bridge, connects the Old and New Quadrangles of Hertford College. Its name stems from its similarity to the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy.
A short walk to the Sheldonian Theatre afforded us rooftop views of the surrounding area from the Cupola. The Sheldonian Theatre is the principal assembly room of the University of Oxford.
Sitting just around the corner from the Bodleian Library (seen here on the left) and the Radcliffe Camera Library, the Sheldonian Theatre is considered one of the architectural jewels of Oxford. From the Cupola, we had an excellent view of the Radcliffe Camera Dome in the near distance.
Looking east from the rooftop of the Sheldonian Theatre, we admired the Bridge of Sighs with its graceful arch over New College Lane.
The bridge’s distinctive design by Sir Thomas Jackson led to the structure becoming one of Oxford’s notable landmarks. It is protected because of its architectural and historic interest.
A hub for students, the famous King’s Arms is the oldest pub in Oxford. We could see it looking northeast from the Sheldonian rooftop. Built in 1607, the pub remains in its original location on Holywell Street.
The sight of the Radcliffe Camera Dome enticed us to visit the Radcliffe Camera Building next. Camera in Italian means “room”. The Radcliffe Camera Building is a focal point of the University of Oxford where it sits in the heart of Oxford separate from other buildings.
The Baroque style of the Radcliffe Camera Building was designed by James Gibbs. It was built between 1737-1749. The unique circularity of this building makes it a must see building in Oxford even though it is not open to the public.
This is the view we had of the Radcliffe Camera Building as we left the Bodleian Library. The Church of St. Mary the Virgin is situated south of The Camera, as the Radcliffe is more often called.
Officially part of the Bodleian Libraries, the Radcliffe Camera Building is home to the Radcliffe Science Library, the main library for teaching and research of science at the University of Oxford.
I must confess that, although the three of us were really impressed with the buildings seen so far, we were all very anxious to get to Christ Church College. Every one in our family had read the complete series of Harry Potter books, and we could hardly wait to see Christ Church College’s Dining Hall, the inspiration for the Great Hall in Hogwarts Castle. We will showcase that location in the next blog post.
Checkout: The Marvels of Tower of London and Tower Bridge, England
Frame to Frame – Bob and Jean