Schmap Oxford The Walk

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Oxford - The Walk
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From Carfax Tower carefully cross to the St Aldates side of High Street, or 'the High' as it is commonly called, and walk along the right hand pavement.

After 100 yards, just before the traffic lights and opposite market entrance three, turn right into a little alleyway called 'Wheatsheaf Yard'. This interesting alleyway is not only the home of one of the oldest firms of ironmongers in the country, Gill & Son, but, as almost the entire right hand side is made up of pubs and brasseries, is also a good spot for eating and drinking.

At the bottom of Wheatsheaf Yard turn left along Blue Boar passing on your left The Bear which has been in business in one form or another since 1247. Continue along Bear Lane to arrive in Oriel Square.

Turn right into Oriel Square passing several 18th century houses owned by Oriel College and used for accommodation. On your right is the eastern part of Christ Church and on your left Oriel College founded by Edward II in 1326, the fifth oldest college, but the first to be founded by a monarch.

Walk to the bottom of Oriel Square and turn left into Merton Street passing Corpus Christi College on your right. If the entrance is open take a peek at the Front Quad, where the elaborate sundial was erected by Charles Turnbull in 1581. After a further 50 yards the wrought iron gates on the right lead to Christ Church Meadow but continue straight on beyond Magpie Lane. The building on the left immediately after Magpie Lane is accommodation for Corpus Christi students.

On the right is Merton College chapel and beyond is Merton College itself with its imposing gatehouse tower and statues of the founder, Walter de Merton, the king at the time, Henry III, St John the Baptist and various animals.

Across the road from Merton is Beam Hall, now owned by Merton and used for seminar and computing rooms. Continue along Merton Street and after a few yards on the left is a gateway which leads to a Real Tennis court. Real Tennis has been played in Oxford for more than 500 years and this court is the second oldest still in play in England (the oldest is at Hampton Court).

After another few yards turn left up University College bridleway and through the wrought iron gates. The modern building on the right after the dogleg is accommodation for first year Univ students.

Emerging onto the High Street immediately opposite is Queen's College with its distinctive cupola and statue of Queen Caroline, the wife of George II. Turn left along the High Street with University College on the left. The main entrance to the college is reached after 50 yards and a few yards further on notice the wall plaque referring to Robert Boyle and Robert Hooker.

Just beyond and across the road is All Souls College with, on the entrance tower, a relief of the Resurrection of the Dead above statues of the founder, Henry Chichele Archbishop of Canterbury and of Henry VI. Immediately after Catte Street is St Mary the Virgin the parish church of the university.

On the left just after Magpie Lane is the northern wing of Oriel College. Named the 'Rhodes Building' after Cecil Rhodes, an Oriel graduate, benefactor and founder of Rhodes Scholarships. His statue at the top of the entrance tower is the only one in Oxford of a man in civilian as opposed to clerical or military dress.

A few yards further but across the road is the High Street frontage of Brasenose College with its eight oriel windows. Despite appearances the main entrance to Brasenose is not on the High but in Radcliffe Square. Carfax Tower and the end of the walk are now in sight just a little way along the High.

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All Souls College

College of research fellows

High Street
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AL
United Kingdom
+44 1865 27 9379
http://www.all-souls.ox.ac.uk/

Founded in 1438 by Archbishop Chichele of Canterbury as a memorial to those who died in the 100 Years War with France, its full name is The College of All Souls of the Faithful Departed. This unique college takes neither undergraduate nor graduate students, only Research Fellows. The imposing twin towers (designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor) and Christopher Wren's sundial are features of the Great Quad which was completed in 1733.

Review © 2007, Wcities

All Souls College photo by Cécile Matthey

Photo: Cécile Matthey

All Souls College photo by Carmen Alonso

Photo: Carmen Alonso

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All Souls College photo by Eric Rochester

Photo: Eric Rochester

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Photo: Bonnie Soohoo

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Photo: Andrea B Baumann

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Photo: Fouad Bechwati

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All Souls College photo by Hsu-hua (Jen) Chen

Photo: Hsu-hua (Jen) Chen

All Souls College photo by Alexandru Iordan

Photo: Alexandru Iordan

All Souls College photo by Megan Clayton

Photo: Megan Clayton

All Souls College photo by J.P. Stofregen

Photo: J.P. Stofregen

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All Souls College photo by Ettore Ferranti

Photo: Ettore Ferranti

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All Souls College photo by Dennis Chuang

Photo: Dennis Chuang

All Souls College photo by Fiona Humphries

Photo: Fiona Humphries

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Photo: Nelski prospekt

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All Souls College photo by Catherine Brewster

Photo: Catherine Brewster

All Souls College photo by James Baldwin

Photo: James Baldwin

All Souls College photo by Peter Sherlock

Photo: Peter Sherlock

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Photo: Anne Emmert

All Souls College photo by James Watkins

Photo: James Watkins

All Souls College photo by Nancy and Christopher

Photo: Nancy and Christopher

Photo: Mark Funk

Bear

Oxford's oldest pub 6 Alfred Street
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4EH
United Kingdom
+44 1865 72 8164 This pub, established in 1242, claims to be Oxford's oldest. It is very small and its popularity ensures that it is often packed in the evening. Located off the High Street down Wheatsheaf Yard, it can also be reached down an alley off St Aldates, past Oxford Museum. You'll easily spot the pub by the cut-out of a chained bear adorning one of its white walls. The Bear serves real ales, and from noon to 3p fairly standard pub food is available. It shares an outside seating area with the nearby Wheatsheaf Pub.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Trevor M. Hall

Brasenose College

Known as BNC Radcliffe Square
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AJ
United Kingdom
+44 1865 27 7823
http://www.bnc.ox.ac.uk/ Brasenose is one of the oldest and most central of the Oxford colleges. It enjoys a unique position overlooking the beautiful architecture of Radcliffe Square, and its own buildings are of just as high a standard. The Tudor-style Old Quad, with its 18th-century sundial, is the most many visitors see as they glance in from the street. The more adventurous can visit the attractive chapel and library. The Dining Hall is usually open so you can also see the ancient "brazen nose" door-knocker from which the college gets its name.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Corpus Christi College

Corpus Christi College Merton Street
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4JF
United Kingdom
+44 1865 276700
http://www.ccc.ox.ac.uk/ Founded in 1512 by Bishop Foxe of Winchester, this is one of the smallest Oxford colleges. Foxe was blind, so after the college had been built he was guided round the front quadrangle three times in order to trick him into thinking it was much bigger than it really was. In the middle of the attractive, paved front quadrangle is Turnbull's sundial (built in 1579-83), which is actually 27 sundials topped with the founder's emblem - a pelican representing the Body of Christ (Corpus Christi).

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Merton College

Oldest buildings in the university Merton Street
Oxford University
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4JD
United Kingdom
+44 1865 27 6310
http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/ Merton isn't one of the best known Oxford colleges, but it is one of the largest, and one of three colleges claiming to be the oldest in Oxford (the others are Balliol and University). Founded in 1264 by Walter de Merton, the college has the oldest buildings in the entire university and the oldest surviving medieval library.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Oriel College

Grandest quad in Oxford Oriel Square
Oxford University Campus
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4EW
United Kingdom
+44 1865 27 6555
http://www.oriel.ox.ac.uk/ Oriel got its name from La Oriole - a house which stood on the site of the present front quadrangle. This quadrangle, restored in the 17th century, is one of the grandest in Oxford, and is dominated by the stepped entrance to the Hall, with intricate stonework and statues of Charles I and Edward II above. Alumni of Oriel include Sir Walter Raleigh and Cecil Rhodes.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Queen's College

Fine classical architecture High Street
Oxford University Campus
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AW
United Kingdom
+44 1865 27 9120
http://www.queens.ox.ac.uk/ Queen's is probably the finest example of classical architecture in Oxford. The college was founded in 1340, but the original buildings have gone, and a rebuilding programme in the 17th and 18th centuries resulted in the quadrangles we see today. The architecture of the front quadrangle is particularly noteworthy, and was heavily influenced by the architect Nicholas Hawksmoor. The screen wall that fronts the High Street also owes much to Hawksmoor, though it is attributed to a local Oxford mason William Townesend. This college is only open to the public on official city tours.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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