Outfit used
2007 Bailey Ranger Series 5 620/6
2007 Mitsubishi Shogun 3.2 DI-DC Elegance
There has always been great rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge. The University boat race, varsity rugby match and cricket match prove this. But which University City offers the most for us tourists?
I was born in Cambridge and was a student at the University, so I admit to being biased. But I tried to let go of my prejudices for one week and judge the City of Oxford and Oxfordshire on its own merits.
Setting off for the city of dreaming spires with my my Swift Charisma towed by the Chrysler 300c Touring I was pretty sure Cambridge would give Oxford a run for its money.
After pitching up at the Camping and Caravanning Club Site in Oxford, I headed straight for the city centre. The Park and Ride is across the road from the site so there was no need for the car. In ten minutes I was in the city centre.
I got off the bus near the castle and headed for . It is one of the most well known streets in the city because of the striking Sheldonian Theatre and Bodleian Library.
On my walk there I noticed there are a lot of similarities between the two rival cities. Both Oxford and Cambridge are cities of spires and Gargoyles. They are strange and enchanting places. Mythical creatures like dragons and unicorns adorn college buildings. Gargoyles leer menacingly from their lofty perches and colourful bosses adorn the vaulted ceilings of archways.
You can see why such places as Christ Church College, Oxford were used as Hogwarts dining hall in the latest Harry Potter film. They are so close to being fantasy places themselves. Oxford in many ways resembles a medieval Disney land and has inspired much fantasy literature, such as Tolkein's Lord of the Rings.
Many of us can feel that places like Oxford and Cambridge are forbidding places of learning and only for the privileged few. But don't let that put you off visiting. Oxford is as much your city as it is the city of dons and students. Your taxes have helped fund the university. Academics there are working for our good by researching on cures for cancer, trying to understand the beginnings of life on earth and of course honing their debating skills in the University Union, so that one day they may be Prime Minister and shape the destiny of our country. Tony Blair is just one of the 22??? Prime ministers that have studied at the university.
As if to prover this I got to Broad Street and bumped into a friendly man with a cardboard box in his hand. In it was a bright green moth/butterfly, the size of my two hands (PHIL PIC). He explained he had found this mega moth in a building not far away and was taking it to be identified by a professor at the university who was a world expert in such things. All I thought was it would take a lot of moth balls to stop that thing eating your best suit. But it proved my point that the academics at the university are there to help us.
Moving on I reached the. This impressive round building was built from 1664 – 68 and was designed by architect, Sir Christopher Wren, famous for St Paul's in London. The Sheldonian was built for graduation ceremonies. Previously these had been held in the University Church of St Mary the Virgin on High. It was thought these increasingly rowdy occasions should not be held in a place of Worship. The then Archbishop of Canterbury, Gilbert Sheldon ended up footing the bill for this impressive building and so it bears his name.
I have to admit, the Sheldonian was impressive. In many ways it could be said to eclipse the fine senate House in Cambridge, designed by James Gibb 1722- 1730, but Gibb also has an Oxford Connection. He designed the spectacular . Just round the corner from the Sheldonian, it is an impressive building that houses the books many undergraduates need. Incase you are wondering why it is called camera, that is the Latin for room or chamber. J.R.R Tolkein, author of the Lord of the Rings, once remarked it resembled Sauron's temple to Morgoth on Numenor.
A good place to view this stunning piece of architecture is from on the High Street. It costs a couple of quid to go up the tower and you will be panting like a dog after climbing to the top, but the views over Oxford and All Souls College are worth the cash and the physical exertion.
Next on my list of buildings to see was the . It is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and is second in size only to the British Library. I caught the fag end of a tour of the library and heard it was one of the six legal Deposit and copyright libraries in the UK. That means it is entitled to request a free copy of any book within one year of publication.
I have to say the Bodleian knocks the socks off Cambridge University Library in architectural terms. That library built in the 1930's is so ugly that it has to be hidden by trees. However, Cambridge has an ace up its sleeve with the Wren library, which was designed by Christopher Wren and is breathtaking.
Walking passed the Bodleian; I came to the famous Bridge of Sighs. Fans of Inspector Morse will recognise it instantly and remember seeing Morse's classic MKII Jag parked under it in several episodes. However, to get a car into Oxford you have to wait until after 7pm.
The Oxford bridge of sighs is part of Hertford College, linking the Old and New Quadrangles. Said to be a copy of the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, although many claim it looks more like the Rialto Bridge there. Being built in 1914, I think Cambridge out does Oxford on this point because its Bridge of Sighs at St John's College was built almost a century earlier and is far more impressive as it spans the river Cam.
Author Evelyn Waugh studied at Hertford College and you can imagine how he got the inspiration for his novel, Brideshead Revisited, with surroundings of such epic grandeur.
I felt I needed to learn more about the university. The Oxford Story is also on Broad Street. It takes you through a history of the university whilst you sit on a replica of the old lecture seats that are on wheels and are drawn along rails back through time.
After all that walking around Broad Street, I was glad of a sit down. The cart I was riding on creaked and groaned as I listened to the commentary by Magnus Magnusson and saw scenes from the history of the University recreated by waxwork dummies.
I was interested to learn that relations between town and gown have always been bad. Apparently one day in 1355, a day no known as St Scholasticas day, things came top a head. There was a riot and the locals killed 60 students. I know students can be annoying but that was taking things too far.
The Oxford Story provided an informative and entertaining ride through the university's history. I learned about all the famous scientists and prime ministers the university has produced and about the Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, also known as Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland. He was an Anglican Clergyman, mathematician, writer and photographer of note. The Alice books are said to be inspired by Alice Liddell, the daughter of friends of Carroll. He was a student and lecturer at Christ Church College and he used to take Alice and her sisters for picnics in Christ Church meadows. It is said this is where Carroll came up with the idea for his fantasy/satirical novels. I had to see this place, so I made my way to Christ Church.
Those in the know call Christ Church "The House" because of its Latin name "Aedes Christi", the House of Christ. It is the only university college to have a cathedral and Christopher Wren designed the tower at the St Aldates Street entrance. It has a bell that tolls 101 times every day at 9-05pm to commemorate the original 101 members of the college.
It cost £4.95 to look around the college, which I thought was a little steep. My father used to work at the college and boasted that it was one of the richest Oxford Colleges. Now I can see why. But gripe aside, it is a beautiful place and well worth visiting.
After all this site seeing I needed a cup of tea. I made my way down to the High Street, often referred to as "The High". There I found the The Grand Café. You can't miss it as it is painted a grey/blue and has gold lettering. It was established as far back as 1650 and is on the site of the first coffee house in England. In those days, coffee houses were seen as threatening places where people went to talk sedition and revolution. So much so that a bill was passed through parliament to suppress coffee houses.
To be contrary I had a cream tea there, although the café sold some great coffees, including Blue Mountain.
Fortified with a cream tea I headed back towards Christ Church for evensong in the cathedral. Entry is free, but the college prefers you not to walk around the grounds, so it is not a way to get into the college on the cheap. There is no better way to appreciate the beauty of a building such as Christ Church cathedral that when listening to the celestial voices of the college choir. Watching the sun stream in through the cathedral door and illuminate the stained glass window at the eastern end of the cathedral. It was the nearest you could get to heaven on this earth and a great way to finish the day. Even though the cathedral was quite something, I preferred the grandeur of King's College Chapel Cambridge.
I retired to my caravan, but realised I hadn't got anything for dinner. Not to worry, there was a Super market just down the road, so I was sorted.
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