by Antony J Waller

Created on: January 05, 2010   Last Updated: January 06, 2010

Oxford, a city of dreaming spires set amidst the splendours of the richly coloured English countryside is part of England’s cultural heritage, an ancient seat of learning and home to one of the world’s foremost academic institutions.

Occupied since Saxon times when it was called ‘Oxenaforda’, literally ‘Ford of the Ox’, Oxford rose to prominence in the 10th century due to its strategic location between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex.  Academic life came to Oxford from the 12th century through various religious orders of monks, amongst them Cistercians and Franciscans who founded religious houses and thereby seats of learning in or near the city. The foundation of the University and its colleges grew in the following century when foreign students expelled from the Sorbonne in Paris came to Paris.

The history of Oxford is rich and varied. During the reign of Mary I in 1555 Protestant martyrs were tried, found guilty of heresy and burnt at the stake. In the English Civil War Oxford declared for the Royalist cause and Charles I and for three years was his headquarters before falling to Parliamentary forces in the siege of 1646. In the centuries that followed Oxford’s importance grew with the era of canal building and the coming of the railways, industrial growth and manufacturing, publishing and printing industries.

For the tourist visiting Oxford today, there is much to see and do. First and foremost visitors will want to see the colleges with their ancient architecture, ‘dreaming spires’, quadrangles and gardens, stairways and corridors and fittings dating back over the centuries.

The Colleges – most are open to the public and worth visiting, the best known being: All Souls, Balliol, Christchurch, Magdalen with its beautiful bell tower, Merton, Queens, and University Colleges.

The Ashmolean Museum – home to a notable collection of Oriental treasures.

Bodleian Library – one of the oldest and most famous libraries in the world.

Radcliffe Camera – a classical styled domed building, a reading room for the Bodleian Library.

Sheldonian Theatre – the ceremonial hall of the University designed by Sir Christopher Wren also offers splendid views over the city.

There are various museums including the Museum of Modern Art, Museum of the History of Science and the geological and scientific collections of the University Museum.

However, Oxford offers more too. There are lovely walks through the University Botanic Gardens and along the banks of the River Cherwell. Boats and punts are available for hire on the Cherwell and the Thames. Shops and shopping from souvenirs to special maps and prints abound in the modern shopping centres and malls and the Victorian covered market in the High Street. Blackwell Books claims the largest single room devoted to book sales in Europe. Coffee houses, restaurants, pubs and bars cater for all tastes. Entertainment in the theatres and cinemas provides something for everyone from musicals, plays and drama to classical music recitals, rock and pop concerts.

For more detailed information on Oxford please see:- http://www.oxfordcity.co.uk/

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