Grand universities, filled with gowned students, libraries brimming with
academic knowledge and a skyline of spires are the images that spring to mind
when the city of Oxford is mentioned. I’d come to have a little taste of this
fabled city myself, but also to see what else the county of Oxfordshire
has to offer.
In a break from tradition, instead of allocating a minuscule amount of time to visit a county, I’d gone for a slightly longer stay, still far
too short but rather than the usual half day per county I had three days. I’d
also ditched the notion of completing the whole of England in one loop. Yes it
was always ambitious to say the least, but unexpected commitments reared their
head and cut the whole trip short by three weeks. The rest of the trip will be completed in
more leisurely batches.
I arrived in the far south-west of the county amongst its rolling chalky
hills. I’d chosen this as a starting point as there is an ancient but often
overlooked monument nestling amongst these hills. High up on a hillside sits a
gargantuan chalk carving of a horse dating back over 2000 years. No one knows
why it was created and I was very keen to see it for myself and ponder its
mysteries. There was just one slight problem, the hilltops were still blanketed
with snowdrifts and a thick drizzly mist was clamped low over the whole region.
There was no chance of seeing anything!
I quickly replanned and set out for a 13th Century tithe barn
instead. These barns were a common feature of medieval England. Peasant farmers
were required to bring 10% of their crops as a church tithe to be stored in
these large church owned buildings. Today very few exist; this one was
particularly well restored. Well I think it was anyway, it sits unattended and
unlit. In the dim light it was very hard to make out any of the features but
the interior was still impressive with towering twisting beams and joists.
This part of the county was historically part of Berkshire but was
transferred to Oxfordshire in the 70s as part of a nationwide shuffle of
borders. The border previously followed the River Thames which meanders along
its wide fertile river plain before heading towards London. This was also the
Saxon border between the Kingdoms of Sussex & Mercia. Further west the
county rises into the stunning limestone Cotswold Hills, I’ll be visiting them in
adjoining counties at a later time, for this trip I still had the city of
Oxford to visit.
The city has an unusual layout. At its core a tightly packed mesh of
lanes and ancient university buildings huddle together, a ring of grassland and
rivers separates this elite core from some surprisingly grim industrial
suburbs. The whole plan seems designed specifically to make driving
problematic, an unusual situation for a major car production centre, Minis
& BMWs are manufactured here in Oxford. The city is very small, just
150’000 people call it home, yet its esteemed universities and huge tourist
appeal bring diverse crowds into the city, many arriving in a flotilla of
daytrip coaches from London.
I’m not one for joining a herd of tourists so I headed into the city
with no plan. There are so many sites in such a small space that I decided to
just meander through the alleys and see where I ended up.
The city was well set out for simply wandering about, the centre is
packed all manner of diversions and helpfully there were information boards
everywhere giving helpful information on the various sights. The golden stone
buildings decorated with intricate carvings and spires brought inspiring views
with every turn. I decided to get my bearings from one of the best views in the
city, from the spire of the Church of St Mary the Virgin.
To reach the top a series of steep and very narrow spiral staircases
wound ever upwards until finally reaching the walkway around the spire. The
view was spectacular. Stretched out on all sides the cityscape unfolded. From
this vantage point you could get a clearer view into a few of the universities
quadrangles, grassy courtyards enclosed by ornate medieval buildings. Just to
one side sat the Radcliffe Camera, an impressive domed academic library,
unfortunately shut to visitors. I’d made the foolish mistake of not buying a
guide before climbing so I had to rely on my phone’s map to identify the
numerous landmarks. I must have looked very odd stood on top of a church tower
staring at my phone!
After returning to ground level and grabbing a very tasty bite to eat at
an international street food market I headed to some more indoors attractions.
The weather had started to turn so it was time to pick a place to visit.
The obvious choice was the Ashmolean Museum, housing a vast collection
of art and antiquities from around the globe. The collection is of a scale and
quality you’d expect from a major city like London, far more impressive than
I’d expect, the free entry also surprised me. I was particularly taken by a
vast Elizabethan tapestry map depicting Oxfordshire and its surrounding
counties. Very apt for my trip!
A short break in this city had certainly whetted my appetite for more,
it’s certainly a place I’ll return to. After such a great city I needed to
bring my expectations back down to a level again before moving on to the next
county. There was a less academically or historically impressive attraction to
see hidden away in the city suburbs.
Turning into a nondescript street of Victorian terraced houses a very
unexpected sight comes into view. A giant shark buried head first in the roof
of a house! It arrived in the 80s and has remained here ever since.
So now it’s onward for a few days in Buckinghamshire, will this impress
just as much? There’s only one way to find out!
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| The Medieval Tithe Barn |
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| Areal view over Oxford's university complexes, All Soul's College in the foreground. |
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| The Radcliffe Camera |
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| Buildings of central Oxford |
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| The Heddington Shark |
