Oxfordshire

Home

Oxfordshire

Accommodation


Hotels, B&B etc

Self Catering

Mobile Homes

Holiday Parks

Boating Holidays

Camp Sites
Caravan Parks

Purchase MAPS
for this area online
direct from
ORDNANCE SURVEY

Oxford is renowned as one of England's two great university towns, steeped in history and tradition.

The university is not a campus but a collection of 36 colleges and 5 halls scattered around the city centre alongside the shops and offices of commercial Oxford.

The town was established around a safe crossing of the river Thames ('Oxen-ford') by the 10th century, and religious communities were in evidence by the time of the Norman Conquest.

These monasteries were the forerunners of the university colleges, providing 'halls' where students of theology could be accommodated.

The university evolved during the 11th century, becoming an increasingly important centre of learning for theology, law, mathematics and philosophy.

The colleges were founded, often with substantial endowments, from the 12th century onwards.

Today the university accounts for almost 15,000 of Oxford's 115,000 population.

The streets, houses, colleges, churches and chapels of Oxford represent a carefully documented catalogue of English history. The centre of the city has 900 buildings of architectural or historic interest. The Carfax Tower is all that remains of the 14th century church of St. Martin: it offers a splendid view of the dreaming spires of Oxford.

The Bodleian Library, founded by Sir Thomas Bodley in 1602, is one of the world's greatest libraries and contains over 5 million books.

The collections are housed on three separate sites linked by tunnels. Oxford's famous museums include the Ashmolean Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum, the Museum of the History of Science, the Bate Collection of Historical Instruments and the Museum of Oxford.

Oxford aerial jpg.jpg (32719 bytes)

Oxford is a lively cultural centre and offers a wide variety of performing arts featuring distinguished artists. Music at Oxford presents concerts in historic settings such as the Sheldonian Theatre, Christ Church Cathedral and the Holywell Music Room. The City of Oxford Orchestra offers Summer Proms and a programme of 'Beautiful Music in Beautiful Places'. Opera, ballet, pantomime, musicals and major concerts are all in the programme at the Apollo Theatre, and the Oxford Playhouse has Shakespeare, modern drama, comedy and musicals in its programme.

Many of the colleges have fine gardens and neat quadrangles, while some have quite extensive grounds. Christ Church Meadow has riverside walks, while Port Meadow, an ancient common to the north west of the city, is an extensive open space close to the city. The Botanic Gardens opposite Magdalen College, were founded in 1621 and present an opportunity for quiet enjoyment just off the main thoroughfare.

Oxford straddles two rivers and is served by the Oxford canal. The river Thames (known as the Isis in Oxford) flows along the west side of the city. The river Cherwell flows down the east side through meadows with pleasant footpaths. The Oxford Canal runs north-south providing opportunities for angling, boating and walking along the towpath. Traditionally flat bottomed punts are used on the river, and rowing is a well-known university sport with inter-collegiate events in February and May. Steamers ply for hire between Oxford and Abingdon during the summer and shorter trips are also available.

Local customs and traditions include the May Morning (May Day) when choristers sing madrigals from the top of Magdalen College Tower from 6.00am. Another custom is the rounding up of horses and cattle on Port Meadow once a year - this is to ensure that only those belonging to freemen of the city are benefiting from grazing rights there which are controlled by the Sheriff of Oxford. The Sheriff's Races are held on nearby Wolvercote Common annually in July. During spring and summer, Morris Dancers put on displays in and around the public houses in the city.

Oxford is famous for its bookshops - Blackwell's, Thornton's, Parker's and Dillon's are superb places to browse.

And when it comes to refreshments, many of the city's fascinating pubs are open all day and serve light meals as well as a good range of ales.

Sightseeing is made easier with a tour organised by the Oxford Guild of Guides, booked through the Information Centre; alternatively you can view the city and the colleges from an open topped double deckers bus - circular tours pick up at many points in the city.

The Oxford Story is a ride-through exhibition of the story of the university.

Radcliffe Camera jpg.jpg (17225 bytes)
The Radcliffe Camera

Tourist Information Centres:

OXFORD
Oxford Information Centre, 15/16 Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AS
Tel: 01865 252200 Fax: 01865 240261
E-mail: tic@oxford.gov.uk
Web: www.visitoxford.org

Open: Monday to Saturday 9.30am-5pm
Sunday and public holidays in summer 10am-3.30pm
Official guided walking tours daily all year 11am and 2pm.
Tourist and local information. Bed and breakfast bookings
for Oxford and other places. Maps, guides and souvenirs.

WOODSTOCK
Woodstock Visitor Information Centre, within The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1SN
Tel/Fax: 01993 813632
E-mail: tourism@westoxon.gov.uk

WITNEY
Visitor Centre, 51a Market Square, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX8 6AG
Tel: 01993 775802 Fax: 01993 709261
E-mail: witney.vic@westoxon.gov.uk

DIDCOT
118 Broadway, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 8AB
Tel/Fax: 01235 813243

THAME
Tourist Information Centre, Market House, North Street, Thame, Oxfordshire, OX9 3HH
Tel/Fax: 01844 212834

WALLINGFORD
Tourist Information Centre, Town Hall, Market Place, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 0EG
Tel: 01491 826972 Fax: 01491 832925

Useful Links:

The Oxford Guild of Guides Walking Tours Web Site

[back to top]

Tourist Net UK Ltd, Hanover House, 87 Hassell Street, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1AX