Christ
Church
Christ Church dispenses with the nomenclature of "college" and is known as
"the House". It is one of the largest colleges and was founded in 1525 by
Cardinal Wolsey and re-founded after Wolsey's fall by Henry VIII. Tom
Tower, which was added by Wren in 1681-82, contains the huge bell weighing
over 7 tons known as the Great Tom. Every evening at five minutes past
nine it peals 101 times (once for each member of the original college). In
earlier times the last peal of the bell was the signal for all college
gates to be closed.
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum, founded in 1683, is the most important of the four
university museums and is the oldest museum in the country. The neo-Classical
building, which was designed by C. R. Rockerell, houses a magnificent
collection of art and antiquities, including classical sculpture, Far
Eastern art, Greek and Roman pottery and a valuable collection of jewelry. Christ Church
Colleges
Although the center of Oxford is not large, plenty of time should be
allowed for a visit, since there are so many things to see. The main
features, of course, are the 40 colleges, which as a rule are only
accessible to visitors during the afternoon in term-time. Ever since the
13th century college buildings have been set out around a quadrangle,
subsequently around several inner courtyards, with a gate which could be
locked when necessary. They included a chapel, dining-hall, library and
rooms for the students and their tutors, so that each college formed an
autonomous body.
High
Street
Merton Street leads into the splendid High Street, a busy street lined
with magnificent buildings. It was described by Wordsworth in a sonnet,
and the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-64) called it "the
finest street in England.
Magdalen College
Situated in the High Street is Magdalen College, which was founded in 1458
by William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, on a site which was then
outside the town walls. High Street
Merton
College
Merton College is the oldest college still in existence. It was founded in
1264 by Walter de Merton, Chancellor of England and later Bishop of
Rochester. Unlike other colleges, it was intended in the first place for
secular students. The Chapel consists of a choir of 1277 and a large
antechapel of 1414; the tower was added in 1481. Most of the windows of
the choir have their original glass (there is a particularly fine Virgin
and Child in the east window). The brass lectern of about 1500 is another
notable feature.
Distinguished members of Merton College have included the politician, Lord
Randolph Churchill (1849-94), poet T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) and Max
Beerbohm (1872-1956), the English writer and artist.
europe, map of europe, travel
europe, 89 europe, europe tour, eastern europe, flight to europe, great britain
europe, europe cruise, europe vacation, history of europe, travel europe france, map
of western europe, britain europe general great, cheap flight to europe, europe
car rental, europe news, wow europe, rail europe, map of eastern europe, western
europe, europe trip, europe travel guide, backpacking europe, europe
hotel, central europe, europe germany, europe travel package, nfl europe, eastern
europe travel, europe ireland, europe train, cheap travel europe, blank map of
europe, europe river cruise, europe airfare, ski europe, cheap airfare to
europe, europe country, country in europe, holiday, visit europe, europe france, europe
atlas, union europe, europe beach, cheap ticket to europe, united kingdom and
europe,
Christ
Church
Colleges
High
Street
Merton
College
