Oxford: rain and guided wandering in Potter-land

In Tom Quad of Christ Church

View of Christ Church Great Hall

Saturday, so what else but more random wandering around a new city. But this time, there was guided wandering. After and 2ish hour drive, the two coach loads from Sussex arrived in Oxford and were split into 4 tour groups. Luckily I was in one of the smaller groups because our guide could only cope vocally with 25 (guides seem to take their work very seriously here). So we were off on our two hour guided wander through the colleges of Oxford, and particularly Christ Church, where the former Lewis Carroll mania has been ousted by Harry Potter.

Gates at Christ Church. The hat is for Cardinal Wolsey

Besides being the largest of the many colleges in Oxford, founded by Cardinal Wolsey, re-founded by Henry VIII, and having some lovely architecture, Christ Church is home to the Harry Potter Great Hall and stairs. Unfortunately it was closed during our walking tour but we were able to get back into the college with our brochures later that afternoon. It was very crowded.

In font of the high table

At Christ Church we also saw the Cathedral, one of the oldest buildings in Oxford and one of the smallest Anglican Cathedrals in England. It is also home to a fair amount of 12th century stained glass and a very cool vaulted ceiling.

very rare and old Becket Window

Henry VIII ordered that Cathedrals should get rid of any such windows commemorating Thomas Becket. However this 12th century windows was one of the few to survived because of Henry VIII's role with Christ Church and because the face of Becket was removed.

Wandering through the central area of Oxford, there was interesting architecture and colleges everywhere.

The Radcliffe Camera, now the Reading room for the Bodleian Library

the Bodleian Library, the main Library at Oxford. It is also a deposit Library which means it has a copy of all published books (possibly just those in the UK).

The Divinity School and perhaphs more importantly the infirmary in Harry Potter.

Near the end of the tour, it started drizzeling on us a bit so three of us (Kelly, Rose and I) ducked into a very nice but unpub -like pub for lunch and warmth. Then we were off to wander a bit more, this time unguided and ultimitly meet up with Rose's friend from home who is studying abraod at Oxford. After peeking our her window for faboulous Oxford views, being regaled with stories of academica at Oxford, consuming her cookies and tea and generally making a nuisance of ourselves it was time to call it a sucessfull and Potter-ful Day.

The very Crowded Harry Potter stairs!