Oxford

I was living pretty close to Oxford and visited twice over the past year. It's a really beautiful town, definitely worth the visit.

University of Oxford building

Of course, it is known worldwide because of the University of Oxford which is the oldest English university. Actually, the city began life in 900 AD as a place to cross the river with oxen, which is where the name comes from (Ford of the oxen - a ford being a shallow part of the river that can be crossed by foot).

The Oxford Castle was built in 1066 by William the Conqueror. It was another motte and bailey castle (basically a fortification on a bit of raised earth called a motte surrounded by an enclosed courtyard called a bailey). He seems to have built a lot of this type of castle. In fact, a quick google search of motte and bailey castles informs me that the Normans actually introduced this kind of castle to England and built about 1000 of them. Before I accidentally stumbled upon this castle after a walk along the river, I didn't really even know there was a castle in Oxford city - I think the University is more well-known. To be honest, I didn't find the castle that impressive and it didn't draw me inside. I would say that if you only have one day to spend in Oxford, stick around the university - in my opinion the castle may not be worth a visit, especially if you are going to see or have seen other castles around England. I didn't go inside, so I don't really have anything to tell you about that.

The University of Oxford first began shaping up in the 12th century, though there was already a history of formal education from around the time that the castle was built. There doesn't seem to be a formal date of foundation. In 1209, there were disputes between the townsfolk and the students and some of the academics at Oxford left. They ended up founding the University of Cambridge, England's other old, world-renowned University. These two universities petitioned the King in 1333 and no new universities were allowed to be built anywhere in England from this time until 1820, thus these two universities remained the only two in England until this time.

The Radcliffe Camera

One of the most well-recognised buildings often photographed in Oxford is the Radcliffe Camera. It was originally the Radcliffe Library and housed books, but the books were moved in 1861. It became a reading room rather than a library and this is when it became known as the Radcliffe Camera.

View of university buildings from Saint Mary's, courtesy of Cindy Song

Quick tip: for the best view of the Radcliffe Camera, and indeed the whole city of Oxford, climb up the tower in Saint Mary's Church. The church is located directly opposite the Radcliffe Camera.

There are also many museums and galleries operated by the university, open to the public. I didn't get a chance to visit them, but apparently the world's oldest museum is located in Oxford and is called the Ashmolean Museum (http://www.ashmolean.org/).

If you have a bit of time, I would recommend just taking a walk around. Oxford is a very picturesque city and you can find some nice walking routes with pretty views. Take a look here for some suggestions of walking routes through Oxford.

Good food in Oxford:

Yeti Nepalese: A small Nepalese restaurant, but definitely one of my favourites. It is a little outside the centre of town, but I made the trek out there both times I visited - it is that good! You could take a bus or go for a little walk out there. I recommend the Poleko Paneer Mix. The fried paneer cheese is perfect. The restaurant is only open 5:30-11. Visit the website for more info: http://www.yetinepalese.co.uk/

The Head of the River: This is a pub right on the river. It is definitely a beautiful spot to sit and have a drink, but it is on the expensive side. At the time we were there, the service was extremely slow and there was constantly a long line for drinks. We ordered some fries and had to go back twice to ask if it was coming. Despite that, if you can find a spot to sit out on the patio, it is a very nice view. (http://www.headoftheriveroxford.co.uk/)

That's all for now! xox

P.S. Unfortunately I seem to have deleted the photos from my first trip to Oxford. I had taken a lot more photos the first time around, especially from Saint Mary's Church. Thanks to Cindy Song for the contribution of the last photo!