4/50: Oxford, Oxfordshire

The last of my January visits, Oxford is a place I know very well in ways, but is not a place that can be easily sterotyped: and I therefore felt it deserved to be on the list. In any case, it seems a bit bizarre to try and sum up Oxfordshire without visiting Oxford, especially as it contains so many of the county's characteristics, whilst having a distinctly different side to it. Even without its much-lauded university, Oxford has a number of key attractions: it is one of the many passing points of the River Thames (it's also known in Oxford as the Isis), it was the host of a vast number of burnings that took place during the reign of Mary Tudor - hence the memorial to Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley - and it served as the Headquarters for King Charles and the Royalists (that most famous of pop groups) during the English Civil War. However, to try and sum up Oxford without mentioning the University is a thankless task, especially when there are so many University colleges in the city centre alone. The fact that Oxford University is the oldest of its kind in England alone speaks volumes about its history, not to mention the fact that it has seen the likes of Thatcher, Rowan Atkinson and Samuel Johnson pass through its doors as students, which gives you a glimpse of its diversity.

The Oxford Ox (and Brian)

However, if you arrive in Oxford by train, as I did, the first thing you see is not a University building, but the statue of an Ox just outside the station: as the logic behind place names goes, Oxford's is pretty clear-cut. Heading east towards the centre, you soon pass over the Thames, as well as getting a glimpse of Oxford Castle, which sadly does not compare well to its peers. Shortly after this, the shopping centres loom, but it is only after Queen Street that Oxford really becomes enticing, as the "city of dreaming spires" comes into its own. An interesting mix of shops, pubs and colleges, Oxford's centre compresses itself into a cross between Touristville and Studentville: no souvenir too tacky, no shop devoid of student discounts, no street too pedestrianised! Thankfully, the latter makes the city relatively car-free, though some would argue that the many cyclists are a constant menace. Opposite Balliol College and by these pedestrianised streets, the Tourist Information Centre is definitely worth a peek, not least because of the amusing fridge magnets, which include a wobbling don on a spring next to the iconic Bridge of Sighs.

The River Isis

Although January is not always the best time to visit Oxford - punting on the Thames isn't available in the winter months - it is significantly cheaper to visit the colleges at this time, and you get to experience the colleges when they are full of students, rather than full of tourists. Some colleges stand out more than others, though they are all worth a peek if you have the time: Christchurch is the location of the Cathedral, whilst St. John's and Merton are usually seen as the big hitters, due to their size, prestige and vast wealth. However, colleges such as these usually require a map (it is very easy to get lost in St. John's!), and you may find smaller colleges such as St. Edmund Hall and Oriel more appealing: St. Edmund's is one of the smallest colleges, whilst Oriel is medium-sized, and is right next to Merton and Christchurch. Also of interest are Jesus College (it is a running joke that hundreds are rejected by Jesus every year), Balliol (one of the oldest colleges) and Magdalene, which has its own deer park. Apparently every don gets their own deer, and if the don dies, then the deer is killed. Which makes you wonder what happens when the deer dies...

Magdalene College... where the deer and the graduates play?

My particular interest in Oxford is that I am an honorary member of one the University's many societies: namely, Oxford University Light Entertainment Society (OULES for short). OULES are one of at least four Drama Societies, but unlike the others, they are dedicated to putting on performances for those who aren't able to attend theatre performances, such as the elderly. They are also dedicated to having a laugh, randomly bursting into song, and (in some cases) gin. I had the honour of co-writing one of the plays they performed in 2005, and both my brother Al and my sister Rose performed in it: indeed, Rose has been a member of OULES since 2001, when she started studying at Balliol. We met up in the Four Candles for lunch: sadly, this Wetherspoons pub has not taken the opportunity to exploit the reference to that most famous of Two Ronnies sketches, but it is a decent enough pub, and has the advantage of being both "town" (non-student friendly) and "gown" (student friendly), which isn't the case with most Oxford pubs.

"No, fork 'andles... 'andles for forks!"

Whilst most pubs in Oxford do a good lunch, the best places to eat are arguably the cake shops, particularly the Vaults, which on location alone is worth visiting, as it is right next to the Radcliffe Camera, and is only a stone's throw from the aforementioned Bridge of Sighs, a brilliant copy of the Venetian original (as might be expected, Cambridge also has a copy). Although the cakes do seem a little pricey at first glance, you cannot complain about the quality, and the friendly staff are a credit to the city. Shopping is also decent, particularly if you're a fan of bookstores: but it is interesting to note that Oxford City Centre never had a Woolworths, though this isn't as strange now as it was a few years ago!

The Radcliffe Camera

The Bridge of Sighs

Like many of the places I've visited so far, what strikes me about Oxford is the contrast: this is a place where it is not uncommon to see a magnificent piece of Gothic architecture shunted into the background by the presence of a kebab van. The colleges may give the impression that this city is thriving, and in terms of tourism it most certainly is, but a brief foray into the residential areas shows that Oxford is still struggling to recover from the decline of one of its main industries: automobile production at Cowley, in the south-east of the city. It would be going too far to say the area is deprived: however, some of the residential areas appear to be suffering from gradual decay, and you sense that this is an area where the recession could bite with some force. Both Oxford and Oxfordshire have been faithful servants to England's history, and both are a credit to the country, but stereotype either at your peril: this county is so much more than a hotbed for students.