Oxford Attractions: What To Do When You Stay in Oxford
Although Oxford is a University city there is plenty for you to do if you decide to visit it. The river Thames and the river Cherwell run through the city and meet just south of its centre. If you have the time during your visit, you can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the banks of either of these.
There are lots of other things to do and see when you visit Oxford and here we will look at just a few of them.
1. The Ashmolean Museum is Britain’s first museum and is still thought to be one of the greatest in the world. In fact when this was founded the term museum had not even been coined and its creator based it on a collection of natural history specimens brought together by John Tradescant and his son and which were then given to Elias Ashmole. He then had a special building erected in which the collection could be housed and it first opened its doors to the public in May 1683. In 1718 the Alfred Jewel was added to the collection.
As the size of the collection grew, the original building became too small and a new museum building was erected and opened in 1894. Then by the end of 1908 the collection of items collected and displayed in the Ashmolean were merged with an art gallery and that is what you will see today.
2. Originally called the Physic Gardens, the Oxford Botanic Gardens were founded by Henry Danvers in 1621 so that he as the Earl of Danby could study medicinal plants. The garden cost £5,000 to create (a large sum at this time) and was built on the site of a form medieval Jewish cemetery. The plant ragwort was propagated here from seeds that came from Mount Etna. This is the oldest surviving botanic gardens in England and along with the herb and medicinal plants you can view tropical lilies, palms and other arid zone plants in various greenhouses in the gardens. The gardens also feature a rock garden and a bog garden for you to explore.
3. Located on Oxford High Street is the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. This is a very important building in Oxford University’s history. It was in the walls of this building that the first library for the university was established and it is believed that in the early part of the 12th Century Masters and students were gathered at it.
It was in this building that the trial of the Bishops Latimer and Ridley along with Archbishop Cranmer took place for heresy in 1555. They soon became known as the “Oxford Martyrs”. It is on one side of Radcliffe Square and facing it is the Radcliffe Camera. One of the buildings most notable features is the spire which contains components from when it was originally constructed in the 13th Century. The more energetic can climb the towers one hundred and twenty seven steps and be rewarded with spectacular views of the city.
When you next visit Oxford, choose your hotel in Oxford from this list.
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