Andrew Smith’s guide to Oxford

andrew-smith-oxford

Hi! I’m Andrew Smith. I came to Oxford to study – just like many others. I then ended up staying here because Oxford is such a lovely and historical city. In fact, an interesting fact about Oxford is that it is the fast-growing city in England. Here are some of the things I enjoyed while staying in the city.

What's more, you can find out how to get there from anywhere in the world with my guide when visiting Oxford.

Studying in Oxford

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The University of Oxford has become an important hub for the educational industry. Many companies hire teachers from Oxford University because they think that having an Oxford connection helps them attract students.

Going to college is one of the best things about attending school. Oxford is no different from any other city. It has lots of people to meet; there are plenty of things to do and opportunities to discover new passions and talents. Oxford students don't just study for exams; they also take part in lots of fun activities and social events throughout the year.

However, it’s not just universities that provide educational opportunities for students. There is also the possibility of studying at a professional institute which offer short professional courses in Oxford. These are popular for staff from universities, government, and private companies.

Colleges in Oxford

University of Oxford

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The University of Oxford was established in 1096, which makes it the oldest school in the English-language world and the second-oldest school in continuous operation.

The University is a "campus university" in that it offers degree courses in various fields spread out across the centre of town. The Science Area where most of the scientific faculties are located is the place that comes closest to resembling a traditional campus. The 10-acre Radcliffe Observatory Quarter is being developed into a major residential district, but the large college campuses remain largely intact.

There are several iconic university buildings including the Radcliffe Camera, which is the oldest part of Oxford's central library; the Sheldonian Theatre. The theatre hosts music concerts, lectures, graduation ceremonies, and other events.

Then there are the Examination Schools, which were originally built to house students who had failed their exams but later became the site of most of the examinations at Oxford. The church of St Mary the Virgin is also unique because it serves as both a college church and a parish church.

The University Park is a 70-acre (27 ha) park located in the northeastern part of the city, near the colleges of Keble, Somerville, and Lady Margaret Hall. It is open to visitors during the daytime. It has several sports facilities, used for official and unofficial fixtures, and also includes some interesting sights such as the Genetic Park, which studies evolution.

Ruskin College

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Ruskin College was founded in 1884 by art historian John Ruskin (1819–1900). It is now located at the heart of Oxford University’s campus. It is not an institution at Oxford University. It is named after John Ruskin, an English writer, art and social theorist who wrote extensively on aesthetics and ethics. He founded the Oxford School of Art which later became part of Ruskin College. Degrees offered include BA (Hons), MA, MPhil, PhD and PGCE.

Ruskin College tends towards a curriculum that emphasizes social relevance, students who wish to make a difference in society, and scholarly activities that are engaging and relevant.

Oxford Brookes University

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Oxford Brookes University was formerly known as Oxford Polytechnic. It is a new University, which was granted university status by the Further and Higher Education (FHE) Act 1992. The University was named after its first principal, John Henry Brookes, who played a major part in the establishment of the institution.

Oxford Brookes University consists of four main campuses and one in Swindon.

Oxford Brookes Students’ Association is the students’ association of the university. It provides a wide variety of services for students including a safe transport scheme, a careers advice centre, a library, and a sports club. In 2011, Oxford Brookes Students‘ Association was ranked among the best in the UK for students’ unions, according to the National Students’ Survey (NSS).

Things to do whilst visiting Oxford

Here are some of the places you can visit while staying in Oxford.

Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 272950

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The Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) is a museum housing many of the university's natural science specimens. It is located at Parks Road in Oxford, England.

Oxford Castle & Prison

44-46 Oxford Castle, Oxford OX1 1AY, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 260663

oxford-prison

Oxford Castle is a large, partially ruined medieval castle. Many parts of the original medieval motte and baileys castle were replaced in stone during the 11th or 12th centuries, and the castle became central to the conflict between King Stephen and his nephews for control of England.

Oxford Botanic Garden

Rose Lane, Oxford OX1 4AZ, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 610300

botanic-garden

It is one of the oldest botanic gardens in Great Britain today, containing over 5000 species of living organisms.

Florence Park

94 Cornwallis Road, Oxford OX4 3PW, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 249811

florence-park

The Florence Park is an old, historic park located in North Omaha, Nebraska. It was established in 1848 when the first settlers arrived in the area.

Ashmolean Museum

Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 278000

ashmolean-museum

The Ashmolean is one of the oldest museums in the UK. It houses some of the most important collections of art and archaeology in Europe.

Hotels in Oxford

Listed here are hotels that you can stay in when in Oxford.

Hotels

Premier Inn Oxford Cowley hotel

Oxford Business Park, Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2JT, United Kingdom.

Phone: 0333 321 1384

Travelodge Oxford Peartree

Moto Service Area, Peartree Roundabout, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 8JZ, United Kingdom.

Phone: 0871 984 6206

Leonardo Royal Hotel Oxford – Formerly Jurys Inn

Godstow Road, Oxford OX2 8AL, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 489988

The Buttery

11-12 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AP, United Kingdom.

Phone: 01865 811950

Premier Inn Oxford City Centre (Westgate) hotel

Greyfriars Court, Paradise Square, Oxford OX1 1BE, United Kingdom.

Phone: 0333 003 8101

Holiday Inn Oxford, an IHG Hotel

Peartree Roundabout, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 8JD, United Kingdom.

Phone: 0371 942 9086

Five interesting facts about Oxford

A trip to Oxford is a must for any visitor from abroad who might also be visiting London. Oxford is only 1 hour by train or express bus from London. If you aren’t sure whether it’s worth visiting this beautiful and historical city, consider these 5 interesting facts about Oxford.

Oxford University is too old!

The University of Oxford was founded in 1096 AD, making it the second-oldest university in the entire planet. It is beaten in ages by the University of Bologna, which was founded in 1013 AD. However, in terms of university rankings, it has been rated number one in the whole wide universe for both 2017 and 2018.

Oxford might be the right place for you as an author

Oxford has more people who've written books than any place else in the world. Among these writers are JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, and Mark Haddon.

It has the Narnia door!

If you walk by the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin, you might be able to spot the door to Narnia. It looks like an ordinary door but has a fiery lion carved into its wood. It's called ‘The Narnia Door’. C.S. Lewis was a professor at the college where he taught English literature. He passed this door every day.

Radcliffe cameras do not really have a camera

Camera means chamber in Latin. Therefore, there are no technical features in the Radcliffe Camera but many historical books! There are no physical copies of any of the books at Oxford University, but there is a small walkway connecting the Bodleian Library to the Radcliffe Camera where you can borrow books from the university's collection.

Alice in Wonderland is NOT true.

Alice was a real girl named Alice Liddell, who was the daughter of the Dean of Christ Church College. Lewis Carroll, a mathematician, and teacher at the university, wrote a book for young girls about her adventures during his time there. He did not want to associate himself with children’s literature, so he never published the book.

However, twenty years later as a gift for Alice, he penned the entire tale down and handed it to her in a notebook. Fortunately, she was able to persuade him to publish it by convincing him to pick a pseudonym. He decided upon Lewis Carroll and the book became a treasured story. Make sure to visit Alice’s shop on 83 St Aldate's.