Visitors are often surprised to learn that Oxford doesn’t have autumn, spring and summer terms. Instead, the academic year is divided into Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity Terms — names that sound more like church festivals than university terms. That’s no accident, the calendar is shaped by religion Oxford is oldest university in the English-speaking world, […]
Oxford is famous for punting, but it is also renowned for its wordplay and puns (well, it is the home of the Oxford English Dictionary). Countless lexicon-loving academics have shown their delight in double meanings and the sheer joy of mucking about with words. Ox Origins Oxford’s coat of arms is a pun on the
Hello and welcome! Born and brought up in Oxford, I have a deep-rooted connection to this historic city, and a passion for creating unique and engaging tours. It wasn’t until I returned to Oxford, after a stint abroad and in the drinks industry, that I came back and really saw the city I was so
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Oxford and it’s lesser-known stories can definitely raise a smile! I make use of my background in television comedy and radio production with the BBC to create fun and engaging experiences for all ages. I was born in Oxford, so have the knowledge to tailor tours to best suit your needs. My introductory tour covers
Ever since Oxford scientist Robert Hooke looked down his microscope and identified the first living cell, his scientific descendants have been studying tiny but important things. They have also been creating them. Most recently, Prof Sarah Gilbert and Prof Adrian Hill and their team created the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. To celebrate the 10 millionth dose given
From the mid-19th Century, a group of poets, painters, illustrators, and designers blazed a trail for a new kind of art. They became known as the Pre-Raphaelites. Flouting classical conventions of symmetry, proportion and chiaroscuro (use of light and dark), they abandoned detail and truth to nature, to create works rich in symbolism. They are
Sign of the times…Broken hearted...The salt of the Earth…Eat drink and be Merry…all phrases still used today. They could be Shakespearean, but they are in fact the creation of William Tyndale in his ground-breaking English translation of the Bible in 1526. A project that was to get him in a whole load of trouble and
Ever since the first Megalosaurus stalked the Oxfordshire meadows, animals have been central to Oxford’s story. After all, wasn’t the City’s location chosen for the convenience of the local oxen? Apparently not strong swimmers... Even the City’s patron saint, the Saxon Princess Frideswide, apparently evaded her suitor, Prince Algar, and put his dogs 'off the
Two legs good, four legs fabulous: Oxford and its animals Read More »
An Oxford graduate, my interest in the city’s history and heritage began as a student. On leaving university, I qualified as a barrister but went on to work as a journalist, writing for a wide range of publications including Newsweek, The Guardian and The Economist both in Britain and abroad. Almost 20 years ago I
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