|
Oxford
Find cheap accommodation here.
About Oxford
Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire,
England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). Its latitude
and longitude are 51°45'07" N and 1°15'28"
W (at Carfax Tower, which is usually considered the centre).
It is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university
in the English-speaking world.
It is known as the "city of dreaming spires", a
term coined by Matthew Arnold for the harmonious architecture
of the university buildings. Unlike its great rival, Cambridge,
Oxford is an industrial city, particularly associated with
car manufacture in the suburb of Cowley.
Oxford is twinned with Bonn, Grenoble, Leiden, and León.
History
Oxford was first occupied in Saxon times, and was initially
known as "Oxanforda". It began with the foundations
of St Frideswide's nunnery in the 8th century, and was first
mentioned in written records in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
for the year 912. In the 10th century Oxford became an important
military frontier town between the kingdoms of Mercia and
Wessex and was on several occasions raided by Danes.
The University of Oxford is first mentioned in 12th century
records. Oxford's earliest colleges were University College
(1249), Balliol (1263) and Merton (1264).
Oxford Coat-of-arms
Motto: Fortis est veritas
(Latin: "Truth is strong")Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford is unique as a college chapel and cathedral in one
foundation. Originally the Priory Church of St Frideswide,
the building was extended and incorporated into the structure
of the Cardinal's College shortly before its refounding as
Christ Church in 1546, since which time it has functioned
as the cathedral of the Diocese of Oxford.
The relationship between "town and gown" has often
been uneasy—several university students were killed
in the St Scholastica Day Riot of 1355.
During the English Civil War, Oxford housed the court of
Charles I in 1642, after the king was expelled from London,
although there was strong support in the town for the Parliamentarian
cause. The town yielded to Parliamentarian forces under General
Fairfax in 1646.
In 1790 the Oxford Canal connected the city with Coventry,
linking with the River Thames, and in the 1840s the Great
Western Railway and London and North Western Railway linked
Oxford with London.
In the 19th century the controversy surrounding the Oxford
Movement in the Anglican Church drew attention to the city
as a focus of theological thought.
Oxford's Town Hall was built during the reign of Queen Victoria.
Though Oxford has city status and is a Lord Mayoralty, the
seat of the city council is still called by its traditional
name of "Town Hall".
By the early 20th century Oxford was experiencing rapid industrial
and population growth, with the printing and publishing industries
becoming well established by the 1920s. Also during that decade
a major car-building industry was begun by the Morris Motor
Company.
On 6 May 1954 Roger Bannister, a student at Pembroke College,
ran the first authenticated sub-four minute mile at the Iffley
Road track in Oxford.
Oxford's "other" university Oxford Brookes University,
formerly Oxford Polytechnic, based at Headington, was given
its charter in 1991.
Transport
Oxford is located some 50 miles (80 km) west of London; the
cities are linked by the M40 motorway, which also links northwards
to Birmingham.
Rail connections include services to London (Paddington),
Bournemouth, Worcester and Bicester. The city also has regular
train services northwards to Birmingham, Coventry and the
north.
The Oxford Canal connects to the River Thames at Oxford.
Tourist Attractions
Oxford has many major tourist attractions, some associated
with the university. As well as several famous institutions
(such as the Ashmolean Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum and
the Bodleian Library), the town centre is home to Carfax Tower
and a historical themed ride, The Oxford Story. In the summer,
punting on the Thames (known as the Isis as it flows through
Oxford) and the Cherwell is popular.
Other notable attractions include:
Christ Church Cathedral
The Church of St Mary the Virgin (the "University Church")
The Clarendon Building (often used as a set for film and television)
The Radcliffe Camera (one of several institutions named after
John Radcliffe)
The Sheldonian Theatre
The University Parks
Media and press
As well as the BBC national radio stations, Oxford and the
surrounding area has several local stations, including BBC
Radio Oxford, Fox FM and Passion 107.9 [1] (http://www.passion1079.com/).
A local TV station, Six TV - The Oxford Channel [2] (http://www.oxfordchannel.com/OxfordIndex.htm)
is also available.
Popular local papers include the Oxford Mail, the Oxford
Times, and the Oxford Star.
Literature in Oxford
Colin Dexter wrote and set his Inspector Morse mystery novels
in Oxford.
Famous Oxford-based authors include:
J. R. R. Tolkien (Professor of English at Merton)
C. S. Lewis (fellow of Magdalen)
Iris Murdoch (fellow of St Anne's)
Philip Pullman
Lewis Carroll
|
Home