{"id":690,"date":"2017-07-05T11:13:00","date_gmt":"2017-07-05T11:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/2017\/07\/05\/the-dreaming-spires-of-oxford\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T04:59:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T04:59:48","slug":"the-dreaming-spires-of-oxford","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochellesroost.com\/index.php\/2017\/07\/05\/the-dreaming-spires-of-oxford\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dreaming Spires of Oxford"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nFriday, June 30, 2017:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\nOff to Check out Oxford\u2019s Dreaming Spires:<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
\n            <\/span><\/span><\/b>In a past life, well over thirty years ago, Shahnaz
\nused to be a stewardess with Air-India. Her travels have taken her around the
\nworld many times and Oxford had been on her agenda\u2014in the hoary past. Not
\nremembering anything of the city, she was delighted to have me for a guide in one
\nof my favorite cities in the whole world\u2014my sometime home, the seat of much of
\nmy intellectual activity.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n            <\/span>We had booked tickets by Megabus from London and, awaking
\nagain at the crack of dawn, we boarded one at 7. 30 am from London Victoria to
\narrive on The High at about 9.00 am. From this time on, our exploration would
\nbegin. We resolved to stop for a rest every one hour\u2014and often we did (but not
\nnecessarily after each hour).  <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\nHere
\nis the walking tour route through which I took her:<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\n1.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>From High Street
\ninto Queens Lane, passing by St. Edmund Hall College and New College. This
\naffords the first glimpses of what Mathew Arnold so memorably called \u201cthe
\ndreaming spires\u201d of Oxford. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n2.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Detour into Turf
\nTavern Alleyway to see the home of Jane Burden, Muse to the Pre-Raphaelites and
\nwife of artist William Morris.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n3.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>A peep into the
\nTurf Tavern, well associated with the fictional Inspector Morse, a creation of
\nthe novelist Colin Dexter, and Bill Clinton (both of whom downed countless
\npints here).<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n4.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Under the Bridge
\nof Sighs that joins two parts of Hereford College to bring us out on Catte
\nStreet.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n5.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>A glimpse of the
\nIndian Institute with its Indian motifs on the walls\u2014cows, lions, an elephant.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n6.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Walk down
\nHolywell Lane to see Holywell House where music recitals are often held. Also
\nthe site of the pilot episode in the TV series Lewis <\/i>which was a spin off from Inspector
\nMorse.<\/i><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n7.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>A return to Catte
\nStreet and a walk down Parks Road to get to Rhodes House to see the base of all
\nRhodes Scholars in Oxford in a building with a spectacular rotunda designed by
\nHerbert Baker (who, together with Edwin Lutyens), designed the city of New
\nDelhi.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n8.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>A visit to the
\nNatural History Museum to see Charles Ludwig Dodgson (Lewis Carol) memorabilia
\nin the special vitrine dedicated to the extinct Dodo bird. We also saw the
\ndinosaur skeletons and wonderful stone sculpted scientists like Darwin and
\nLinneaus. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n9.    
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>A visit to the
\nPitt Rivers Collection in the back of the Museum to see thousands of items
\ncollected by Oxford naturalist Pitt Rivers\u2014the Shrunken Heads are the biggest
\nattraction and we saw them (they also feature in an episode of Lewis<\/i>). We also saw the New Zealand
\nknife that featured in an episode of Inspector
\nMorse<\/i> (\u201cThe Daughters of Cain\u201d). On the advice of a guide, we actually took
\nthe elevator to the second floor (a first time for me) for wonderful views of the
\ncollection from on high. This enabled us to admire the brilliant architecture
\nof Victorian designers\u2014a feature with which we are familiar as Crawford Market
\nin Bombay looks very similar to this building (as does Empress Market in Karachi).
\nUpstairs, we took in the endless collection of just one man that includes
\neverything you could possibly imagine from terracotta pots of native American
\nIndians to Canadian totem poles, from pointed spears and arrowheads to
\nshell-studded dolls and other toys. It is truly a stupendous collection.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n10. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Crossing the
\nstreet, we entered Keble College\u2014sadly it was not open to visitors at this
\nhour, but we did get a peep into its sunken Quad and had the opportunity to
\nadmire its red brick fa\u00e7ade which is different from the Gothic exterior of other
\nOxbridge colleges.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n11. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Brisk walk
\nbrought us back to The Broad (Broad Street) where we took a much-needed rest in
\nthe cafeteria of the new Weston Library. I had a milky Americano and Shanaz had
\na cappuccino as we rested our feet and took in the grand interiors of Oxford\u2019s
\nnewest library and main administrative building. When we felt more relaxed, we
\nnipped into the gallery next door to see a special exhibition called \u2018Which Jane
\nAusten?\u2019–a special show to commemorate the author\u2019s second death centenary
\nwhich falls this year. We saw first editions of her books, much of her
\ncorrespondence with family members and friends, her portable writing desk and a
\nlot of other wonderful memorabilia. In the adjoining theater, we watched a
\nshort film entitled \u201cJane Austen and the BBC\u201d which showed us clips from many
\nof the BBC versions of Austen\u2019s novels from the 1950s onwards.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n12. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Back on The
\nBroad, we entered Blackwell\u2019s<\/i>,
\nOxford\u2019s famed bookstore, to see the underground Norrington Rooms\u2014the only
\nunderground bookstore in the world.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n13. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Quick entry into
\nThe White Horse Tavern\u2014also a frequent drinking hole of Inspector Morse and
\nLewis.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n14. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Across The Broad,
\nwe entered the Museum of Science to see its biggest attraction\u2014the blackboard
\nused by Albert Einstein when he gave an invited lecture at Oxford. The theory
\nhe presented there is still on the board in his own handwriting!<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n15. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Stroll through
\nClarendon Court to arrive at the Sheldonian Theater, Christopher Wren\u2019s
\ncupola-ed masterpiece in Oxford. Its horse-shoe shaped amphitheater is used for
\ngraduation ceremonies and concert recitals.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n16. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Entry into
\nBodleian Square to see the main building of the Bodleian Library. We went
\nthrough the main entrance but did not pay the fee to see the Divinity School
\nwhose carved pendant stone ceiling and fan vaulting are two of Oxford\u2019s
\nhighlights. Instead we nipped into the library\u2019s shop to buy a few souvenirs.
\nWe took in the tall main wall of the quadrangle with its classical columns that
\nrise in tiers to present a sculpture of James I in whose time the library was
\nbuilt (with inherited money from his wife by Thomas Bodley\u2014which we had learned
\non our walking tour of Totnes!).<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n17. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Through to
\nRadcliff Square where we took in the splendor of one of Oxford\u2019s most
\nsensational buildings\u2014the Radcliff Camera (or Rad Cam as it is known
\ncolloquially). Built by James Gibbs in the mid 1700s in neo-classical style, I
\nhave had the immense privilege of carrying out research in his member-only
\nreading rooms with their magnificent interior ornamentation. We also took in
\nthe twin spires of lovely All Souls College\u2014the scholar\u2019s college–for it only
\nadmits scholars who already have a doctorate!<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n18. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Visit to the
\nParish Church of St. Mary the Virgin which fronts the High Street. Took in the
\nbeautiful choir area with its painting of Madonna and Child by Simon Vouet and
\nits chancel sculptures.  <\/span>Saw the pillar
\nat which three of Oxford\u2019s martyrs, Cranmer, Latimer and Ridley, were tried as
\nheathens.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n19. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>As it was almost
\n1.00 pm and we had a lunch appointment with my friends Susan and Tony, we
\nhurried off to meet them. We crossed The Broad and arrived at the spot where
\nthe three martyrs were actually burned at the stake in the reign of Bloody Mary
\nTudor, first-born daughter of Henry VIII. Also saw the Martyrs Memorial at St.
\nGiles and then crossed the street towards The Randolf Hotel to hurry towards
\nthe Eagle and Child pub (once a haunt of the Inklings\u2014C.S. Lewis of Narnia fame
\nand J.R.R. Tolkien of Hobbit fame). The place was much too tiny and too crowded
\nfor us to enjoy lunch there.  <\/span>After a
\nlovely reunion with my friends (in whose home in Grandpont I have often
\nstayed), we walked towards Little Clarendon Street to Carlucci\u2019s<\/i>\u2014for a taste of authentic Italian cuisine.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n20. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Lunch at Carlucci\u2019s<\/i> gave us a chance to catch up
\nwith my friends and to rest our weary feet. I had the two-course set lunch which
\ncame with liver pate, onion marmalade and toast points and the linguine with
\nbeef ragu for my second course. Other members of our party had risotto verde,
\nspinach and goat cheese ravioli and spaghetti vongole with cappuccinos to
\nfollow.  <\/span>It made for a very nice mid-exploration
\nrest as we chatted nineteen to the dozen. What a great thing it is to be able
\nto see my friends at each of these venues and to be able to spend quality time
\nwith them even when my schedule is so tight.  <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n21. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>After lunch, I
\nescorted Shahnaz to the Ashmolean Museum (one of the world\u2019s greatest museums)
\nto take its self-guided highlights tour\u2014entitled 10 Highlights in an Hour. <\/i>As I had visited the Ashmolean only six
\nmonths ago, I thought I could make better use of my time, but I did not want
\nShahnaz to miss its brilliant offerings. We decided to meet 90 minutes later at
\na caf\u00e9 on The Broad by the very spot of the martyr\u2019s execution. Shahnaz loved
\nthe tour, saw most of the highlights and then some, while I raced off to the
\nOxfam shop to look for vintage treasures and then to the shoe section in Marks and Spencer<\/i> on George Street as we
\nhad left almost no time for any kind of shopping in our crowded itinerary and I
\nneeded to find a pair of wide-toed black shoes (which I always buy from Marks<\/i>). Sadly, I did not find anything I
\nliked.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n22. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Ninety minutes
\nlater at the appointed spot, Shahnaz and I reunited. It was time to take her
\ninto one of the colleges which opens to visitors between 2 and 5 pm daily. Into
\nTurl Street we went as I took her, naturally, into Exeter College that I know
\nbest from my own student and teaching days there. We entered through the
\nPorter\u2019s Lodge and saw the lovely Quad as we made our way into the chapel that
\nwas designed by George Gilbert Scott (who also designed the Library at the
\nUniversity of Bombay that I have also used). The library connection I share in
\nboth India and Oxford with this architect is a very special matter of interest
\nto me. We took in the gorgeous Byzantine altar with its gold mosaics, the
\ntapestry by Edward Burne-Jones, one of the college\u2019s Pre-Raphaelite alumni,
\nentitled The Adoration of the Magi<\/i>
\nfor which Jane Burden (whose home we had seen in Turf Tavern passage) had
\nposed. We also took in the beautifully painted organ and the Irish Celtic floor
\ntiles around the altar. The stained glass windows, however, are a highlight of
\nthe chapel for they are based on the royaume<\/i>
\nstyle of Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and feature tiny pieces of glass held
\ntogether by lead through which the sun shines with jeweled colors. In fact, the
\noutside of the chapel also features the distinctive spire that is also inspired
\nby Paris\u2019 Sainte-Chapelle.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n23. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Off to the
\nMargary Quadrangle we went so that I could point out to Shahnaz the room I had
\noccupied in Oxford We also took in the underground lecture rooms in which, in
\nrecent years, I have taught at the college\u2019s summer school (which I had once
\nattended as a student myself). We also nipped into the Junior Common Room which
\nled to the Fellows\u2019 Garden at the back. Crossing the Fellows\u2019 Garden (on what
\nappeared to be Open House Day), we climbed steps leading to the ramparts and
\nwalls of the college. Perched up here, one receives some of the best views of
\nRadcliffe Square from a height. We rested again, took a few pictures, and then
\ncontinued with our tour as there was still so much to see.  <\/span>Poor Shahnaz would have begun to feel
\nseriously fatigued by this point but she wished to press on to take everything
\nin.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n24. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>We returned to
\nTurl Street and made a detour into the Covered Market so that she could see the
\nstalls and shops, some of which date from a few hundred years. There are
\nbutchers, bakers and candle-stick makers in these precincts and it is always a
\npleasure to get a glimpse into the vendors\u2019 wares.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n25. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Back on The High,
\nwe walked towards Carfax to see the confluence of the four main crossroads that
\nhave stood on this site from ancient times: Cornmarket Street (its name says
\neverything), High Street, George Street and St. Aldgate\u2019s. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n26. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Walking down St.
\nAldgates, we nipped into Oxford\u2019s Town Hall where Shahnaz learned a bit about
\nthe Town Versus Gown controversy that has long persisted in these parts.
\nAlthough it is normally closed to visitors and can be seen only on an official
\nconducted tour that occurs just once a month, the guard permitted us to climb
\nthe steps and enter the spectacular Main Assembly Room with its incredibly
\ndetailed and very lavish interior decoration that consists of rich plaster work
\non ceiling and walls with the added attraction of embossed cherubs that jut out
\nin the most appealing way.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n27. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>Leaving the Town
\nHall, we walked down St. Aldgates and made a detour down Bear Lane so that I
\ncould take Shahnaz to a pub called The Bear which has a distinctive collections
\nof thousands of ties in glass cases on its ceiling and walls. There was a time
\nwhen the publican would take a tie from patrons in lieu of money for a drink.
\nThus, he amassed a vast collection, each of which is lovingly labelled and
\ndated! Needless to say, it is no longer possible to pay for a drink in that
\nfashion! Probably the fact that there is no more room anywhere to display the
\nties accounts for the discontinuation of the practice!  <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n28. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>We then entered
\nthe precincts of Christ Church College which was built by Cardinal Wolsey and
\nthen taken over by Henry VIII\u2014it boasts the largest Quad in Oxford and
\nunfinished cloisters. Since Evensong would begin in half an hour, we decided to
\nattend it. So off we walked to Christ Church\u2019s Perennial Gardens which offers a
\nlovey backdrop for clicking pictures. We had no time or energy to walk across
\nthe Meadows towards the river, but we did cross the street to inspect Alice\u2019s Shop<\/i> (which was closed) as Lewis
\nCarol was a mathematics don at Christ Church and his novel Alice in Wonderland<\/i> was motivated by a cruise down the river Thames
\nto which he had treated 10-year old Alice Liddel, daughter of the Dean of
\nChrist Church. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n29. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>We re-entered
\nChrist Church and made our way towards its Cathedral to attend Evensong which
\nbegan at 6.00 pm. It was the second Evensong service we would attend on this
\ntrip (having attended also at Exeter Cathedral). This one was far better as it
\nincluded child choristers who brought a decidedly angelic sound to the singing.
\nWe left at 6.30 as we had a coach back to London at 7. 15 and did not want to
\nbe late.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n30. 
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span>We nipped into
\nM&S to pick up some food that we could eat on the coach back to London. We
\narrived at our bus stop on The High at 7.05 and were actually able to catch the
\nearlier coach to arrive in London at about 8.45 pm.<\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
\nOf
\ncourse, it was a whirlwind tour. But I have to say that Shahnaz loved every
\nsecond of it\u2014for so she told me! There was simply no way she could have
\nsqueezed so much into her day had it not been for her willing spirit. By the
\ntime we arrived at Marble Arch, we had rested a great deal. We had also spied en route<\/i> the darkened skeleton of the
\nGrenfell Tower building that had succumbed to a very tragic fire only a couple
\nof weeks ago. <\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\nFrom
\nMarble Arch, we jumped into a bus that took us directly to Battersea where we
\ndressed for bed and gratefully sank down to sleep.  <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
\nUntil tomorrow, Cheerio.    <\/span>      <\/span> <\/span>   <\/span><\/o:p><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Friday, June 30, 2017: Off to Check out Oxford\u2019s Dreaming Spires:             In a past life, well over thirty years ago, Shahnaz used to be a stewardess with Air-India. Her travels have taken her around the world many times and Oxford had been on her agenda\u2014in the hoary past. Not remembering anything of the city,… <\/p>\n

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