United Kingdom trip (Part 4)-City of dreaming spires

After coming back home at 11:00 Saturday night, we readily went to bed. We needed to be fresh next morning, as we were going to visit the Oxford, the city with dreaming spires.

Carfax tower

 The city is full of different schools, students all over the world come there to pursue their dreams. We didn’t know about the city, except my childhood dream to study there. So, our friend suggested taking city tour bus to see around the city. We took the tour bus from near the railway station, which took us around the whole city. Through all the lane and by lanes of the city, we saw the University buildings and the old buildings which were worth to visit. Passing the SAID business whose building was very contemporary, and could be singled out among the meticulously decorated old buildings around the city. 

Sheldonion Theatre Oxford

Our first stop was the Gloucester Green Bus station, once that was the open space of Gloucester college. Then it was a poultry  market. Later it was converted in a bus station.  It was a city of dreaming spire indeed, almost in front of every colleges we saw long queue of students who had come from all over the world to pursue their dreams. Those buildings were not only colleges, but also architectural wonders. From there our bus again started and  we passed the 1000 years old Oxford Castle with had a fascinating history. Though we chose to ride the “Hop on Hop off “, but we didn’t have that much time in our hand to get down at the Castle, and see inside it. Any old castle or fort always fascinated me. Anyway, the 11th Century castle with round cylindrical brick structure with small windows very much like  a prison, gave a cold chill in the spine. So many decisions were taken, so many controversy were created, so my conspiracies evidence were bearing this 1000 years old castle, built by the Normans. When King CharlesI defeated by the Parliamentarians, he made Oxford his capital.

 During the English Civil War this medieval castle was greatly damaged. Actually, this castle served as a prison once. After crossing the castle  we passed by the Westgate shopping center, which was nothing but pile rubbles at that time due to major dismantlement was going on. Most probably, contemporary structure of the mall was coming up. Through Speedwell Street, crossing numerous old building we reached the Christ church college.  This was the only college with a cathedral in it. The cathedral was built in 12th to 13th century. The college was founded in 1525 by Cardinal Thomas Wolsley.  The famous children’s story “Alice in the wonderland” written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgeson , who is known as Louis Carol, came to study mathematics in Christ Church college. There he met the daughter of the dean of the college, Alice. The main character of the story is this very Alice. The fantasy land Carol created was very in and around the college premises. When we went to Oxford the Alice week celebration was going on in Christ church college. Anyway, then we passed by the Queen’s college , which was founded in 14th Century. Then passed Magdalen college founded in 15th Century. Among the numerous colleges we passed the famous Trinity college. Then we got down at Christ Church, to take another bus tour to the outskirt of Oxford. 

We crossed the Folly bridge over River Thames. I heard in the bus that,there was always a quarrel between Oxford student and Cambridge. The quarrel was intense, that sometimes it ended up into bloody fight.

 To maintain the friendliness between two universities the Rowing competition was started between two universities. One interesting fact I heard during our  bus tour, there was no central body to control all the colleges in Oxford, rather they all were autonomous body. That was the end of our Oxford visit.

Our next stop was Bibury village.