Oxford, UK, is world-renowned for its ultra-prestigious university, beautiful scholarly architecture, and rich history. In addition to being an undoubtedly cool place to visit, we had a bit of an ulterior motive for our trip…
As huge Lord of the Rings fans, we were undertaking a pilgrimage of sorts, to the place that so shaped the genius of JRR Tolkien and served as his home for much of his life. Spoiler alert… we loved it! Read on for all our tips for a Tolkien themed Oxford weekend trip.
The history of Oxford stretches back over a thousand years, with origins dating to Saxon times and evidence of settlement dating back to the 8th century. The name “Oxford” is believed to derive from the Saxon words “Oxenaforda” or “Oxnaford,” meaning “ford of the oxen,” referring to a crossing point on the River Thames.
However, Oxford’s rise to prominence didn’t begin until sometime in the 12th century, with the founding of Oxford University, while the university’s early colleges, including University College and Balliol College, were founded in the 13th century.
Oxford is 2nd-oldest only to the University of Bologna in Italy in terms of European institutions of higher learning, and about 100 years older than rival Cambridge. During the medieval period, Oxford flourished as a center of learning and scholarship. The university attracted students and scholars from across Europe, making it one of the leading intellectual centers of the time. Colleges such as Merton, Exeter, and Oriel were established during this period.
Throughout its history, the city of Oxford has been shaped by the university, which remains one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning in the world. The city’s historic buildings, cobblestone streets, and scholarly atmosphere make it a fun and engaging place to visit, and we were so happy to finally get to check it out. We would love to go back sometime and check out more of the colleges, and daydream more about what it must be like to study there.
Things to do in Oxford
Day 1: Oxford Quick Sights
We were very pleasantly surprised by how much there was to do in Oxford! Of course you can’t beat just going for a stroll around town, you’ll be positively floored by the gorgeous buildings and will want to spend ages just gazing at them.
Here are a few ways to organize your trip:
- Explore the colleges: Oxford has 33 colleges varying in age, with some of the most famous including Christ Church, Magdalen College, and Merton College. We recommend picking a few to go into (note that they charge admission, and visiting hours vary.) We of course were very excited to see Merton, as it was JRR Tolkien’s academic home, but more on that later.
- Visit Bodleian Library: The absolutely swoony Bodleian Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and has a suitably impressive collection of books, manuscripts, and historic documents. This is absolutely a must see, and is only available via guided tour! The 60-minute tour (we recommend!) includes the Divinity School, which is one of the most jaw-dropping things we’ve ever seen and was used for the infirmary scenes in Harry Potter.
A note about the tours: they release tickets a month in advance, which is definitely the ideal time to get them. However, if like us you missed this window, a limited number are sold day of at the Weston Library. The Library opens at 9AM, so we recommend getting there 15-30 minutes early to queue up. We were able to secure tickets for 11:30 AM the same day, a big relief. - Climb to the top of Carfax Tower: We didn’t do this, but one of the top attractions on a nice day is to climb the 99 steps to the top of Carfax Tower for panoramic views of Oxford’s historic skyline.
- Visit Oxford’s Museums: Oxford has world-class museums, including the Ashmolean Museum, the Museum of Natural History, and the Pitt Rivers Museum. You’ll be totally overwhelmed with the art, archaeology, and natural history on display. We really enjoyed spending some time in the Ashmolean, which is free to enter.
- Shop til you drop: Oxford has great shopping streets, including the historic Covered Market, where you can find local produce, gourmet foods, and unique gifts. We really enjoyed spending some time here, as it’s managed to stay local and quaint (not overly touristy, still populated with small businesses.) We ate lunch twice at the Gloucester Green Market, which is packed with local food options. We really enjoyed Thai, Nepalese, and Chinese dishes.
- Stroll through the University Parks: Take a leisurely stroll through the University Parks, a tranquil green space located along the River Cherwell.
Recommended Reading
Tolkien Tour
And now for the secret purpose of this blog post… If you’re a Tolkien fan like us and want to focus your visit more on his life and legacy, we really enjoyed putting together this little walking tour!
- Start at 20 Northmoor Road, Tolkien’s home in Oxford. There is a small blue plaque commemorating the family’s time there. Note that this is a private family home, there aren’t any tours or anything available, though you are allowed to take a picture of the plaque.
- Walk over to University Parks and stop at the JRR Tolkien Bench, a memorial bench. This was quite a popular spot while we were there but we managed to snag a quick photo and wonder which of the trees in the vicinity would’ve been planted in his honor.
- Head over to the Eagle and Child, a pub on St Giles’ Street. We were so sad to see that it’s closed temporarily, but it was still very special to us to get to see the outside and peek through the windows. This historic pub was a favorite meeting place for Tolkien and his literary group, the Inklings, which included fellow author C.S. Lewis. The group would gather here to discuss their writings and share ideas, and they affectionately called it “The Bird and Baby”.
- Walk to Exeter College: From The Eagle and Child, walk south on St Giles’ Street until you reach Turl Street. Turn right onto Turl Street and continue until you reach Exeter College on the left. Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Exeter College, and he also served as the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon.
- Visit the Bodleian Library: From Exeter College, continue south on Turl Street until you reach Broad Street. Turn left onto Broad Street and walk until you reach the Bodleian Library on the right. Tolkien frequented the Bodleian Library during his time at Oxford, using its extensive collection of books and manuscripts for his research. Remember that you need a tour!
- Head to Merton College: From the Bodleian Library, walk south on Catte Street until you reach Merton Street. Turn left onto Merton Street and continue until you reach Merton College on the left. Tolkien was a student at Merton College, where he studied Classics and English Language and Literature. While there, he became friends with C.S. Lewis, who would later become a fellow Inkling.
- Stop by Magdalen College: From Merton College, walk east on Merton Street until you reach Magdalen Street. Turn right onto Magdalen Street and continue until you reach Magdalen College on the left. Tolkien held the position of Professor of English Language and Literature at Magdalen College from 1945 to 1959. While at Magdalen, he continued to work on his literary projects, including The Lord of the Rings.
- From Magdalen College, walk south on High Street until you reach the Oxford Botanic Garden on the left. Tolkien drew inspiration from nature for his descriptions of Middle-earth’s landscapes, and the Botanic Garden (one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world) offers a peaceful retreat.
- Bonus: Wolvercote Cemetery
This serene cemetery is the final resting place of Tolkien and his beloved wife, Edith. It’s a bit far to walk (about an hour from the center of town), but public transit can take you there really easily. We unfortunately weren’t able to make it here, but hope to return in the future.
Again, we absolutely loved our visit to Oxford, and are super looking forward to going back again sometime. Easily accessible from London, but with that feeling of scholarly coziness, we truly can’t recommend it enough. For more nearby content, check out our guide to a car-free Cotswolds weekend.
Be sure to pin our guides for later by clicking on the photos below!
