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OXFORD - ENGLAND
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).
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 in the east of the city by the Morris Motor Company. This
area, around Cowley Road, is now a popular area for students and has many
bars, cafes, restaurants, clubs, and fast food outlets.
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
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