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THE DOOMSDAY BOOK Facebook is suing a company called Teachbook  , which operates a social networking site for teachers, apparently because it has "book" in its name and "competes" with Facebook. Teachbook is described as "a professional community for teachers". Sounds like a threat to Facebook's existence doesn't it?  Well we know of a book that predates Facebook and tells us all about Oxfordshire. Yes "The Doomsdaybook! The Domesday Book was commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror, who invaded England in 1066. The first draft was completed in August 1086 and contained records for 13,418 settlements in the English counties south of the rivers Ribble and Tees (the border with Scotland at the time). Read about Oxfordshire in The Doomsday Book

Travel London & the South East of England with the Great British Heritage Pass - explore the stunning South Eastern regions and England heritage properties of London, Oxford, Dover, Brighton, Windsor, Canterbury and more. Begin your tour of London and the South East at Blenheim Palace near Oxford, home of the 11th Duke of Malborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. It is a magnificent baroque palace that includes guided tours of magnificent staterooms and special exhibitions open all year. Ready for some royal history? Henry VIII made Hampton Court Palace his royal residence. It includes costumed guides, extensive gardens, parkland, and a maze.Next visit Eltham Palace, the boyhood home of Henry VIII, and a masterpiece of art deco design, which is currently the home of millionaire Stephen Courtauld and evokes the glamour of the 1930s. After your stop in London, head to Leeds Castle, the ‘loveliest castle in the world.’ There are extensive gardens and parkland around this moated castle. Head off towards the coast and visit another fascinating castle, Dover Castle and the Secret Wartime Tunnels, where set deep beneath the cliffs are the Secret Wartime Tunnels where military personnel were stationed during World War II. Sissinghurst Castle Garden is one of the world’s most celebrated gardens, where you can breathe in the scent of summer roses at this romantic location. Your next stop is Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, one of the best-preserved examples of a medieval moated castle, built for defence and its picturesque location. Continue on to Hever Castle and Gardens, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.Finish your tour of the South East by visiting Arundel Castle, a stunning ancient castle and stately home containing priceless treasures, a medieval keep, grounds and organic gardens.

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STORMY FRONT suggests You Check For Traffic Problems It has requested we do not mention the name of the traffic lady on BBC radio 2, instead we are happy to introduce our traffic lady "Stormy Front". So Find local news, sport and entertainment near you with your local BBC Where I Live website. Choose your nearest location in Wessex & Cornwall: Berkshire Bristol Cornwall Devon Dorset Gloucestershire Hampshire Kent Oxford Somerset Surrey & Sussex Wiltshire

I'm Cerdic. First King of Wessex
Welcome to MY KINGDOM

The influence of the Romans began to wane in the middle of the fourth century and in c.AD 367 the Saxons raided England and penetrated the Thames as far as Dorchester. In AD 411 the Romans left and the Saxon raids intensified and as they settled they established hamlets all along the Thames. The Thames was very important in that in AD 600 it was the border between Wessex and Mercia, with Wessex to the south and Mercia to the north.King Alfred the Great was born in Wantage. The area played an important part in the conflict for supremacy between the two kingdoms from the seventh to the ninth centuries.Oxfordshire was not formed until around 1000 AD. In the eleventh century Oxford was one of the most important provincial towns, and was of considerable political and economic sinificance.Today its importance for education is as great as ever. The perfect base to visit Wessex from. You have seen it on "Inspector Morse"

We have a multitude of reference pages which were created some time ago and are now under reconstruction. So on here you will find dedicated pages to specialist activities in Wessex & Mercia. These include a list of Agricultural ,Horse Shows etc, The Wessex Hall of Fame, Michelin starred restaurants in Wessex,Seaside Resorts,Theatres in Wessex & the UK, List of Films made in Wessex, Wessex Names, Golf Clubs, Football Clubs, Rugby Clubs, and Racetracks . Campers & Caravanners have their own dedicated section too. I have even got my own page for readers letters and news snippets, mainly from my ancient capital Chard. Click here to contact us

  Click here to see shops in Oxford High Street

Bicester Village Outlet Shopping Pingle Drive Bicester Oxfordshire  OX26 6WD Tel: 01869 369055 Fax: 01869 369054

Exeter Hall, Oxford Road,OX5 1AB Tel: 01865 378479

Bed and breakfast accommodation in Oxford University colleges

Staying in historic Oxford college accommodation is a unique opportunity. With centrally-located bed and breakfast (B&B) rooms from £40, it is a cost effective alternative to staying in a hotel, and by providing the college with revenue you will be contributing to the upkeep of the famous buildings.

You could trace the footsteps of Ghandi, Bill Clinton, Hugh Grant, or the 25 British Prime Ministers who have passed through Oxford's colleges.  You will eat in the college hall, and could wander through the college's gardens and quadrangles, learn about the college's history, and take a punt along the river followed by a drink in the college bar.
Availability is mainly in the vacation periods (Christmas, Easter, Summer), when students clear their rooms.  Rooms typically become available two to three months in advance, so please revisit the website within that period if nothing is available now.

  CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

The roof is open on fine Saturdays in the summer, fascinating for photographers, artists and others interested in an overview of this beautiful region.

ABINGDON MUSEUM CLICK

In the countryside just a few miles south of Oxford stands Ardington House.Surrounded by well-kept lawns, terraced gardens, peaceful paddocks and parkland, this Baroque house was built in 1720.You will find it on the edge of the village of Ardington, with its picturesque cricket ground, village stores, and ancient church, in the lee of the downland linking the Thames valley to the Kennet.  Built by the Strong brothers with typical Georgian symmetry, the House is also famous for its Imperial Staircase. Leading from the Hall, the staircase has two matching flights leading into one and is considered by experts to be one of the finest examples in Britain.

he Bath Place Hotel is a cluster of seventeenth century cottages surrounding a tiny flagstone courtyard in the heart of Oxford.The cottages were built in the early sixteen hundreds by Flemish weavers who won permission to build against the outside of the city wall. It is believed there had previously been a communal well and bath house on the site. Going even further back in history, the area now known as Bath Place would have been part of the medieval defence area, being at the foot of the city wall.Very little of the original city wall remains. However, parts of it are exposed on the back wall of the present dining room, and one can see a well preserved section of it from several of the hotel windows. The buildings stood empty for some years in the early eighties until in 1987 the Fawsitt family   completed a total refurbishment of the buildings to create the existing hotel. Their restaurant is superb - well worth a drive out from London for Sunday lunch.

tel:
01491
 838414

Woodstock
Oxfordshire
OX20 1PX

email:
operations@blenheimpalace.com

In this day of computers, it is still the written and printed word that gives us the key to understanding our past. The village museum has a treasure house of books and documents about Bloxham. The exhibition brings many of these documents together and links them to other exhibits from the museum's collection. There are many fascinating records and photographs about Bloxham life and Bloxham people - Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations, help for the poor, bugler Harry Ayres (buried in the churchyard), the railway, the telephone system, to name just a few.

Originally known as the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway Company, the railway was largely promoted by local land owners following the failure of the planned extension of the Wallingford branch through to Watlington. Construction of the branch was authorised by an Act of Parliament dated 26th July, 1869. This authorised the construction of the branch as a Light Railway, commencing from the Great Western Railway Station at Princes Risborough and running for a distance of 8 miles 66 chains to a terminus at Pyrton just outside Watlington. On 20th December, 1989, a class 47 diesel (No. 47258) together with 35 hopper wagons made the final journey into Chinnor cement works, with the locomotive sporting a headboard with the legend “Last BR Train on the Watlington Branch”. Maintenance of the branch from Chinnor to the junction with the Thame branch near Princes Risborough was given to the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Association from January, 1990.The Chinnor and Princes Railway was granted a Transport and Works Order under section 6 of the Transport and Works Act 1992 on 4th July 1994, the order coming into force on 26th July 1994. Thus the legal of the C&PRR status was assured and passenger services recommence.

Tuesday to Saturday
& Bank Holiday Mondays
2pm - 4pm

Combe Mill in Steam

A nice friendly family park with sports facilities (Cricket, Tennis, Bowls, Football). It has an aviary which in addition to many fine birds also holds bunny rabbits and guinea pigs. There is a duck pond with many ducks and occasionally swans, a heron, and mad local people feeding them too much over-processed bread. There is also miniature railway on which children of all ages can purchase tickets to ride. The park also boasts the Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile, a measured mile dedicated to a peace campaigner. The park is occasionally used as a venue for outdoor performances by large rock bands. It is often used for take-off or landings by local Balloonists and in May it hosts an annual Balloon Festival.

The Great Western Railway was incorporated in 1835 to build the railway from Bristol to London and it was designed and engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to be the finest in the land. Now, at Didcot, half way between Bristol and London, members of the Great Western Society have created a living museum of the Great Western Railway. It is based around the original engine shed and depot to which have been added a typical branch line with a country station and signalling demonstrations and a recreation of Brunel's original broad gauge trackwork. There is a large collection of GWR steam locomotives, carriages and wagons. On Steamdays the locomotives come to life and you can ride in the 1930s trains on one or both of the demonstration lines.

Edge Hill Battle Museum

On 23 October 1642, the Army of Parliament commanded by Robert Devereaux, 3rd Earl of Essex, clashed at Edge Hill with a Royalist Army commanded by King Charles 1. Thirty thousand Englishmen fought this, the first major battle of the English Civil War. The museum commemorates the events of that day, and of those times, with displays of arms, armour and period costume, together with dioramas and maps of the Battle.

The Estate Yard,
Farnborough Hall,
Farnborough,
Banbury OX16 1DU
Wednesday and Saturday
 2 to 6 April to September
 inclusive

tel:
0129595
89593

Harris Manchester College is Oxford University's newest College,The College recruits mature students and is the foremost Higher Education establishment in the United Kingdom for the education of older students. Harris Manchester College was founded in Manchester as Manchester Academy in 1786 by English Presbyterians. It was one of the last of a long line of "dissenting academies" established after the Restoration to provide higher education for Nonconformists, who were denied degrees from the ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge by religious tests. In 1996 Her Majesty the Queen gave her approval to a new royal charter for the College, granting it full college status within the Oxford University.

Broad Street, Oxford
OX1 3AZ
12 to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday, and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Museum closes over Christmas and New Year.

Exeter Hall,
Oxford Road,OX5 1AB 

Magdalen College

 Magdalen College was founded in 1448 by William of Waynflete and was one of the first colleges to teach science. The impressive buildings of the college are situated next to the river and are surrounded by over a hundred acres of woodland. Visitors can enjoy some of the best riverside walks in Oxford including the Addison Walk where visitors can try and spot a few of the 57 species of bird that the grounds are home to. Magdalen’s Great Tower is perhaps the most spectacular of the college buildings as it stands at the East entrance to the city. Famous students include:Joseph Addison, Lord Richard Atkin, Stephen Breyer,  Lord Alfred Denning, Lord Alfred "Booosie" Douglas, Sir John Eccles , Rt. Hon. William Hague MP, Professor Howard  ,Edward Gibbon ,Omar Hassan , Seamus Heaney, C.S. Lewis , Sir Peter Medawar, Dudley Moore, Sir Robert Robinson , Dr Erwin Schrodinger,  Sir Charles Sherrington , David Souter,   and Oscar Wilde  

In 1841 a memorial was erected to commemorate Cranmer Latimer and Ridley, the three protestant martyrs. The cross was built as an initiative in response to the Oxford movement. And intended to re-emphasise the role of protestant martyr's in the churches history. It was designed by Gilbert Scott, and modelled on the Eleanor Cross at Waltham The story goes that gullible tourists can be persuaded that this is really the spire of a sunken church. 

30 Pembroke Street
Oxford, Oxfordshire
OX1 1BP 

Tuesday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm, Sunday 12.00pm to 5.00pm, closed Mondays.
email:
info@modernartoxford.org.uk

Station Yard , Long Hanborough, Witney
Oxfordshire
OX29 8LA
Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday 10.30am - 4.30pm (last entry 4.00pm).
Open all Bank Holidays.
Closed Christmas Day.

Oxford River Cruises
7 Rogers Street
Oxford
OX2 7JS 
All trips leave from our landing stage in the centre of the city opposite Christchurch College.

OXFORD RIVER
CRUISES CLICK

The Oxford Story is open every day except Christmas Day. Jan – Jun & Sep – Dec 10.00 – 16.30 Mon – Sat 11.00 – 16.30 Sun Jul –Aug 09.30 – 17.00 Daily CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY

Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Regimental Museum

The militaria of the county regiment of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, now incorporated in the Royal Green Jackets. Includes a fine medal collection, uniforms, badges, pictures and regimental silver.

Founded in 1624, Pembroke College is concentrated in its traditional site in the centre of Oxford but it has a fine new building on the Thames, as well as its own renovated graduate facilities close by the College. The main site is particularly attractive, being primarily built between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries with Cotswold stone.From the early days of the University, Broadgates Hall, now Pembroke College, existed as a hostel for law students. The combined generosity of an Abingdon merchant, Thomas Tesdale, and a Berkshire clergyman, Richard Wightwick, provided the necessary endowment for the transformation of this Hall into Pembroke College, originally intended to supply places at Oxford for boys from Abingdon School .

St Aldate's,
Oxford OX1 1DW

University of Oxford , Parks Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 3PP

Daily 12.00 - 4.30pm.
email: prm@prm.ox.ac.uk

Radcliffe Camera

We are restoring and enhancing the wetland habitat at our Otmoor nature reserve, in Oxfordshire, which is one of the most important wetland sites in central England. A portion of the site is lowland wet grassland within a river floodplain. The RSPB bought the site in 1997 when it had been identified as one of the top potential wetland restoration sites in the country. Since then, the site has been added to as we bought additional land to restore the former wetland within the reserve. The total amount of land now owned by the RSPB at this site is over 260 ha. In the 1960s and 1970s about a quarter of the land at Otmoor had been drained for intensive arable farming. In 1994, a scheme called UTTESA - The Upper Thames Tributaries Environmentally Sensitive Area - was established to try and restore the area and improve the river valleys flowing into the floodplain. However, by 1997 only one farmer had restored arable land to grassland and no other action was forthcoming. At that time, Otmoor was the most important single site within the Upper Thames Tributaries ESA area as it was home to 41 pairs of breeding wading birds, including lapwings, redshanks, snipe and curlews. We began to restore the site in 1998 in partnership with the Environment Agency and with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and many others. A project team of RSPB and Environment Agency staff have overseen the work from concept to the present day. They designed the habitats, completed feasibility studies, and involved a number of people from conservationists and ecologists to landscape architects, land agents and civil engineers.   

Sheldonian Theatre

Somerville College

Telecom Museum Oxford

The exhibits comprise a selection of telephone and telegraph equipment illustrating the history and evolution of telecommunications.

35 Speedwell Street,
Oxford

Tel:
01865
246601

There is not much of the old Castle left above ground but the green mounds you will see are the remains of what was once one of the largest, strongest, and most important castles in England..The Castle would have had a massive impact on Wallingford as it occupied one quarter of the town. It was even bigger than Windsor Castle.The Castle was demolished after the Civil War, in 1652, and has been largely forgotten since. The land was purchased by South Oxfordshire District Council in 1999, and is being managed as an area for informal recreation, for people to see the castle remains, and for the wildlife.The Northmoor Trust are involved, at the request of the District Council, because of our experience of managing public sites with complex influences. In this case there are potential conflicts between the need to protect the Castle, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and the need to provide safe public access and appropriate wildlife conservation management. A detailed site management plan which aims to resolve these conflicts is posted on the South Oxfordshire District Council website. The building of Wallingford Castle was begun in 1067 on the orders of William the Conqueror, to defend the important river crossing. The castle was then extended by King John at the start of the 13th century to have three walls and moats, and become one of the largest castles in England. In fact the castle was so strong that it has very little military history, and was mostly used as a prison. The Castle was a Royalist stronghold during the Civil War, and was not captured despite a long siege by Parliamentary forces so was subsequently demolished.

Tel: 01491 835373 

Flint House,
High Street,
Wallingford
March to November: Tues
to Fri: 2 to 5; Sat 10.30 to 5
 plus June to Aug:
Sun & Bank Hol Mon: 2 to 5

Tel:
01491
835065