Oxford was first occupied in Saxon times, and was initially known as "Oxanforda". The settlement 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. By the 10th century Oxford had become an important military frontier town between the kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex and was on several occasions raided by the Danes.

The University of Oxford  was founded in the 12th century and therefore constitutes the oldest English-speaking university. Oxford, like Cambridge, differs from many other universities in that there is no 'campus' as such, and no central university building. Instead, the University consists of approximately 40 colleges and associated buildings, such as the Exam Schools (on the High Street, closed to the public), the world-famous Bodleian Library (main buildings in Radcliffe Square, off the high street - limited access to the public), and several world-class museums. Each college has its own individual character, some date from the 13th century, others are merely a few decades old. Many of the colleges are closed to the public, particularly during term times; some, however, are open at different times. For example: Christ Church (the college of "Brideshead" fame) is mostly open, and has the added bonus of having a (small) cathedral attached, where excellent music is performed at Evensong everyday, it also has an excellent art gallery. Some of Christ Church's buildings are used in films such as "Harry Potter". Other colleges of note are Magdalen (pronounced 'maudlin'), which has a deer park, and those along the High Street, all of which have an impressive list of alumni. Shelley fans should visit University College. Former women-only colleges such as the pretty Somerville (Woodstock Rd) further to the North of the centre are interesting to get a feel for the range of colleges in Oxford.

Orientation

Central Oxford is built around two intersecting throughfares which cross at Carfax:

    * the High Street, or "the High" - running east-west, this is the main road coming in from Headington and the London road
    * running north-south is another road, essentially continuous, but with separate ancient names for its various stretches - St Aldates and St Giles, separated by the Cornmarket (now a pedestrianised shopping boulevard)

One of the best online resources for planning a visit to Oxford is the Virtual Tour of Oxford, hosted by the university's chemistry department...

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Visitors to Oxford should definitely visit at least one museum, visit at least one college and - if possible - hear one of the world class college chapel choirs. A walking tour (see 'Do' below) is a good way of achieving this.

Landmarks

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    * Hertford Bridge, (Hertford College). A quaint pedestrian bridge for the students of Hertford College which has popularly become known as the "Bridge of Sighs" of Oxford.

    * Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street. This unusual building was Sir Christopher Wren's first major architectural commission. At the time he was a Professor of Astronomy at the University. There is a series of busts outside the theatre facing Broad St with strange expressions and facial hair.

    * Taylorian Institute, also known as The Taylor Institution, was established in 1845 and is the University's centre for the study of modern European languages and literature. Its library contains the largest specialist collection in its field in Britain. It is in a neo-classical building designed by Charles R. Cockerell and erected between 1841 and 1844 by the University to house the Institution and the Randolph Galleries (now the Ashmolean Museum). It is on the corner of St. Giles and Beaumont Street, opposite the Randolph Hotel.

    * University Church of St Mary the Virgin, High Street (entrances from the High and from Radcliffe Square). Some of the best views of Oxford are afforded from the tower of the church, dating to 1280. The church itself, rebuilt in the 14th and 15th centuries (with various additions after this time), is full of architectural and historical interest. The church has a coffee shop, "The Vaults and Garden", +044 01865 279112, now re-opened under the management of Will Pouget (already known for his 'Alpha Bar' in the Covered Market) and specialising in organic food and fair trade tea and coffee.