England Guide
Oxfordshire, the Chilterns and the Cotswolds
Oxford
Think of OXFORD and inevitably you think of its university, revered as one of the world's great academic institutions, inhabiting honeystone buildings set around ivy-clad quadrangles. The university, which dominates the town centre, has long operated a collegiate system whereby many students and tutors live, work and take their meals together in the same complex of buildings – usually a couple of quadrangles ("quads") with a chapel, library and dining hall. The colleges form a dense maze of historic buildings in the heart of the city and feature some of England's finest architecture. Together with some excellent museums and a good range of bars and restaurants, this all makes Oxford a highly rewarding destination.
Although the university dominates central Oxford both physically and mentally, the wider city has an entirely different character, its economy built on the carplants of Cowley to the south of the centre. It was here that Britain's first mass-produced cars were produced in the 1920s and, although there have been more downs than ups in recent years, the plants are still vitally important to the area.
Oxford started late, in Anglo-Saxon times, and blossomed even later, under the Normans, when the cathedral was constructed and Oxford was chosen as a royal residence. The origins of the university are obscure, but it seems that the reputation of Henry I, the so-called "Scholar King", helped attract students in the early twelfth century. The first colleges, founded mostly by rich bishops, were essentially ecclesiastical institutions and this was reflected in collegiate rules and regulations – until 1877 lecturers were not allowed to marry and women were not granted degrees until 1920. Though they share a similar history, each of the university's 39 colleges has its own character and often a particular label, whether it's the richest (St John's), most left-wing (Wadham) or most public-school-dominated (Christ Church). Collegiate rivalries are long established, usually revolving around sports, and tension between the university and the city – "Town" and Gown" – has existed as long as the university itself.
Punting on the river
Punting is a favourite summer pastime amongst both students and visitors, but handling a punt – a flat-bottomed boat ideal for the shallow waters of the Thames and Cherwell rivers – requires some practice. The punt is propelled and steered with a long pole, which beginners inevitably get stuck in riverbed mud. The Cherwell, though much narrower than the Thames and, therefore, trickier to navigate, provides more opportunities for pulling to the side for a picnic, an essential part of the punting experience.
There are two central boat rental places: Magdalen Bridge boathouse ( 
01865/202 643), beside the Cherwell at the east end of the High Street; and the Thames boat station at Folly Bridge ( 01865/243 421), a five- to ten-minute stroll south of the centre along St Aldates. In summer, the queues soon build up at both, so try to get there early in the morning – at around 10am. At both boathouses, expect to pay about £12 per hour for a boat plus a £30 deposit; sometimes ID is required. Punts can take a maximum of five passengers – four sitting and one punting. Both boathouses also rent out chauffeured punts (about £20 for 30min) and pedaloes, which cost less, but aren't as much fun.
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