It was a rainy day in Oxford but we forged ahead even though we had to walk 1/2 mile to the the…read moremental hospital to catch our taxi because aforementioned hotel blockade. Wow doing the media headset tour was a great addition to the tour. Seeing the Tom Quad and the famous dining hall that's in the Harry Potter movie was amazing. The cathedral was breathtaking; you could just feel and smell the history of this religious place.

Takes up a whole city block! They try to charge you £15 to enter which is way to steep. Tell them…read morethat you are not a tourist and you are there for a purpose and you can enter without having to pay. Of course leave a nice donation while inside. The courtyard reminds me of some I have seen in Spain and Portugal. The opening hours are limited, so plan ahead.

A beautiful church in the heart of Oxford. Take a moment of peace to light a candle. You can climb…read moreto the top of the Tower for $6. There might be a queue for this but you don't pay until you get through the line. This makes it easy to change your mind if you don't want to wait.

What a stunning church, made in the 13th century and located right in the heart of Oxford. The…read morearchitecture from the outside and inside is stunningly breathtaking. There is also a cafe located here and also a tower, where I believe you can climb to the top and see much more of the sights of Oxford from its peak. It is the centre from which the University of Oxford grew and its parish consists almost exclusively of university and college buildings.

A nice looking church associated with Lincoln College. A big downside is that the church is closed…read moreto the public.

Bulit by Joshua Symm and the architect was Charles Wells. the foundation stone was laid in July…read more1877. The church was opened for worship in Oct 1878. By 1978, the chuch's centenary year, discussions started about its future. This ended with the improvement of the lighting, a new entrance hall to link the church with the Hall buildings. A new office was built with a view of the church. Pews were replaced with chairs and carpet was put down. In 1999 the exterior was cleaned after 100 years of air pollution. The front access was adapted for disabled people. Sliding glas doors and a circular window was put in for a full view of the interior. The minister is Revd David Cooper.There is a choir,music group and Rockfish, a junior church band.The chuch is open everyday. Phab club is a social group for young people. Contact Mary Schofield 01865 721294. Rainbow House is for preschool children. Its every Wed,Thu and Friday, 10.30am-2pm. Other organisations based at Wesley memorial are Oxford cruse 01865 202242. It offers councelling & support for bereaved. Christian aid area office 01865 246818. Aspire who train homeless.

I just love finding big empty spaces in bustling cities and Christ Church meadow is a particularly…read morebeautiful example. It seems pretty unspoilt and natural, although it can get pretty busy in summer. It's best first thing in the morning or just before dusk, when the sun can be seen rising or setting over the countryside or the magnificent backdrop of Christ Church. The Cherwell and Isis surround it and there's no better way to spend a summer day in Oxford than to take a picnic and laze around by the river in the sun watching the cows graze. There are various rules, such as no bikes, which adds to the tranquility, but also serves as a reminder that this isn't actually a piece of wilderness, but a controlled tourist area in Oxford. Still, the rules seem sensible and considerate towards the wildlife. I'm really grateful the college hasn't tried to commercialise the meadow at all. You can access the meadow through the Memorial Garden on St Aldates, a gate next to the Botanic Gardens or a gate between Merton and Corpus Christi on Meron Lane. Make sure you don't get locked in after sunset!

Choose a long, hot summer day (if we ever get another one)…read more... ...take the Salters Steamer from Abingdon into Oxford. Refresh yourself and gird your loins at the 'Head of the River', then take a leisurely stroll through Christchurch Meadow It's beautiful, quiet, and completely unspoilt by the city around it. Take a loved one, sit on the grass and just watch the world go by. The perfect summer day, and the perfect place to sit and escape the daily grind. Lovely.

Mansfield is relatively young in Oxford terms but is still very pretty and makes a good venue for…read moreevents. I went to a wedding here and it worked very well. The JCR is an old wood-panelled room which fits a surprising number of seats in. It would serve well as a drinks reception venue. The acoustics aren't great, so if you want to hold talks here, I recommend using microphones, or at least getting a podium so the speaker can be seen. The entrance to the JCR building is also good for a drinks reception, with wide corridors and a hallway with views to the grass and other buildings outside. There are disabled toilets and lots of surprisingly large side rooms to serve as cloakrooms, mingling rooms or display rooms. Parking is, as ever in Oxford, a bit of a problem. There is Pay and Display in Mansfield Road, but you can only stay a few hours. The Westgate Centre offers relatively close parking, or there's always Park and Ride, with buses stopping pretty close very regularly. There's ample space outside for photographs with a beautiful setting and for general chatting, although it is forbidden to walk on the grass. I'm only giving it 3 stars because it's quite similar to lots of other colleges that serve as similar venues. It works just fine, but there are more spectacular places out there.

Mansfield is a small college, open to undergraduates and graduates. Access to the public is open,…read morethough to be honest there is little to look at that cannot be seen from the front gate. Part of the college was recently burnt down, though repairs have now been completed.

Also called "Oxford Oratory" as it is run by the Oratorian Fathers. The liturgy is very high with…read moreeven weekly Sunday masses celebrated in the Old Tridentine rite. Music is excellent and the quality of sermons also very high. You go to the Oratory however to follow the liturgy on your own, or listen to sacred music if that's what you like, but not to make friends. This is partly due to the mostly transient nature of the congregation but also to a rather distant approach by the religious community in charge.