Comment Editor Lauren Penzer writes about her favourite parts of Oxford, from quirky bookstores to literary heritage sites
My trip to Oxford this summer was one of my most exciting literary adventures yet. Being a massive book nerd, I was eager to see this site of British writing and education. The gothic architecture of the city provided the perfect setting for such an adventure; as found in Matthew Arnold’s poem, ‘that sweet city with her dreaming spires’ certainly dazzled me. This also provided a lovely setting to think of all the literary voices that have been inspired by this place; some of my most beloved writers like Oscar Wilde, Harper Lee and Wendy Cope went to college in Oxford.
The gothic architecture of the city provided the perfect setting for such an adventure; as found in Matthew Arnold’s poem, ‘that sweet city with her dreaming spires’ certainly dazzled me
Another notable literary work to have been drawn out of this place is the Harry Potter series; many have suggested that Rowling (unfortunate though it feels to give her a mention) was inspired by the ancient architecture of the University of Oxford campus, and other colleges of the cities, when writing her books, and indeed many scenes from the films were shot here. Similarly, University College Oxford alumni C.S. Lewis was inspired by many of the beautiful sites of the city. It is said that, along St. Mary’s Passage – a narrow, cobblestone street in the city – the tall lamppost there inspired the iconic scene from Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe in which Lucy Pevensey meets Mr Tumnus. Seeing these sites in person was a lovely chance to explore these sites of literary history.
Similarly, many other movies and TV shows have been filmed here – Downton Abbey, Brideshead Revisited and Saltburn being some of my favourites – and it was so fun to see streets and shops that I have only previously seen on the screen. A particularly exciting example is Mamma Mia 2, with the opening graduation and ‘When I kissed the teacher’ scenes being filmed throughout central Oxford. The city is so dynamically intertwined with music and literature, giving an added glow to this beautiful area.
The city is so dynamically intertwined with music and literature, giving an added glow to this beautiful area
Likewise, there were so many adorable shops across Oxford that paid homage to the literary culture of the city. One of these was the ‘House of Wonders’ gift shop on Cornmarket Street, full of adorable Harry Potter themed knick knacks. The best of all, however, was ‘Alice’s Shop’ on St. Aldate’s Street. This shop, having been in this place since as early as the 15th century, is a historical landmark tied closely to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The young girl who is said to have inspired the story, a close acquaintance of Carroll’s, allegedly visited this shop when it was used for other purposes. Later, this shop was reclaimed as an homage to the story, selling adorable trinkets and gifts.
[Alice’s Shop], having been in this place since as early as the 15th century, is a historical landmark tied closely to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Overall, though my trip to Oxford was clearly dominated by my love for literary tourism and the visiting of iconic movie sets, I adored the city as a whole. The architecture was stunning, and the people were very friendly and welcoming. One of my favourite places that I visited was the ‘Covered Market’ between Market Street and High Street, which was full of quirky, cute trinkets and delicious homemade goods to try. But my absolute favourite was a bookshop located at the heart of the market called ‘Gulp Fiction’; as the name suggests, this bookshop combines the selling of books and the drinking of niche beers and cocktails, as well as having a coffee shop option and a secret upper floor full of a variety of other books.
Oxford is, therefore, the perfect place for a booklover, but also for someone interested in seeing the unique and interesting aspects of the UK that are hidden within the nooks and crannies of this historic city.
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