From Oxford to Warwick, England

Landing at Heathrow in the morning, picking up the rental car, and where do you go? Anywhere in the southeast, up to Norfolk, across to Salisbury, or perhaps just a short drive to Oxfordshire. Arriving in Oxford in the late morning, we had the time to take a marvellous walking tour of the town. The elderly lady who led appeared to be in considerably better shape than either of us and as the wife of an Oxford lecturer, knew everything there was to know.

As a teacher of Shakespeare, I enjoyed Stratford immensely, but limited our visit to the three Shakespearean houses in the town itself. I thought that it was enough.

Warwick Castle will remain one of my most memorable castle visits. Owned by the Tussaud group, it features wax figures demonstrating the castle's existance in the middle ages and in late Victorian times.

Quick Tips:

There is really no need to stay in downtown Oxford. . .the city has a good bus system. Do take the walking tour. It may miss some sites that you want to see (the Ashmolean will take time), but the tour will gain you access to sites that you would otherwise miss. Nearby Oxford is Chipping Norton, a pleasant town and worth the walk through.

Best Way To Get Around:

In Oxford, we left the car at the B&B and took the bus, which was very easy and user-friendly. In Stratford, there is a park and ride, which also works well and the cost is minimal and saves ever so many headaches. Since we weren't staying in Warwick, we simply drove to the castle. The town is just on the other side of the wall that one walks along to get to the castle. Parking was admirably easy.

Pembroke House is well situated on the Woodstock Road and just a hundred yards (or so) from the ring road that brings the traveler up from London. Its other advantage is that the bus into central Oxford stops immediately across the street and returns you almost to the doorstep.

The white house sits behind an equally white wall with a rather diminutive sign (you'll need good eyes for the sign) proclaiming simply, "Pembroke House"...no indication that it is an extremely nice B&B. There are three levels of hospitality here beginning at a double-bedded room at 50 pounds and going to the Master Suite at 80 pounds. Either by luck or misadventure, we stayed in the Master Suite. Taking it as a positive omen for the rest of the trip, I couldn't have been happier.

The master suite is large and comfortable and French doors overlook a garden that must be beautiful later in the spring. Apart from a large bed and seating, it features an eating area and a fully equipped bathroom.

The host, who lived downstairs, was extremely congenial and delivered a huge breakfast in the morning and as were all our hosts on this trip, a font of information on how to get around. To see pictures and a map, go to smoothhound and go to Oxford.

Having taken the Park and Ride bus in, it was extremely easy to find the site. The traveller enters through a very modern information center -- museum which does a very nice job of initiating the visitor into the life and times of the playwrite. There are different ticket combinations available . . . we chose the ticket that would allow us to visit three sites in Stratford -- the birthplace, Hall's Croft and Nash's House/New Place. The price at the time (2002)was 8.50 pounds.

Shakespeare was famous in his own day, and a prosperous man he became, owning good property in the area. His birthplace became a pilgimage site during the nineteenth century when famous writers and poets would scratch their names or initials on the glass in the window of the house. Scott, Carlyle and Henry Irving would all leave their mark . . . one wonders today if they weren't just young vandals or members of the literati who wanted their names associated with the great bard.

The house is as late medieval as a 16th-century home should be, and to be honest, what it may lack in "style", it makes up for in its ghosts. A lot of what you see in these places is illusion, stage management, and that is all true of this place . . . but to imagine that you are walking on floors once walked upon by the young man, that this is the room of his birth is quite "a rush".

The house is not grand. Shakespeare's father made his money in the leather trade and became an important city official . . . it was this link to city government that probably exposed the young Shakespeare to the world of the travelling theatres of the 16th century. People visit, not for the sight of riches, but for the reputation and the works of one of the greatest playwrites to ever pick up a pen.

Nash's House, although it was the home of Shakespeare's grand-daughter, isn't as important as the garden next to it. The garden is the site of New Place, the place that Shakespeare lived when he returned from London. Apparently the house was destroyed by a later owner who felt that it was more appropriate to do so than to pay the taxes levied on it. Nash's house is a pleasant, if not particularly long, tour . . . it houses an exhibition and museum on the subject of the town itself.

Hall's Croft was the home of Shakespeare's eldest daughter, Susanna, who had married a doctor, John Hall. Of the three homes on this tour, it was the one that I personally enjoyed the most, simply because it had the most substance. The house is a pleasant tribute to life in the 17th century and to the medicine of that time.

I really can't say enough about Warwick Castle. The 2002 admission was 10.75 pounds, and it was worth every penny. This exhibition spans centuries . . . the curtain walls are 14th century, some of the towers are 15th century, the grounds are courtesy of the great Capability Brown in the 18th century, the peacock garden is 19th century.

As we approached the site (after the ticket booth) we came upon "the archer". We had a great exhibition of the use of a longbow against a dummy with shield using the castle wall as a backdrop. I'm not sure how one hires an archer, but this one had the gift of well-rehearsed gab and kept a crowd of onlookers amused for some time.

On entry to the castle proper, the tourist discovers that he is in two castles . . . one alive and well in the medieval period and one that is gracious and gentille in 1898. The castle is owned by the Tussaud Group and they have used it to demonstrate life in the castle (using incredible wax mannikins) separated by 400 years. It really doesn't matter which you see first . . . both are brilliant.

The medieval tableau shows Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick, as he prepares to go to war in France in 1471. As one procedes through the tableaux, the story is told through the conversations of characters portrayed in wax. There are the exciting preparations, the battle and finally the death of Neville, caught on the battlefield fallen in his suit of armour, his throat slit.

The Victorian period is demonstrated in the comfortable later rooms at a week-end party held by Francis, Countess of Warwick in 1898. You will recognize some of the guests, a young Winston Churchill and a future king, who is lighting his pipe as he sits on a bench.

The Tussaud exhibitions are marvellous but the castle also contains gracious state rooms and a notable art collection. Oh yes . . . and the other things that a castle should contain, a dungeon and a torture chamber.

There are other sights in the area of Warwick town, but Warwick castle is a must-see . . . and I must add that we were able to see it in March and were able to revel in the lack of other sightseers.

The tourist information office at Oxford is easy to find and there is parking immediate to it. Coming in on a city bus, you will be dropped a block or so away.

Hitting a fast pace, our mixed group set off through the colleges of Oxford. Some we were to see through the gates, as they were not open to the public, some we entered. It was invaluable to be able to travel with someone who knew where they were going and who had some "privileged access" as a licensed guide. The university colleges lie within a reasonably compact area, so in a couple of hours, we were able to see a fair amount.

Christ Church and the Tom Quad we were only able to look at although we visited the chapel which has the distinction of being ordained as England's smallest cathedral.

Our most complete tour was of Merton College, which was founded in 1264 and is probably one of the premier sights at the university. Its Mob Quad is the oldest at the school and we were able to see the 14th century library (the first library to put its books on shelves), the chapel and dining hall.

I must admit that it became a bit of a blur, particularly as we were viewing exteriors for the most part. The tour ended, however with visits to the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bodleian Library. The Sheldonian was Sir Christopher Wren's first work and was designed to hold university ceremonies such as graduations. It really is an interesting building. One enters the Bodleian through the Old Schools Quadrangle (1613). In the Quadrangle is the Tower of the Five Orders, a celebration of the five classical orders of architecture. Opposite it, one can go into the divinity School which is celebrated for its vaulting.

With that, the tour ended, but the best part was the knowledge that we had gained about how Oxfordian education works--quite different from a North American campus.

After the tour it is possible to wander through some of the colleges that you have missed, but I was surprised on the number that had "Closed to the public" or "Check with the Porter" signs up. There is considerably more to see if you are not on overload already.

St. Mary the Virgin is a late 15th century Church with a 13th century tower. Now sometimes a church is just a church, but the views of Oxford from the tower aren't to be missed. As it sits it is across the street from Oriel College, just down from University, next to Brazenose on one side and All Souls on the other, and the Radcliffe Camera is immediately adjacent.

The Radcliffe Camera is closed to the public, but its Baroque styling is unique to its surroundings and the church tower offers an excellent view.