We had more driving and traveling today, to Oxford for our walking tour. While we were driving today I noticed something new that I hadn't noticed before. What I noticed was the stone walls that were built up to divided sections of the land off. These walls made the ground look like patchwork. I remember reading about these this type of fences was put, mostly by farmers I think, and how the walls upset the sheep framers/herders that had to being their sheep across the land. That is really the only comment about the land, but it looks so nice and had a history so I felt I had to write about it.
Stone fences

When we arrived in Oxford we started the tour. Oxford was founded in the 13th century and has had a college in it for 800 years. With thirty nine colleges now existing in Oxford that averages to around five colleges being founded a century and these colleges were first build in the center of tow and the later ones are now on the edge of town. All the colleges are setup in a Quadrangle or square, the center is an open area with buildings around the edge. Each college has a chapel, dining hall and students rooms in it. At the center of town is the faculty which is where the lecture rooms and lecture are given. At these colleges students don't take classes at their college, but through the university.

Photo of Oxford University

These colleges were first started by Monks, as monasteries and clusters, after it got so that they could no longer study in France. After the colleges became open to educate the non religious Oxford became a place for wealthy families' sons. Oxford is not for wealthy people now and students have to get in on their own merit. There are students attending from 120 different countries, but since all the classes are in English students have to be able to speak perfect English. Many famous people including twenty six prime ministers and many famous authors, including CS Lewis and JRR Tolkin have attended Oxford.

The first college that was founded for less wealthy students was Keble College in 1870; it is a college just like the others now. Many things about Oxford have been or are related to Harry Potter and his school, Hogwarts. The dining rooms in the colleges are set up like the one in the movies, with the teachers on a raised platform in the front and the students in rows down the rest of the room. Also, the students have to wear their gowns to dinner and on special nights they have to wear their full academic dress. The only other main time that students have to wear full academic dress is when they are taking exams. When the students are graduating the student picks a Saturday during the first term the next school year and they come to the Sheldon Theater for the ceremony that is given all in Latin, many people can't understand it in current times, and since twenty five years ago Oxford has changed their admission policy so that students don't have to have taken Latin.

The other academic opportunity in Oxford is the Roads scholars study. Roads was founded in honor of Cecil Roads and it is a foundation that provides money for postgraduate work for people from all countries, but only one per a country per a year.

The last major academic thing in Oxford I found interesting is the Bodleian library that was build in the 17th century. This library is a copy right library, so every book that is copy righted has to be sent here. The library now has over 7 million books and over 85 miles of shelving.
After the tour a group of us went to lunch at the Eagles and Child. This pub is where CS Lewis and JRR Tolkin use to meet with their literary group the Inklings. Here they would meet and read their current writings and such. It was really cool to go to. I had a jacket potato and it was good. We did a bit of shopping then and after that headed to Stratford.

In Stratford we had dinner and headed to the theater to see, Beauty and the Beast. My review of Beauty and the Beast, but know it was an amazing show.