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Another cloiter, plainer than before
But when I look, there is more
Peering through the window
Peering back I see
Stone creatures intently looking
Watching, talking, guarding
The majestic lion
Quietly ponders the courtyard green
White and pink flowers interwined with ivy
Towards two cherubs almost talking lively
A single sign in the doorway I see
These creatres guard the grass from you and me
** for all the forbidden grass in Oxford, and all those who long to tread it underfoot.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
South Parks
O ye spires of Oxford
That pierce the white heavens
O ye green hills
And ye high hedges
Thou doth cast thy spell
Of beauty on me
The wind turns chill
And the dark clouds roll in
Yet, I do not stir from my place
Beneath the low tree boughs
That pierce the white heavens
O ye green hills
And ye high hedges
Thou doth cast thy spell
Of beauty on me
The wind turns chill
And the dark clouds roll in
Yet, I do not stir from my place
Beneath the low tree boughs
Chapter 8: Windsor and Henry V
I have fallen behind on my blog entries. As you can imagine, it is like midterm week right now. I am frantically trying to both work and sightsee.
Yesterday, I took the train to Windsor. It is a quick train ride. There I toured Windsor Castle. I was in awe of its unparalleled grandeur. The castle is everything a castle should be, with its tall imposing walls, sleeping beauty windows, and perpendicular gothic architecture.
On the grounds is St. George's Church. Besides the breathtaking beauty of the church, here lies the Queen's parents and grandparents.
The next attraction is the doll house. The doll house is a large square. The facade lifts up to reveal the rooms. The rooms are lit with electric lights and the house has a working plumbing system. Artists painstakingly replicated furniture, paintings, and more to create this intricate miniature mansion. The attention to detail is remarkable, even the plates on the dining room table are made out of silver. This house was not made for children, but for Queen Mary who loved minatures.
The art gallery was also impressive. It housed several sketches by daVinci inlcuding one entitled the Deluge. It is a personal sketch that masterfully depicts the chaos of a storm. The gallery also includes works by Hans Holbein the Younger and the great wax seal of King Henry VIII.
Next I entered the state rooms, via the grand staircase. There were over twenty rooms all lavishly decorated. Most have been restored to a close resemblance of what they would have looked like under the reign of Charles II. A thick catalog of the gold, furniture, and armor housed in these rooms would not do it justice. To name a few, there is the armor of King Henry VIII, a painting of Elizabeth I that mimics the judgement of Paris, and the blue throne room. One of my favorite rooms was St. George's Hall. This long, bright hall with its tall draped windows was straight out of Disney's Cinderella.
After touring the staterooms, I caught the train back to Oxford. A quick dinner and I walked to Trinity College to watch an outdoor play, Henry V. It was excellent. The actors consistantly stayed in character, allowing the illusion of reality to let the set and audience fade away. I was quite impressed and enjoyed the play to its very last word.
Yesterday, I took the train to Windsor. It is a quick train ride. There I toured Windsor Castle. I was in awe of its unparalleled grandeur. The castle is everything a castle should be, with its tall imposing walls, sleeping beauty windows, and perpendicular gothic architecture.
On the grounds is St. George's Church. Besides the breathtaking beauty of the church, here lies the Queen's parents and grandparents.
The next attraction is the doll house. The doll house is a large square. The facade lifts up to reveal the rooms. The rooms are lit with electric lights and the house has a working plumbing system. Artists painstakingly replicated furniture, paintings, and more to create this intricate miniature mansion. The attention to detail is remarkable, even the plates on the dining room table are made out of silver. This house was not made for children, but for Queen Mary who loved minatures.
The art gallery was also impressive. It housed several sketches by daVinci inlcuding one entitled the Deluge. It is a personal sketch that masterfully depicts the chaos of a storm. The gallery also includes works by Hans Holbein the Younger and the great wax seal of King Henry VIII.
Next I entered the state rooms, via the grand staircase. There were over twenty rooms all lavishly decorated. Most have been restored to a close resemblance of what they would have looked like under the reign of Charles II. A thick catalog of the gold, furniture, and armor housed in these rooms would not do it justice. To name a few, there is the armor of King Henry VIII, a painting of Elizabeth I that mimics the judgement of Paris, and the blue throne room. One of my favorite rooms was St. George's Hall. This long, bright hall with its tall draped windows was straight out of Disney's Cinderella.
After touring the staterooms, I caught the train back to Oxford. A quick dinner and I walked to Trinity College to watch an outdoor play, Henry V. It was excellent. The actors consistantly stayed in character, allowing the illusion of reality to let the set and audience fade away. I was quite impressed and enjoyed the play to its very last word.
Monday, July 20, 2009
On Being Still
I am still. I am still and beside the waters edge. I am still except my pen as I write. I am still but it is not. It, the water, rippling water, reflects the sky above and trees beside as a diamond with many facets. It, the sky, blue sky, changes the water as the clouds block and reveal the sun.
All is still on the far bank. Except for the wind. It shakes the trees from left to right. The boughs bend downward and the green leaves flutter to and fro.
I am still but for the fly that has landed on my shoe. Away and return.
The clock strikes twelve.
The ducks are not still. The coot is not still. Ever gliding across the rippling water and pruning their feathers. All is quiet save the birds. Till one duck splashes furiously and squaks at another. A short chase ensues. A white butterfly dances above the water for a moment and then returns to its hiding place within the foliage.
All is quiet, natural noise. I make not a sound. Then comes the gutteral hum of the lawn mower.
All is not still and quiet.
All is still on the far bank. Except for the wind. It shakes the trees from left to right. The boughs bend downward and the green leaves flutter to and fro.
I am still but for the fly that has landed on my shoe. Away and return.
The clock strikes twelve.
The ducks are not still. The coot is not still. Ever gliding across the rippling water and pruning their feathers. All is quiet save the birds. Till one duck splashes furiously and squaks at another. A short chase ensues. A white butterfly dances above the water for a moment and then returns to its hiding place within the foliage.
All is quiet, natural noise. I make not a sound. Then comes the gutteral hum of the lawn mower.
All is not still and quiet.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
On Afternoon Tea
White clouds rose up from the bottom of my tea. I set the creamer down and stirred the caramel liquid. I was sitting in a corner booth of the National Gallery's Cafe for afternoon tea. China quietly clanked as I sipped the warm, semi-sweet liquid. Waiters, in their penguin dress, hurried about conveying tea and food from the kitichen to the tables.
I sat. I sat observing the room about me. The man who was sitting by himself two tables down. The group of ladies talking energetically in the center of the room. I sipped. I sipped in the semi-sweet scene laid out before me, and the nuances of my own conversation.
The tray of sweets and sandwiches was brought. Tasting and exclaiming ensued. The tiny morsels had soon disapppeared, leaving only crumbs on my saucer. I sipped my tea, imbibed with years of tradition, to the last lukewarm drop.
I sat. I sat observing the room about me. The man who was sitting by himself two tables down. The group of ladies talking energetically in the center of the room. I sipped. I sipped in the semi-sweet scene laid out before me, and the nuances of my own conversation.
The tray of sweets and sandwiches was brought. Tasting and exclaiming ensued. The tiny morsels had soon disapppeared, leaving only crumbs on my saucer. I sipped my tea, imbibed with years of tradition, to the last lukewarm drop.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Chapter 7: Part II, Pictures
Chicken, Lentil, and Wilkshire Ham Pie with peas and fries
Boswells - a popular chain store in England
Part of the old city walls on Longwall Street
Fields on one side of Magdalen Bridge
View of Oxford from South Park
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Chapter 6: Part 1, Blenheim Palace
Wednesday after class Dr. Selesky took a group by bus to visit Blenheim Palace which is on the outskirts of the city of Oxford.
Blenheim Palace is said to be the monument to England’s greatest soldier, John Churchill. The grandeur of the estate amazed me as soon as I entered the grounds. Churchill was granted the estate and the title of Duke of Marlborough from Queen Anne after defeating the Fench at Blenheim August 13, 1704. While this is the home of the Duke of Marlbourugh, its size and ornamentation is only fittingly called a Palace.
Blenheim is also the place where Henry II had a hunting lodge. The Place now stands on the supposed spot of the lodge. This is the same lodge that is mentioned in the Rosamond poems (Rosamond the Fair and Complaint of Rosamund.
Upon entering the foyer, if the large room my even be called such, I saw before me such display of wealth and history as I have never seen. The ceiling is painted, on either side of the room there are passage ways and walls with cut out spaces for large marble statues. Directly in front is a large room. In the back there are a few steps leading up into the center of the house and the door into the dining room. Over the steps hang three or four flags on their poles. This is the exact same scene that is in the portrait of the ninth Duke of Marlborough and his family.
I first took a left and got into the que (the British term for line) to go on the untold history tour. While in line I saw two scale model replicas of Blenheim Palace. One was a cake in a glass case. The cake is over thirty years old and has been coninually repaired to keep it on display. Opposite the cake replica was another scale model made out of wooden sticks.
The untold history tour was like going into Disney’s hall of presidents. There were nine rooms with various anamatronic figures, story boards, and heirlooms all narrated by the “lady’s maid” of the wife of the first Duke fo Marlborough, Sarah Churchill. That led me to the café and the gardens. I would have loved to have explored the gardens; however it was raining heavily. I decided to go on the guided tour of the staterooms instead. This was the best part of the trip to Blenheim. A witty British woman was our tour guide. We began in the green reading room. There were large pheonixes up in each of the corners of the ceiling all made from 24 carat gold. The gold was in such good condition that they looked brand new. In this room was a portrait of the John Churchill, another of his wife in black as she mourns the loss of her son, and various photos of the current Duke of Marlborough.
Next was the red drawing room in which the same 24 carat gold pheonixes were hung in the ceiling corners. In this room were also three of the tapestries commissioned by John Curchill. He had several of these made. Each one depicted his victories in battle. The most important tapestry being the one depicting his victory at Blenheim. There is one that has the first dog that the weavers had ever woven into a tapestry. Because they were so familiar with doing horses, the dog’s feet look more like the feet of a horse.
The following staterooms were intended for entertaining royalty. They were decorated by the ninth duke of Marlborough. The previous dukes had squandered their fortune and left no money for decorating. So the ninth duke married a Vanderbuilt, who with her fortune saved Blenheim from any harm. This was more of a forced alliance than a marriage. The duke’s wife, as the guide said, “did her duty and produced an heir and a spare.” Meaning she had two sons. She eventually left the duke for the man she loved and moved to France. Yet she returned to Blenheim to be near her ill and dying son. She is buried on the estate. A picture of the family is displayed in one of the staterooms. She is standing on a step to hide the fact that she was extremely tall and even taller than her husband. It, of course, would not have been proper to depict that fact.
In one of these rooms is also displayed an imitation of the white French flag with three gold flur de lys. Queen Anne granted John Churchill the land on which Blenheim Palace is built. However, it is land belonging to the crown, so some sort of rent must be paid for the Duke to continue renting the home. Churchill, when this was told to him, presented the Queen with the french flag. Ever since, every year the Duke of Marlborough presents an imitation flag with the years date to the Queen as rent.
Another one of the staterooms was a bedroom. It is said that Winston Churchill often stayed in this room. Churchill was born at Blenheim. There is a painting of the first Winston Churchill and the Prime Minister’s namesake, in this room. The first Winston Churchill was John Churchill’s Grandfather. He was named after his mother’s maiden name. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister, loved visiting Blenheim and was close to his second cousin, the ninth Duke of Marlborough. The room that Winston Churchill was born in is on display in another section of the Palace, along with some of his baby clothes.
The guide then led the tour group into the dining hall. This room is used only once a year by the duke’s famiy. That is on Christmas Eve. They invite their friends and family and enjoy a formal meal. The old table can comfortably accommodate forty people, and forty six if squeezed. In the center of the table is a solid silver centerpiece. It is a depiction of John Churchill handing a note of his victory at Blenhiem to a messenger to take to his wife. The messenger made the journey from Germany to England in only eight days. I was also struck by the floor to ceiling tromp l’oeil paintings in the dining room. The first duke’s wife, Sarah, was said to be the richest and the stingiest woman in England at the time. She refused to pay her first choice of painter because he wanted to charge her 1000 pounds for the work. She found another painter, a master of troump l’oeil painting and he only charged her five hundred pounds. On the ceiling, I saw a highly symbolic and moving painting. It is of John Churchill dressed in armor with a red cloak flowing behind him. His arm is raised and he is gripping a sword in his hand, ready to go to war. Yet, in keeping the theme of the room, the poetic imagery of the painting is in the white robed woman, Peace, standing behind Churchill, preventing his arm from striking.
The guided tour ended with my favorite room in Bleheim, the Library. This was the final room before entering the cathedral. The library is housed in the second longest hall in England, painted peach with white molding. There are two levels of books locked behind black iron bar cabinets. Some of the books were rare titles I had never heard of before and some had leather bindings, discolored with age and wear, that looked to be over a hundred years old. For a lover of books as I am, it made me almost cry that I could not but hold one of the precious books. The ceiling of the hall has three portions that were meant for murals; however, when this portion of the house was built, funds ran out before the murals were painted.
It was a rainy day out and I missed going through the gardens of Blenheim, unfortunately. Yet, I was able to see the Column of Victory.
Blenheim Palace is said to be the monument to England’s greatest soldier, John Churchill. The grandeur of the estate amazed me as soon as I entered the grounds. Churchill was granted the estate and the title of Duke of Marlborough from Queen Anne after defeating the Fench at Blenheim August 13, 1704. While this is the home of the Duke of Marlbourugh, its size and ornamentation is only fittingly called a Palace.
Blenheim is also the place where Henry II had a hunting lodge. The Place now stands on the supposed spot of the lodge. This is the same lodge that is mentioned in the Rosamond poems (Rosamond the Fair and Complaint of Rosamund.
Upon entering the foyer, if the large room my even be called such, I saw before me such display of wealth and history as I have never seen. The ceiling is painted, on either side of the room there are passage ways and walls with cut out spaces for large marble statues. Directly in front is a large room. In the back there are a few steps leading up into the center of the house and the door into the dining room. Over the steps hang three or four flags on their poles. This is the exact same scene that is in the portrait of the ninth Duke of Marlborough and his family.
I first took a left and got into the que (the British term for line) to go on the untold history tour. While in line I saw two scale model replicas of Blenheim Palace. One was a cake in a glass case. The cake is over thirty years old and has been coninually repaired to keep it on display. Opposite the cake replica was another scale model made out of wooden sticks.
The untold history tour was like going into Disney’s hall of presidents. There were nine rooms with various anamatronic figures, story boards, and heirlooms all narrated by the “lady’s maid” of the wife of the first Duke fo Marlborough, Sarah Churchill. That led me to the café and the gardens. I would have loved to have explored the gardens; however it was raining heavily. I decided to go on the guided tour of the staterooms instead. This was the best part of the trip to Blenheim. A witty British woman was our tour guide. We began in the green reading room. There were large pheonixes up in each of the corners of the ceiling all made from 24 carat gold. The gold was in such good condition that they looked brand new. In this room was a portrait of the John Churchill, another of his wife in black as she mourns the loss of her son, and various photos of the current Duke of Marlborough.
Next was the red drawing room in which the same 24 carat gold pheonixes were hung in the ceiling corners. In this room were also three of the tapestries commissioned by John Curchill. He had several of these made. Each one depicted his victories in battle. The most important tapestry being the one depicting his victory at Blenheim. There is one that has the first dog that the weavers had ever woven into a tapestry. Because they were so familiar with doing horses, the dog’s feet look more like the feet of a horse.
The following staterooms were intended for entertaining royalty. They were decorated by the ninth duke of Marlborough. The previous dukes had squandered their fortune and left no money for decorating. So the ninth duke married a Vanderbuilt, who with her fortune saved Blenheim from any harm. This was more of a forced alliance than a marriage. The duke’s wife, as the guide said, “did her duty and produced an heir and a spare.” Meaning she had two sons. She eventually left the duke for the man she loved and moved to France. Yet she returned to Blenheim to be near her ill and dying son. She is buried on the estate. A picture of the family is displayed in one of the staterooms. She is standing on a step to hide the fact that she was extremely tall and even taller than her husband. It, of course, would not have been proper to depict that fact.
In one of these rooms is also displayed an imitation of the white French flag with three gold flur de lys. Queen Anne granted John Churchill the land on which Blenheim Palace is built. However, it is land belonging to the crown, so some sort of rent must be paid for the Duke to continue renting the home. Churchill, when this was told to him, presented the Queen with the french flag. Ever since, every year the Duke of Marlborough presents an imitation flag with the years date to the Queen as rent.
Another one of the staterooms was a bedroom. It is said that Winston Churchill often stayed in this room. Churchill was born at Blenheim. There is a painting of the first Winston Churchill and the Prime Minister’s namesake, in this room. The first Winston Churchill was John Churchill’s Grandfather. He was named after his mother’s maiden name. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister, loved visiting Blenheim and was close to his second cousin, the ninth Duke of Marlborough. The room that Winston Churchill was born in is on display in another section of the Palace, along with some of his baby clothes.
The guide then led the tour group into the dining hall. This room is used only once a year by the duke’s famiy. That is on Christmas Eve. They invite their friends and family and enjoy a formal meal. The old table can comfortably accommodate forty people, and forty six if squeezed. In the center of the table is a solid silver centerpiece. It is a depiction of John Churchill handing a note of his victory at Blenhiem to a messenger to take to his wife. The messenger made the journey from Germany to England in only eight days. I was also struck by the floor to ceiling tromp l’oeil paintings in the dining room. The first duke’s wife, Sarah, was said to be the richest and the stingiest woman in England at the time. She refused to pay her first choice of painter because he wanted to charge her 1000 pounds for the work. She found another painter, a master of troump l’oeil painting and he only charged her five hundred pounds. On the ceiling, I saw a highly symbolic and moving painting. It is of John Churchill dressed in armor with a red cloak flowing behind him. His arm is raised and he is gripping a sword in his hand, ready to go to war. Yet, in keeping the theme of the room, the poetic imagery of the painting is in the white robed woman, Peace, standing behind Churchill, preventing his arm from striking.
The guided tour ended with my favorite room in Bleheim, the Library. This was the final room before entering the cathedral. The library is housed in the second longest hall in England, painted peach with white molding. There are two levels of books locked behind black iron bar cabinets. Some of the books were rare titles I had never heard of before and some had leather bindings, discolored with age and wear, that looked to be over a hundred years old. For a lover of books as I am, it made me almost cry that I could not but hold one of the precious books. The ceiling of the hall has three portions that were meant for murals; however, when this portion of the house was built, funds ran out before the murals were painted.
It was a rainy day out and I missed going through the gardens of Blenheim, unfortunately. Yet, I was able to see the Column of Victory.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Chapter 5: Christ Church Cathedral Part V
(Excerpts from the brochure, pictures by myself)
A Brief Tour of The Cathedral
The Chancel Vault
William Orchard, c 1500
This remarkable stone vault is made up of intricate star-shaped patterns to creat an image of heaven. Twelve beautiful pendants hang gracefully from it.
The Shrine
Built 1289, Destroyed 1538, Rebuilt 1889, 2002
The oldest monument in this cathedral, the shrine is covered in fine carvings of plants and faces. It once held the relics of St. Frideswide, the patron saint of Oxford, but was destroyed at the Reformation. Frideswide was then buried beneath a nearby gravestone.
The Bell Altar
Jim Partridge, 2000
This altar was made to mark the milllennium and is dedicated in memory of Bishop George Bell, who courageously opposed the bombing of the German cities in WW2. A cross which stands near it, was cut from the underside of the altar.
St. Catherine Window
Edward Burne-Jones, 1878
The face of the central figure, St. Catherine of Alexandria, is a picture of Edith Liddell. Her sister Alice was the inspiration for the book Alice in Wonderland, and a portrait of Alice may be seen in a window in the Great Hall at Christ Church.
The Becket Window, c. 1320
This beautiful medieval window is the oldest in the cathedral, and contains a rare panel showing the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket, who died at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. Becket is kneeling between a monk and the four knights who murdered him. The panel was defaced in the sixteenth century and the original face of Becket is now missing.
A Brief Tour of The Cathedral
The Chancel Vault
William Orchard, c 1500
This remarkable stone vault is made up of intricate star-shaped patterns to creat an image of heaven. Twelve beautiful pendants hang gracefully from it.
The Shrine
Built 1289, Destroyed 1538, Rebuilt 1889, 2002
The oldest monument in this cathedral, the shrine is covered in fine carvings of plants and faces. It once held the relics of St. Frideswide, the patron saint of Oxford, but was destroyed at the Reformation. Frideswide was then buried beneath a nearby gravestone.
The Bell Altar
Jim Partridge, 2000
This altar was made to mark the milllennium and is dedicated in memory of Bishop George Bell, who courageously opposed the bombing of the German cities in WW2. A cross which stands near it, was cut from the underside of the altar.
St. Catherine Window
Edward Burne-Jones, 1878
The face of the central figure, St. Catherine of Alexandria, is a picture of Edith Liddell. Her sister Alice was the inspiration for the book Alice in Wonderland, and a portrait of Alice may be seen in a window in the Great Hall at Christ Church.
The Becket Window, c. 1320
This beautiful medieval window is the oldest in the cathedral, and contains a rare panel showing the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket, who died at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170. Becket is kneeling between a monk and the four knights who murdered him. The panel was defaced in the sixteenth century and the original face of Becket is now missing.
Chapter 5:Potter, Dodson, Frideswide, and Van Dyck - Part I
An Impression of Christ Church Gallery: Tucked away in Christ Church, past the famous Harry Potter Scenes and the breathtaking Christ Church Cathedral, is Christ Church Gallery. For a pound, one can gain admittance into a quaint gallery with exceptional display of artistic masterpieces, church icons, and even two globes. The quiet stillness of the Gallery is not just the perfect place to examine the art, but to reflect upon the sights of Christ Church and let the weight of them fall upon you. I was mesmerized by its contents. The painting of the virgin, by Niccolo do Pietro Gerini, with the natural lighting in the galllery, the light caught the gold background and illuminated it, giving the woman an angelic face. One painting, of Beatrice d’Este, was quite intriguing. While it was completed by s. studet o the Lombard School, it has qualities that are similar to one of Leonardo deVinci’s most beautiful portraits, Lady with an Ermine. Ironically Beatrice married Ludivico Sfoza who was an employer of deVinci. Finallly, I have found a new favorite artist to add to the list of my particular favorites. Sir Anthony Van Dyck’s, A Soldier on Horseback, is an oil painting with the feel of movement through his gestural techniques. I could have stood watching the fluidity of his lines in his various works for hours.
Chapter 5: Christ Church Cathedral Part II
Excerpts From the Cathedral Brochure:
"This twelfth century church is amongst the oldest buildings in Oxford, and one of the smallest Anglican cathedrals in England. It is also the only church in the world to be both a cathedral and a college chapel."
" A Place of Worship: The Cathedral is the mother church of the Dioces of Oxford, and many special services take place attended by the Bishop of Oxford. It is here that the Bishop has his throne or 'cathedra', from which a cathedral takes its name."
"A Place of Music: The Cathedral Choir was founded in 1525, and comprises 16 boys and 12 men. "
"A Brief History
c. 680-727 The life of St. Frideswide, patron saint of Oxford and founder of the first church on this site
c. 1150-1210 The present building is constructed as a monastery church
1524 The monastary is forced to close
1525 Cardinal's College is founded by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey on this site, and the church becomces a college chapel
1546 This church becomes the cathedral, and the college and cathedral are refounded by King Henry VIII as "Christ Church"
1642-1646 The English Civil War, during which King Carles I lives and worships at Christ Church
1720's John and Charles Wesley study at Christ Chruch and are both ordained in the cathedral
1870-1876 Much of the interior of the cathedral is redesigned by Sir George Gilbert Scott"
"This twelfth century church is amongst the oldest buildings in Oxford, and one of the smallest Anglican cathedrals in England. It is also the only church in the world to be both a cathedral and a college chapel."
" A Place of Worship: The Cathedral is the mother church of the Dioces of Oxford, and many special services take place attended by the Bishop of Oxford. It is here that the Bishop has his throne or 'cathedra', from which a cathedral takes its name."
"A Place of Music: The Cathedral Choir was founded in 1525, and comprises 16 boys and 12 men. "
"A Brief History
c. 680-727 The life of St. Frideswide, patron saint of Oxford and founder of the first church on this site
c. 1150-1210 The present building is constructed as a monastery church
1524 The monastary is forced to close
1525 Cardinal's College is founded by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey on this site, and the church becomces a college chapel
1546 This church becomes the cathedral, and the college and cathedral are refounded by King Henry VIII as "Christ Church"
1642-1646 The English Civil War, during which King Carles I lives and worships at Christ Church
1720's John and Charles Wesley study at Christ Chruch and are both ordained in the cathedral
1870-1876 Much of the interior of the cathedral is redesigned by Sir George Gilbert Scott"
Chapter 5: Potter, Dodson, Frideswide, and Van Dyck - Part II
Tuesday after class, Susan took a group to tour Christ Church. Chrrrist Church is a college within Oxford Univeristy. While its full name is Christs Church College, it is most often called Christ Church. Walking into the main seciton of the college, I turned left down a corridor and then right into a courtyard. In the courtyard was a fountain inscribed with all kinds of religious phrases, but mostly incribed with the prhase, “Praise him” the Next to the fountain is a tree whose base is inscribed with , “ The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nation.” Then I proceeded to the right into a room with a large staircase. This is the staircase in the first Harry Potter film where Harry and his classmates wait to enter the Great Hall for the first time. I then walked up the stairs and entered into the antechamber to the Christ Church dining hall. This is the same hall used in the first two Harry Potter films for the Great Hall. It is much smaller in reality. Everything is done in blue and the walls are covered in portraits. On the back wall to ther right when hyou walk into the room is a portrait of Charls Dodson (aka Lewis Caroll). He was a graduate of Christ Church and it was while he was there that he created the Alice in Wonderland stories. The fire irons in the dining hall are actually the inspiration for Alice is allowed to walk on. I actully saw someone get in trouble for steping on the grass. I walked forward and entered Christ Church Cathedral on my right. It was a facinating and beautiful cathedral. I followed the brochure around the cathedral finding the objects it pointed out. As I was looking at the intrecate designs of the stained glass a priets stood up and asked everyone to be still and quiet. He said a prayer for all those who were sick or hurting and he prayed for all the conflicts in the world. Then he asked that everyone join him in reciting the Lords Prayer. Though the acts may not have been totally scriptural, the respect for God and acknowedging that he is in control was touching.
After the priest’s prayer I found the placque to St. Frideswyde. In Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale, th miller swears by St. Frideswyde. This is no made up phrase, but a referance to the patron saint of Oxford. There is also a banner dedicated to her memory. In the farthest stained glass window in the middle panel was a depiction of the murder of Thomas a’Becket. However the original head of Becket was carfully cut out during the time in which having any efagy of him was illegal.
I in awe of the intrecacy of the design of every inch of the cathedral from the winows to the floor, to the furnicure and ceiling, left the cathedral to visit the gallery. The gallery was an extra pound to three pounds, but well worth it. It was not a large galllery, made up of only four rooms, yet every piece was authentic and came with a history. There was not photography allowed in the galllery, because the accidental flash of a camera damages the paintings by causing them to fade more quickly.
After the priest’s prayer I found the placque to St. Frideswyde. In Chaucer’s The Miller’s Tale, th miller swears by St. Frideswyde. This is no made up phrase, but a referance to the patron saint of Oxford. There is also a banner dedicated to her memory. In the farthest stained glass window in the middle panel was a depiction of the murder of Thomas a’Becket. However the original head of Becket was carfully cut out during the time in which having any efagy of him was illegal.
I in awe of the intrecacy of the design of every inch of the cathedral from the winows to the floor, to the furnicure and ceiling, left the cathedral to visit the gallery. The gallery was an extra pound to three pounds, but well worth it. It was not a large galllery, made up of only four rooms, yet every piece was authentic and came with a history. There was not photography allowed in the galllery, because the accidental flash of a camera damages the paintings by causing them to fade more quickly.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Chapter 4: Pictures
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The Folly Bridge Sign.jpg)
The Isis River, from Folly Bridge.jpg)
A long boat on the Isis(for all of you who have read The Golden Compass)
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Crew Houses of Oxford University's various colleges.jpg)
Kayaking in the Isis.jpg)
Bridge Crossing the Isis.jpg)
The Mathematical Bridge.jpg)
St. Mary the Virgin Church, Iffly .jpg)
Two rows of beak heads and one row of chevrons on the entrance way into St. Mary's
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St. Mary's Plaque of Parsons
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Stained Glass Window in St. Mary's
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Stained Glass Window in St. Mary's
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The Graveyard outside St. Mary's
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St. Mary's Plaque of Parsons.jpg)
Stained Glass Window in St. Mary's.jpg)
Stained Glass Window in St. Mary's.jpg)
The Graveyard outside St. Mary's.jpg)
Unique Circular doorway design on Cowly Road
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Oxford Building
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Periodic Table Car - Advertising Oxford's Science Park
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Oxford Building.jpg)
Periodic Table Car - Advertising Oxford's Science ParkChapter 4: The Iffly Walk, Part II
Monday was the Iffly Walk. The Iffly Walk has become somewhat of a tradition for the Alabama at Oxford program. This “5 mile” walk began at Worcester College. We walked to Folly Bridge, which is the bridge over the Isis River. The Isis River is the Thames River; however, the residents of Oxford prefer to call it the Isis. At Folly Bridge, the walk mimics the run of Jude the Obscure’s wife.
We turned off to the left and walked along the River. It soon began to rain and we all stood beneath the trees on the side of the river till it stopped. We continued with the Isis on our left and fields of green grass, occasional paths and gardens, a few horses and many trees on our right. Colleges of Oxford University come to practice with their crew teams. Brick and cement houses line the opposite side of the river. Each is designated with the crest of the college. Finally we come to a bridge where we cross over to the other side of the River. To our right is the Mathematical Bridge. It is said that this bridge was constructed in such a way after the principles of gravity that no nails nor glue were used to secure the bridge, only the force of gravity. Whether or not that is true, the bridge still stands, though too unstable to hold weight. And is now kept standing by various ropes and nails.
We continued walking with the Isis on our right and a wall of tress on our left. The path opened up into a road that led up to St. Mary’s Church. This church was built in 1170 as the parish church of Iffly and remains so till this day. Immediately inside the church on the left is a plaque listing all the parsons of the church from 1170 to present. The west front of the building is said to be perhaps the best example of Norman architecture in England. Norman architecture is marked by the beak heads and the chevrons (triangular shapes) that outline the frame of the doorway. To the right of the church there is an Eww tree that is suppoed to be as old as the church. Inside the church is a stained glass window, immediately on the right, that is also in Magdalen (pronounced Maudlen) College. Looking up there is the organ. Rows of pews line the inside of the stone building. Then there is a step up into another section of the church where the pews face toward the center. There is a supporting column on either side of the building at that point. On the base of one column a mason carved a small lion. On the base of the other column another mason carved a small bird. Outside the church, is an old graveyard like something you would expect to see in a section of the graveyard in Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. There is no rhyme or reason to the placement of the headstones. Grass grows high between each marker and no two markers are the same.
From the church we proceeded to Cowly road. It was a long walk, much longer than five miles from Iffly to the Cowly Road. Cowly Road was an interesting sight to behold. The ethnic diversity of this section of Oxford provides for a handful of shops advertising the tradional dress of different countries. The aroma from the Greek, Pakistani, Indian, and Chinese food saturates the air, especially when one has had no lunch and it is almost dinner time.
At last we crossed a bridge and found ourselves near the Botanic Gardens and back in familiar territory.
We turned off to the left and walked along the River. It soon began to rain and we all stood beneath the trees on the side of the river till it stopped. We continued with the Isis on our left and fields of green grass, occasional paths and gardens, a few horses and many trees on our right. Colleges of Oxford University come to practice with their crew teams. Brick and cement houses line the opposite side of the river. Each is designated with the crest of the college. Finally we come to a bridge where we cross over to the other side of the River. To our right is the Mathematical Bridge. It is said that this bridge was constructed in such a way after the principles of gravity that no nails nor glue were used to secure the bridge, only the force of gravity. Whether or not that is true, the bridge still stands, though too unstable to hold weight. And is now kept standing by various ropes and nails.
We continued walking with the Isis on our right and a wall of tress on our left. The path opened up into a road that led up to St. Mary’s Church. This church was built in 1170 as the parish church of Iffly and remains so till this day. Immediately inside the church on the left is a plaque listing all the parsons of the church from 1170 to present. The west front of the building is said to be perhaps the best example of Norman architecture in England. Norman architecture is marked by the beak heads and the chevrons (triangular shapes) that outline the frame of the doorway. To the right of the church there is an Eww tree that is suppoed to be as old as the church. Inside the church is a stained glass window, immediately on the right, that is also in Magdalen (pronounced Maudlen) College. Looking up there is the organ. Rows of pews line the inside of the stone building. Then there is a step up into another section of the church where the pews face toward the center. There is a supporting column on either side of the building at that point. On the base of one column a mason carved a small lion. On the base of the other column another mason carved a small bird. Outside the church, is an old graveyard like something you would expect to see in a section of the graveyard in Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. There is no rhyme or reason to the placement of the headstones. Grass grows high between each marker and no two markers are the same.
From the church we proceeded to Cowly road. It was a long walk, much longer than five miles from Iffly to the Cowly Road. Cowly Road was an interesting sight to behold. The ethnic diversity of this section of Oxford provides for a handful of shops advertising the tradional dress of different countries. The aroma from the Greek, Pakistani, Indian, and Chinese food saturates the air, especially when one has had no lunch and it is almost dinner time.
At last we crossed a bridge and found ourselves near the Botanic Gardens and back in familiar territory.
Chapter 4: The Iffly Walk, Part I
An Impression of Cowly Road: Walking up the Cowly Road from Iffly, the close set homes with their circular doorways change into two walls of shops and restaurants. Spices and the scents of food cooking waft out of the restaurants and fill my senses with their delicious aroma. My stomach growls with anticipation. The streets are crowded as residents go about their daily lives, their footsteps pounding out the pulse of the street. Women in colorful Indian dress carry groceries home, swaying to the beat. Men call out to restaurant owners, giving verse to the song. Bicycles weave in and out of the tune with a whirring buzz and the cars hum along. My eyes are fed with the curiosity of the shops and murals painted on the brick buildings. Then it ends, almost as abruptly as it began. The streets once again have the familiar look of Academia.
Chapter 3: London Calling
Sunday was my first whole day in Oxford. After my morning worship in my room, since there is no New Testament church in Oxford, I went to the dining hall for breakfast. They served fruit, eggs, sausage, beans, and tomatoes, to name a few things, for breakfast. Breakfast was delicious, but also made me realize that for the past two days all I had done was eat and try to sleep. I was ready to get out and explore. So at 11 a.m. I took the Rail into London with Dr. Halli, Ms. Jones, Dr. Selesky and about ten other students. The Rail took us to Paddington station, where we split into two groups. My group took the tube to Westminster. I walked up out of the subway and the first thing I saw was Big Ben, towering above the city. Behind it in the distance was the London Eye. We walked around the square to see Westminster Abbey. Because it was Sunday, the Abbey was closed to visitors except for services. We were able to stare at its incredible yellow and white edifice, the ornate windows, and its spires. We rounded the other side of the square and came up to the gates of Parliament, which is next to Big Ben. The ornate design of the fence included the Tudor rose.
From there we walked toward Trafalgar Square. Throughout our excursion, Dr. Selesky narrated what we were seeing and gave us brief histories and anecdotes about the buildings and monuments. On our way to Trafalgar Square we passed Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives at #10 Downing Street. Downing Street is gated and guarded by three armed guards. The view from the front is not particularly lovely, however from the back it overlooks St. James's Park, where the Queen’s Official Birthday is celebrated every year. At Trafalgar Square I saw Nelson’s Column, the four lions and the fountain, with the National Gallery as the backdrop.
The group again split at Trafalgar Square. I and two others took the tube to the British Museum. Far be it from me to be able to describe the wonders held in that museum. I only had time to visit one side of the museum. We began at the top with Grecian artifacts. I was enthralled over the case of about ten large urns depicting the trials of Heracles. Then, I proceeded to the Egyptian artifacts. The magnificence of the King Tut exhibit in Ft. Lauderdale can only be seconded by the numerous sarcophagi, mummies, and other unique objects in this exhibit. One of the life size sculptures brought back by Giovanni Belzoni was a part of the collection. I was in such rapture over the room at that moment that I nearly cried. If not for the urge to see the other Egyptian statues, the Elgin Marbles, and the Rosetta Stone, I could not have been persuaded to leave without looking at every piece and reading every plaque.
Proceeding downstairs, large mosaics covered every inch of the walls. The next room contained two tall Egyptian pillars and the giant head and shoulders of Ramses II. Placed against the walls were several black statues of Sekhmet.
A gathering of people stood where the room opened into more passages. And there stood, encased in glass, the Rosetta Stone. Plaques about the stone and the race between Champollion and Young to decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphs were placed inside the case also. And there I stood, separated by only four inches of air and a layer of glass, from one of the greatest discoveries for the understanding of the Egyptian language. It was a moment that passed all too quickly.
Then wandering into the next room, I came upon the Nereid Monument. I was stunned by the sheer size of the temple like structure and the fact that it was still all in one piece. Then I entered the room with the Elgin Marbles, massive pieces of expertly carved marble up on a dais and hung along the walls. I passed a larger than lifesize statue of Apollo and explored the the Assyrian artifacts which included two giant Iamassu which were winged lions with the face of a man. They were to guard the palace from demonic forces. Their size, like the Nereid Monument was impressive.
Of course this was not all I saw in the museum, and certainly not all of the displayed artifacts of the museum. But that was all we had time to see. We made a quick stop at the gift shop and headed outside for dinner. Once outside I realized that the museum itself was not air conditioned, just like most of England. We ate fish and chips outside at a little shop. The fish is not like American fish. It has less of a “fishy” taste and more of a buttery land meat taste. Needless to say, it is delicious and a definite “must try”.
A quick tube ride and we were back at Paddington station. I solved the slight inconvenience of having not brought a hair dryer and forgetting a few other things by stopping in at the Boots store at Paddington station. Boots is like a CVS or Rite Aid in the States. Another rail ride and we were back in Oxford. Hungry again, we went to a neat Italian restaurant called Jamie’s Italian. It was Jamie Oliver’s restaurant! I was quite excited upon discovering this bit of information. The food was delicious and I highly recommend the pumpkin and ricotta ravioli.
From there we walked toward Trafalgar Square. Throughout our excursion, Dr. Selesky narrated what we were seeing and gave us brief histories and anecdotes about the buildings and monuments. On our way to Trafalgar Square we passed Downing Street, where the Prime Minister lives at #10 Downing Street. Downing Street is gated and guarded by three armed guards. The view from the front is not particularly lovely, however from the back it overlooks St. James's Park, where the Queen’s Official Birthday is celebrated every year. At Trafalgar Square I saw Nelson’s Column, the four lions and the fountain, with the National Gallery as the backdrop.
The group again split at Trafalgar Square. I and two others took the tube to the British Museum. Far be it from me to be able to describe the wonders held in that museum. I only had time to visit one side of the museum. We began at the top with Grecian artifacts. I was enthralled over the case of about ten large urns depicting the trials of Heracles. Then, I proceeded to the Egyptian artifacts. The magnificence of the King Tut exhibit in Ft. Lauderdale can only be seconded by the numerous sarcophagi, mummies, and other unique objects in this exhibit. One of the life size sculptures brought back by Giovanni Belzoni was a part of the collection. I was in such rapture over the room at that moment that I nearly cried. If not for the urge to see the other Egyptian statues, the Elgin Marbles, and the Rosetta Stone, I could not have been persuaded to leave without looking at every piece and reading every plaque.
Proceeding downstairs, large mosaics covered every inch of the walls. The next room contained two tall Egyptian pillars and the giant head and shoulders of Ramses II. Placed against the walls were several black statues of Sekhmet.
A gathering of people stood where the room opened into more passages. And there stood, encased in glass, the Rosetta Stone. Plaques about the stone and the race between Champollion and Young to decipher the Egyptian hieroglyphs were placed inside the case also. And there I stood, separated by only four inches of air and a layer of glass, from one of the greatest discoveries for the understanding of the Egyptian language. It was a moment that passed all too quickly.
Then wandering into the next room, I came upon the Nereid Monument. I was stunned by the sheer size of the temple like structure and the fact that it was still all in one piece. Then I entered the room with the Elgin Marbles, massive pieces of expertly carved marble up on a dais and hung along the walls. I passed a larger than lifesize statue of Apollo and explored the the Assyrian artifacts which included two giant Iamassu which were winged lions with the face of a man. They were to guard the palace from demonic forces. Their size, like the Nereid Monument was impressive.
Of course this was not all I saw in the museum, and certainly not all of the displayed artifacts of the museum. But that was all we had time to see. We made a quick stop at the gift shop and headed outside for dinner. Once outside I realized that the museum itself was not air conditioned, just like most of England. We ate fish and chips outside at a little shop. The fish is not like American fish. It has less of a “fishy” taste and more of a buttery land meat taste. Needless to say, it is delicious and a definite “must try”.
A quick tube ride and we were back at Paddington station. I solved the slight inconvenience of having not brought a hair dryer and forgetting a few other things by stopping in at the Boots store at Paddington station. Boots is like a CVS or Rite Aid in the States. Another rail ride and we were back in Oxford. Hungry again, we went to a neat Italian restaurant called Jamie’s Italian. It was Jamie Oliver’s restaurant! I was quite excited upon discovering this bit of information. The food was delicious and I highly recommend the pumpkin and ricotta ravioli.
I returned to my room after dinner to prepare for the first day of class. More about my classes, the Iffly walk, and my tour of Christ Church to come!
London calling to the faraway towns
London calling at the top of the dial
After all this, won’t you give me a smile?
London calling to the faraway towns
London calling at the top of the dial
After all this, won’t you give me a smile?
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Chapter 2: Photographs
Worcester College, Oxford - Main Entrance, Chapel
Worcester College, Oxford - Main Entranc, Dining Hall Glass
Worcester College, Oxford - Main Entrance, Dining Hall
Worcester College, Oxford - Main Entrance
A real phone booth
Worcester College, Oxford 
Worcester College, Oxford - note that no one is allowed to walk on the grass in this picture
Worcester College, Oxford - note that the no one is allowed
Worcester College, Oxford - note that the no one is allowed to walk on the grass at the bottom of this picture
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
the bed
the room from the hall
the desk
the view outside my window - the orchard
the view outside my window - the orchard
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
the bed
the room from the hall
the desk
the view outside my window - the orchard
the view outside my window - the orchard
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