Stepping back in theatre's history

One of the guides leading the Sheldonian Theatre tours is Susannah Sallé, 39, of Wheatley, who is married with two children, Isaac, eight, and Ayla, five.We asked her about her job :

How long have you been a tour guide and how did you get in to doing the job?

I qualified in June 2012, after a 10ish-month training period run by trainers within the Oxford Guild of Guides, certified by the London-based Institute of Tourist Guiding (the organisation that certifies the Blue/Green badges). The Sheldonian guided tours is a new venture which started at the end of July.

What is your background ?

After a year off working at Blackwells Music Shop and travelling, I went to the University of Leeds to do a BA Hons in French and Italian. I followed this with an MA in Italian Studies at University College London, and then returned to Oxford to start a career in publishing, including 10 years at Macmillan Publishers. After the birth of my second child, I went freelance and still work on editorial and marketing projects.

What does the job involve?

As guides we are all self-employed and can accept as few or many tours as we wish. Many of us take public and private tours from the Visitor Information Centre; some guides have their own websites and their own additional sources of work (university departments, hotels, tourist agencies, language schools etc). There are currently five of us delivering tours for the Sheldonian, which will take place three mornings a week throughout the summer until October.

What kind of preparation do you have to do?

I hold the ITG Green Badge, which means I am officially qualified to conduct tours within the City of Oxford. Training involved lectures and visits. I’m always learning more, especially if the client wants a particular emphasis in their tour, for example in the case of the Sheldonian I’ve expanded my knowledge of the historical context of its construction etc. In general terms I am always adapting the content to the interests of the group. The Visitor Information Centre runs daily walking tours (University and city) as well as themed tours.

What’s the best thing about the job?

I get a buzz from a group that’s really engaged and clearly enjoying themselves. I far prefer it when people ask questions and even add titbits of their own information. Like learning a language, the more you know the more you realise what you still don’t know, so I was thrilled to be asked to be involved in the team delivering tours at the Sheldonian as it has given me another excuse to read, read, read! It might be a specialised tour from the point of view of the area we cover and the focus on one building, but it’s also a perfect way to tell the story of Oxford. We cover 900 years of history.

Any embarrassing moments?

Early on in my guiding days, I did lose a couple from my group who, unnoticed, disappeared for a peek inside The Bear. When they emerged, we had moved on and they spent the next 30 minutes trying to find us. It was a large group and I hadn’t even noticed they were missing!

Kay Hogg, senior event marketing manager at the Sheldonian Theatre

A new tour featuring the Sheldonian Theatre takes in not only the building itself but also gives a whistle-stop overview of 900 years of Oxford University history.

“This guided tour means that for the first time visitors can also enjoy learning about the history of the University’s iconic ceremonial hall and the surrounding buildings as they take in the majestic beauty of the area,” says Kay Hogg, senior event marketing manager at the theatre.

“Our guides pack in a huge amount of fun and interesting content throughout.”

She’s certainly right there.

As a relative newcomer to Oxford, I was fascinated to hear how the university was formed and some secrets of its past.

First surprise was that the Grade I listed building situated in Oxford’s city centre is not a theatre at all, rather the University’s ceremonial hall which was created for events not suitable to be held in church.

The one-hour guided walking tour started in the theatre which hosts matriculation, graduation ceremonies, Encaenia and Congregation*... and explained what those terms mean.

During the tour we also got to see the University church, the Clarendon and Bodleian Quadrangle and Radcliffe Square. Our guide told us he often has to let Harry Potter fans know that the latter wasn’t named after actor Daniel Radcliffe but rather John Radcliffe, an Oxford student in the 17th century who became doctor to William III and Mary II, made a large fortune, and left a significant legacy to the University.

We also learned about how the University was formed, heard about its rebellious and violent past and how it’s run today: the 38 independent colleges making up a federation with some shared facilities like the Sheldonian.

Returning to the theatre, we sat in the Ladies Gallery to hear about the origins of Sir Christopher Wren’s first major building which opened in 1669.

After the tour we could climb to the Cupola, which offers a panoramic view of Oxford’s skyline.

*Matriculation confers membership of the University on students.

Graduation is when degrees are conferred.

Encaenia is the ceremony at which the University of Oxford awards honorary degrees to distinguished men and women and commemorates its benefactors.

Congregation is the sovereign body of the University and acts as its parliament.

The tours (£8 adult, £6 concessions) run until October but as it is a working building they are not available every day. Dates are published a fortnight in advance and can be checked at sheldon.ox.ac.uk. Tours can be booked directly at the visitor information desk at the Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3AZ; by calling 01865 277299 or by email at tours@sheldon.ox.ac.uk

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