Oxford Streets For People has organised a week of free walking tours to discover some of the city's hidden treasures.
The walks leave from Bonn Square and take between 45 minutes and 1hr 15 minutes.
The meeting point is at Bonn Square and will be manned between 12pm and 2pm.
Oxford colleges with choirs include Lincoln, Queen’s, New College, St John’s, Exeter, Magdalen, Corpus Christi and Christ Church (unique, in that the college chapel is also the cathedral church of Oxford). Some chapels offer services to which the public are welcome.
Oxford also offers several excellent music venues including the Holywell Music Room and the Jacqueline du Pre Music Building at St Hilda’s College.
The walk
1. From Bonn Square, walk across Queen Street and downhill along St Ebbe’s Street; turn left and walk along Pembroke Street. Between numbers 12 and 11 Pembroke Street turn right into the narrow passageway between the buildings. This leads into Pembroke Square. ‘Beef Lane’ is marked by a nameplate but is closed to the public. To your left as you enter Pembroke Square is St Aldate’s Church. Walk with the church on your left to St Aldate’s Street – cross with care. Ahead, beneath ‘Tom Tower’ is a gateway to Christ Church. Here via Tom Quad (rather than through the Visitors’ Gate lower down St Aldate’s at Christ Church meadows), is the access to the Cathedral which has its own choir and choir school (service times are on display, beside Tom Gate).
2. Walk uphill along St Aldate’s to the Town Hall, where turn right into Blue Boar Street, continuing along Bear Lane to its end. Bear right to walk across Oriel Square, past the rear of Christ Church on your right, to Merton Street. Here on your right is Merton College Chapel. The noticeboard on the chapel door gives details of services.
3. Turn left and walk along Magpie Lane to its end at High Street. Ahead of you, across High Street, observe the spire of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin. Choral evensong is held here.
(Out of sight to your right is the tower of Magdalen College, several hundred metres away beyond Longwall Street. It is at the top of the tower on May Morning, that choristers from Magdalen College School sing the Hymnus Eucharisticus, with great revelry taking pace below.
Magdalen College has a fine chapel.) 4. Cross High Street with care; turn left and walk along High Street passing the University Church to your right, then turn immediately right and walk through St. Mary’s Passage into Radcliffe Square.
Continue ahead and turn left into Brasenose Lane. Walk ahead to its end at Turl Street.
5. Turn right from Brasenose Lane into Turl Street. On your right, the gateway to Exeter College gives access to its fine chapel. Concerts, often featuring Baroque music, are held here. Ahead of you across Broad Street, beyond fine gates is the chapel of Trinity College.
6. Do not walk to the end of Turl Street; instead turn left and walk along Ship Street to Cornmarket Street. On your right at the approach to Cornmarket Street is the church of St Michael at the Northgate. Evensong is held at 6pm on alternate Sundays. Look back along Ship Street and you will see the spire of Exeter College Chapel.
7. Cross Cornmarket Street and walk along St Michael’s Street to its end; ahead as you walk is the tower of the Wesley Memorial Church, in New Inn Hall Street.
Here the walk ends. Bonn Square is a few yards to your left along New Inn Hall Street.
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