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.
On this walk you will see many of Oxford's public facing clocks. How many will tell you the right time? There are only three clocks that we know of, that you will not see - those on the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, and on Queen's College, in High Street; and that on the tower of St Barnabas Church in Canal Street, Jericho. All are worth seeing some other time. Do please tell us if you know of others hidden from view.
The walk
1. Walk along Queen Street past the Marks & Spencer clock on your right. At the end of Queen Street cross the end of Cornmarket Street into High Street, and look back to see the Carfax Tower clock. The 13th century tower is what remains of the former St Martin’s church, demolished in 1896. The miniature men on the clock tower become animated when the clock chimes.
2. Walk along High Street to the first entrance to the Covered Market. On the opposite side of High Street the 'fob-watch' guarded by a dog above Paynes Silversmiths has no hands. Enter the market via the first passageway you reach (Avenue 1) and walk ahead into the market. Continue ahead, with the Oxford Boot Store to your left; beside the ‘Oxford Cobbler’ store you will see the market clock.
3. Continue ahead, passing Nash’s Oxford Bakery, the fishmonger’s and Bonner’s greengrocers to your right, and leave the Covered Market; turn right into Market Street, then left into Turl Street. Walk to where Turl Street meets Broad Street, and ahead of you, through the iron gates of Trinity College, can be seen the clock on the chapel.
4. Turn left and walk to the end of Broad Street. Turn left into Cornmarket Street and walk about 50 metres to the tower of St Michael at the Northgate. It has a 19th Century chiming clock on its south face. As the name suggests, here was once the north gate at the entrance to the city.
5. Double back and walk north along Magdalen Street West, with Debenhams store to your left and St Mary Magdalen church to your right. Its clock can be seen on the south side of the church tower.
6. Turn left into the passageway known as Friar’s Entry, located between the Debenhams and Jaeger stores. Walk along Friar’s Entry to its end, where it meets the pedestrianised path that links the two halves of Gloucester Street. Turn left; here the recently renamed Red Lion pub displays six clocks – but only two are operational, the others merely decorative.
7. Bear right and walk across the open space known as Gloucester Green, towards the Old Fire Station on its far side. The letters OFS above its door will guide you. Pass the Old Fire Station on your left and walk through the passage way which will lead you to the bus station. Look up to your left on arriving at the bus station. Above the ‘National Express Tickets’ sign you will see the bus station clock.
8. Walk northwards along the bus station queueing area, passing the bus stands to your left, until you see the Old School, now a restaurant. The school bell still sits high in its tower.
9. Bear left so as to pass the Old School to your right, and walk ahead to Worcester Street. Turn right and walk 20 metres along the very narrow pavement, and cross Worcester Street at the traffic lights. The Worcester College clock can be seen above the main college entrance outside which you are now standing.
10. Walk north along Walton Street, and turn right into Little Clarendon Street. Walk to the far end. Across Woodstock Road a little to the left, observe the St Giles Church clock.
Here the walk ends. Return to the city centre by walking south along St Giles.
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