A historical visit to Oxford

From town to gown, Oxford has a history both of artistic and academic merit, and of surprising turbulence, as Nell Darby explores. The city of dreaming spires, Oxford is a beautiful yet compact city. From the circular architecture of the Radcliffe Camera and the Sheldonian theatre, to the pastel-coloured houses on the High Street, there … Read more

Museums, archives and heritage in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire, south-midland county of England, bounded N. by Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, E. by Bucks, S. by Berks, from which it is separated by the Thames, and W. by Gloucestershire; greatest length, 60 miles; greatest breadth, 30 miles; area, 483,621 acres, population 179,559. Most of the county is level, but there are gentle undulations of surface, … Read more

The mop fair

Nell Darby details the history of the statute fair, or mop fair, where servants tried to find work, but could became the victims of crime instead. In my local town, a fair is held twice a year. It’s a rather standard event; there are fairground rides, stalls where you can shoot a can to win … Read more