I was born and brought up in Oxford, but as a teenager and young adult I confess I wasn't really looking around me and admiring the beauty of the place. I was too busy coordinating my gazillion and one part time jobs with a view to leaving town as soon as possible. Now, as a 'grownup', I've started to look around me more carefully and of course this city has some rather amazing historical sites to admire. What has struck me this visit is the beauty of the stone, a rich golden coloured sandstone with toffee overtones, prone to erosion and as a result full of texture.
Here is the view you get as you walk behind the Sheldonian Theatre in the centre of town, looking towards the Divinity School.
The detail of the stonework is amazing, and why those stone mullions don't break is beyond me.
Filigree corinthian capitals.
I love these wall ties that punctuate the facade of the north wall of the Bodleian Library.
This windowless facade on the western wall of the Bodleian Library courtyard to the is so striking.
The Divinity School was just closing as we arrived, but I managed to take a sneak photo as the door was being closed. Look at the groin vaults on that!
And as we headed towards home, I got a a quick glimpse of the (Oxford) Bridge of Sighs, so called because of its' similarity to the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. Though no boats passing underneath here.
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