I had such a lovely #OxfordOpenDoors yesterday, but it was all underpinned by the deeply unsettling knowledge that the far right were marching through London. So it was timely to encounter the statue of Eleanor Roosevelt in @mansfieldoxford gardens and read the quote accompanying it: “Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” Photos: Mansfield College - what a glorious library!! @mansfieldcollegelibrary 😍 Pembroke College - I loved having a proper explore of my Great Grandfather’s Alma Mater @pembrokeoxford Bartlemas Chapel - this tiny ancient chapel tucked away just off Cowley Rd is always a haven of tranquility Thank you @oxfordprestrust for another wondrous opportunity to explore Oxford! 🫶 📚⛪️ 📚⛪️📚⛪️📚⛪️📚⛪️📚⛪️📚 I’m an award-winning Oxford Green Badge tour guide. Message me to book a tour - link to my website in bio. #oxford #opendoors #mansfieldcollege #mansfieldlibrary #pembrokeoxford #bartlemaschapel #cowleyroad #oxfordshire #visitoxford #oxfordtour #discoveroxford #oxfordguide #oxfordtourguide #experienceoxford #britainsbestguides

It’s #OxfordOpenDoors today so I paid a visit to my absolute favourite set of stained glass windows - the Burne-Jones/Morris Creation windows in @hmcoxford. What I love is the progression. The first angel represents the first day of creation - God creates light and darkness 🌓. A second angel appears for day two: holding the sky and atmosphere in its globe ☁️. Day three - land, seas, and plants ⛰️🌊🌱 - is followed by the sun, moon, and stars on the fourth day ☀️🌙✨and each day’s window gets more crowded, with the previous angels still hanging around in the background, so that by the time humans are created on day six 👫🏻 (after fish and birds have arrived the previous day 🐟🦅) one of the angels has to sit down in front, it’s got so busy! No wonder God needed a rest on day seven. 😴 🌓☁️⛰️🌊🌱☀️🌙✨🐟🦅👫🏻😴 I’m an award-winning Oxford Green Badge tour guide. Message me to book a tour - link to my website in bio. #oxford #stainedglass #williammorris #burnejones #preraphaelite #harrismanchestercollege #opendoors #creation #oxfordshire #visitoxford #oxfordtour #discoveroxford #oxfordguide #oxfordtourguide #experienceoxford #britainsbestguides

WOW the new @thomas_dennyart window in @christchurchoxford Cathedral is gorgeous! I already loved his work and now we have one of our own 🥳 It tells the story of the prodigal son and was paid for by an anonymous donor. Thanks, anonymous donor! 💛🧡🩵💙💛🧡🩵💙💛🧡🩵💙 I’m an award-winning Oxford Green Badge tour guide. Message me to book a tour - link to my website in bio. #oxford #stainedglass #thomasdenny #christchurchoxford #christchurchcathedral #oxfordshire #visitoxford #oxfordtour #discoveroxford #oxfordguide #oxfordtourguide #experienceoxford #britainsbestguides

A new experience for me on Friday night: an evening literary tour incorporating pubs with literary connections, for a lovely book group called Books and Beers! We had a great time together, in the esteemed company of the Inklings, Shelley, Oscar Wilde and Jane Austen (yes! She briefly studied in Oxford!) Thanks so much to @leisastewartsharpe for booking me, I loved it. Any other book groups out there, hit me up if you want a tour… 📕🍺📕🍺📕🍺📕🍺📕🍺📕🍺📕 I’m an award-winning Oxford Green Badge tour guide. Message me to book a tour - link to my website in bio. #oxford #bookgroups #literaryoxford #literarytour #inklings #oscarwilde #shelley #janeausten #oxfordshire #visitoxford #oxfordtour #discoveroxford #oxfordguide #oxfordtourguide #experienceoxford #britainsbestguides

It’s always a pleasure to have a reason to visit @christchurchoxford Upper Library - this time for a fascinating exhibition celebrating 500 years since the college was founded by Cardinal Wolsey, Henry VIII’s powerful right-hand man (until he wasn’t…) Very interesting to see Wolsey’s signature, the original ‘Cardinal College’ statutes, a shard of destroyed stained glass, his seal and personal books (one featuring St Frideswide and the original Oxenford.) And of course the cardinal’s hat that reappeared in an actor’s fancy dress box hundreds of years later! And to enjoy wandering through a much quieter college in this short lull between high tourist season and the start of term... 🐂🌊🐂🌊🐂🌊🐂🌊🐂🌊🐂🌊🐂🌊 I’m an award-winning Oxford Green Badge tour guide. Message me to book a tour - link to my website in bio. #oxford #christchurchoxford #universityofoxford #oxforduniversity #thomaswolsey #wolsey #cardinalwolsey #oxfordshire #visitoxford #oxfordtour #discoveroxford #oxfordguide #oxfordtourguide #experienceoxford #britainsbestguides

I led an incredibly special tour today for a group of asylum seekers who have recently arrived in Oxford, co-ordinated by the formidable Eden from Sanctuary Hosting at @asylumwelcome. I tried to give them an overview of the city they’ve arrived in, explaining the university, how the colleges fit in, and what all these beautiful buildings are for! The biggest hits seemed to be Alice in Wonderland in @thecoveredmarketoxford, the place where Shakespeare stayed, and Harry Potter filming locations - it was wonderful to find some shared cultural reference points. They were such a lovely bunch of guys and I hope I helped represent Oxford as a town that wholeheartedly welcomes those who need sanctuary and support. 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗 I’m an award-winning Oxford Green Badge tour guide. Message me to book a tour - link to my website in bio. #oxford #oxfordshire #visitoxford #oxfordtour #discoveroxford #oxfordguide #oxfordtourguide #experienceoxford #britainsbestguides