Oxford

Oxford
Cityand non-metropolitan district
Town Hall Bridge of Sighs Cathedral Clarendon Building Sheldonian Theatre Radcliffe Camera
Coat of arms
Nickname: City of dreaming spires
Motto(s): Latin: Fortis est veritas, lit.'the truth is strong'
Oxford shown within Oxfordshire
Coordinates:51°45′7″N1°15′28″W / 51.75194°N 1.25778°W /51.75194; -1.25778
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	England
Region	South East
County	Oxfordshire
Founded	8th century
City status	1542
Administrative HQ	Oxford Town Hall
Government [1]
• Type	Non-metropolitan district
• Body	Oxford City Council
•Executive	Leader and cabinet
•Control	No overall control
•Leader	Susan Brown (L)
•Lord Mayor	Mike Rowley
•MPs	Anneliese Dodds(L) Layla Moran(LD)
Area [2]
• Total	18 sq mi (46 km2)
• Rank	248th
Population (2022) [3]
• Total	163,257
• Rank	126th
• Density	9,300/sq mi (3,580/km2)
Demonym	Oxonian
Ethnicity(2021) [4]
•Ethnic groups	List 70.7%White 15.4%Asian 5.6%Mixed 4.7%Black 3.7%other
Religion(2021) [4]
•Religion	List 39.0%no religion 38.1%Christianity 8.7%Islam 1.6%Hinduism 0.7%Buddhism 0.7%Judaism 0.4%Sikhism 0.9%other 9.9% not stated
Time zone	UTC+0(GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1(BST)
Postcode areas	OX1–4
Dialling codes	01865
GSS code	E07000178
Website	oxford.gov.uk

Oxford(/ˈɒksfərd/)^[5][6]is acityandnon-metropolitan districtinOxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. Founded in the 8th century, it was granted city status in 1542. The city is located at the confluence of the riversThames(locally known asthe Isis) andCherwell. It had a population of 163,257 in 2022.^[3]It is 56 miles (90 km) north-west ofLondon, 64 miles (103 km) south-east ofBirminghamand 61 miles (98 km) north-east ofBristol. The city is home to theUniversity of Oxford, theoldest universityin theEnglish-speaking world;^[7]it has buildings in every style ofEnglish architecturesince lateAnglo-Saxon. Oxford's industries include motor manufacturing, education, publishing, science, and information technologies.

The history of Oxford in England dates back to its original settlement in theSaxon period. Originally of strategic significance due to its controlling location on the upper reaches of theRiver Thamesat its confluence with theRiver Cherwell, the town grew in national importance during the earlyNorman period, and in the late 12th century became home to the fledglingUniversity of Oxford.^[8]Thecity was besiegedduringThe Anarchyin 1142.^[9]

During the Middle Ages Oxford had an important Jewish community, of which David of Oxford and his wifeLicoricia of Winchesterwere prominent members.^[10]

The university rose to dominate the town. A heavily ecclesiastical town, Oxford was greatly affected by the changes of theEnglish Reformation, emerging as theseat of a bishopricand a full-fledged city. During theEnglish Civil War, Oxford housed the court ofCharles Iand stood at the heart of national affairs.^[11]

The city began to grow industrially during the 19th century, and had an industrial boom in the early 20th century, with major printing and car-manufacturing industries. These declined, along with other British heavy industry, in the 1970s and 1980s, leaving behind a city which had developed far beyond the university town of the past.^[12]

Oxford's latitude and longitude are51°45′07″N1°15′28″W / 51.75194°N 1.25778°W /51.75194; -1.25778, with Ordnance Surveygrid referenceSP513061(atCarfax Tower, which is usually considered the centre). Oxford is 24 miles (39 km) north-west ofReading, 26 miles (42 km) north-east ofSwindon, 36 miles (58 km) east ofCheltenham, 43 miles (69 km) east ofGloucester, 29 miles (47 km) south-west ofMilton Keynes, 38 miles (61 km) south-east ofEvesham, 43 miles (69 km) south ofRugbyand 51 miles (82 km) west-north-west ofLondon. The riversCherwellandThames(also sometimes known asthe Isislocally, supposedly from the Latinised nameThamesis) run through Oxford and meet south of the city centre. These rivers and their flood plains constrain the size of the city centre.

Oxford has amaritime temperate climate(Köppen:Cfb).Precipitationis uniformly distributed throughout the year and is provided mostly by weather systems that arrive from theAtlantic. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Oxford was −17.8 °C (0.0 °F) on 24 December 1860. The highest temperature ever recorded in Oxford is 38.1 °C (101 °F) on 19 July 2022.^[13]The average conditions below are from the RadcliffeMeteorological Station. It has the longest series of temperature and rainfall records for one site inBritain. These records are continuous from January 1815. Irregular observations of rainfall, cloud cover, and temperature exist since 1767.^[14]

The driest year on record was 1788, with 336.7 mm (13.26 in) of rainfall. The wettest year was 2012, with 979.5 mm (38.56 in). The wettest month on record was September 1774, with a total fall of 223.9 mm (8.81 in). The warmest month on record is July 1983, with an average of 21.1 °C (70 °F) and the coldest is January 1963, with an average of −3.0 °C (27 °F). The warmest year on record is 2014, with an average of 11.8 °C (53 °F) and the coldest is 1879, with a mean temperature of 7.7 °C (46 °F). The sunniest month on record is May 2020, with 331.7 hours and December 1890 is the least sunny, with 5.0 hours. The greatest one-day rainfall occurred on 10 July 1968, with a total of 87.9 mm (3.46 in). The greatest known snow depth was 61.0 cm (24.0 in) in February 1888.^[15]

The city centre is relatively small and is centred onCarfax, a crossroads which forms the junction ofCornmarket Street(pedestrianised),Queen Street(mainlypedestrianised),St Aldate'sand theHigh Street("the High"; blocked for through traffic). Cornmarket Street and Queen Street are home to Oxford's chain stores, as well as a small number of independent retailers, one of the longest established of which wasBoswell's, founded in 1738.^[18]The store closed in 2020.^[19]St Aldate's has few shops but several local government buildings, including thetown hall, the city police station and local council offices. The High (the wordstreetis traditionally omitted) is the longest of the four streets and has a number of independent and high-end chain stores, but mostly university and college buildings. The historic buildings mean the area is often used by film and TV crews.

Aside from the city centre, there are several suburbs and neighbourhoods within the borders of the city of Oxford, including:

Oxford is at the centre of theOxford Green Belt, which is anenvironmentalandplanningpolicy that regulates the rural space inOxfordshiresurrounding the city, aiming to preventurban sprawland minimize convergence with nearby settlements.^[20]The policy has been blamed for the large rise in house prices in Oxford, making it the least affordable city in the United Kingdom outside of London, withestate agentscalling forbrownfieldland inside the green belt to be released for new housing.^[21][22][23]The vast majority of the area covered is outside of the city, but there are some green spaces within that which are covered by the designation, such as much of theThamesandriver Cherwellflood-meadows, and the village ofBinsey, along with several smaller portions on the fringes. Other landscape features and places of interest covered includeCutteslowePark and the mini railway attraction, theUniversity Parks, Hogacre Common Eco Park, numerous sports grounds,Aston's Eyot,St Margaret's Church and well, andWolvercote Commonand community orchard.^[24]

There are two tiers of local government covering Oxford, at district and county level:Oxford City CouncilandOxfordshire County Council. From 1889 to 1974 the city of Oxford was acounty borough, independent from the county council.^[25]Oxford City Council meets at theTown Hallon the street calledSt Aldate'sin the city centre. The current building was completed in 1897, on a site which had been occupied by Oxford'sguildhallsince the 13th century.^[26]

Most of Oxford is anunparished area, but there are fourcivil parisheswithin the city's boundaries:Blackbird Leys,Littlemore,Old Marston, andRisinghurst and Sandhills.^[27]

Oxford's economy includes manufacturing, publishing and science-based industries as well as education, sports, entertainment, breweries, research and tourism.

Oxford has been an important centre of motor manufacturing sinceMorris Motorswas established in the city in 1910. The principal production site forMinicars, owned byBMWsince 2000, is in the Oxford suburb ofCowley. The plant, which survived the turbulent years ofBritish Leylandin the 1970s and was threatened with closure in the early 1990s, also produced cars under theAustinandRoverbrands following the demise of the Morris brand in 1984, although the last Morris-badged car was produced there in 1982.

Oxford University Press, a department of theUniversity of Oxford, is based in the city, although it no longer operates its own paper mill and printing house. The city is also home to the UK operations ofWiley-Blackwell,Elsevier^[28]and several smaller publishing houses.

The presence of the university has given rise to many science and technology based businesses, includingOxford Instruments,Research MachinesandSophos. The university establishedIsis Innovationin 1987 to promote technology transfer. TheOxford Science Parkwas established in 1990, and theBegbroke Science Park, owned by the university, lies north of the city. Oxford increasingly has a reputation for being a centre of digital innovation, as epitomized by Digital Oxford.^[29]Several startups including Passle,^[30]Brainomix,^[31]Labstep,^[32]and more, are based in Oxford.

The presence of the university has also led to Oxford becoming a centre for the education industry. Companies often draw their teaching staff from the pool ofOxford Universitystudents and graduates, and, especially forEFL education, use their Oxford location as a selling point.^[33]

Oxford has numerous major tourist attractions, many belonging to the university and colleges. As well as several famous institutions, the town centre is home toCarfax Towerand theUniversity Churchof St Mary the Virgin, both of which offer views over the spires of the city. Many tourists shop at the historicCovered Market. In the summer,puntingon theThames/Isisand theCherwellis a common practice. As well as being a major draw for tourists (9.1 million in 2008, similar in 2009)^{[needs update]},^[34]Oxford city centre has many shops, several theatres and an ice rink.

There are two smallshopping mallsin the city centre: theClarendon Centre^[35]and theWestgate Oxford.^[36]The Westgate Centre is named for the original West Gate in the city wall, and is at the west end ofQueen Street. A major redevelopment and expansion to 750,000 sq ft (70,000 m²), with a new 230,000 sq ft (21,000 m²)John Lewisdepartment store and a number of new homes, was completed in October 2017.Blackwell's Bookshopis a bookshop which claims the largest single room devoted to book sales in the whole of Europe, the Norrington Room (10,000 sq ft).^[37]

There is a long history ofbrewingin Oxford. Several of the colleges had private breweries, one of which, atBrasenose, survived until 1889. In the 16th century brewing andmaltingappear to have been the most popular trades in the city. There were breweries inBrewer StreetandParadise Street, near theCastle Mill Stream. The rapid expansion of Oxford and the development of its railway links after the 1840s facilitated expansion of the brewing trade.^[38]As well as expanding the market for Oxford's brewers, railways enabled brewers further from the city to compete for a share of its market.^[38]By 1874 there were nine breweries in Oxford and 13 brewers' agents in Oxford shipping beer in from elsewhere.^[38]The nine breweries were: Flowers & Co inCowley Road, Hall'sSt GilesBrewery, Hall's Swan Brewery (see below), Hanley's City Brewery inQueen Street, Le Mills's Brewery inSt. Ebbes,Morrell'sLion Brewery inSt ThomasStreet (see below), Simonds's Brewery in Queen Street, Weaving's Eagle Brewery (by 1869 the Eagle Steam Brewery) inPark End Streetand Wootten and Cole'sSt. Clement'sBrewery.^[38]

The Swan's Nest Brewery, later the Swan Brewery, was established by the early 18th century inParadise Street, and in 1795 was acquired by William Hall.^[39]Thebrewerybecame known as Hall's Oxford Brewery, which acquired other local breweries. Hall's Brewery was acquired bySamuel Allsopp & Sonsin 1926, after which it ceased brewing in Oxford.^[40]Morrell'swas founded in 1743 by Richard Tawney. He formed a partnership in 1782 with Mark and James Morrell, who eventually became the owners.^[41]After an acrimonious family dispute this much-loved brewery was closed in 1998,^[42]the beer brand names being taken over by the Thomas Hardy Burtonwood brewery,^[43]while the 132tiedpubswere bought by Michael Cannon, owner of the American hamburger chainFuddruckers, through a new company, Morrells of Oxford.^[44]The new owners sold most of the pubs on toGreene Kingin 2002.^[45]The Lion Brewery was converted into luxury apartments in 2002.^[46]Oxford's first legaldistillery, theOxford Artisan Distillery, was established in 2017 in historic farm buildings at the top ofSouth Park.^[47]

TheTaylor familyofLoughboroughhad abell-foundryin Oxford between 1786 and 1854.^[48]

This is a small selection of the many notable buildings in Oxford.

Oxford is a very green city, with several parks and nature walks within thering road, as well as several sites just outside the ring road. In total, 28nature reservesexist within or just outside the ring road, including:

Ethnic Group	1981 estimates[49]		1991[50]		2001[51]		2011[52]		2021[53]
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
White: Total	83,762	93%	99,935	90.8%	116,948	87.1%	117,957	77.7%	120,509	70.7%
White:British	–	–	–	–	103,041	76.8%	96,633	63.6%	86,672	53.5%
White:Irish	–	–	–	–	2,898		2,431		2,351
White:Gypsy or Irish Traveller	–	–	–	–	–	–	92		62
White: Roma	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	501
White:Other	–	–	–	–	11,009	8.2%	18,801	12.4%	24,975	15.4%
Asian or Asian British: Total	–	–	5,808	5.3%	8,931	6.7%	18,827	12.4%	24,991	15.4%
Asian or Asian British:Indian	–	–	1,560	1.4%	2,323	1.7%	4,449	2.9%	6,005	3.7%
Asian or Asian British:Pakistani	–	–	2042	1.9%	2,625	2.0%	4,825	3.2%	6,619	4.1%
Asian or Asian British:Bangladeshi	–	–	510	0.5%	878	0.7%	1,791	1.2%	2,025	1.3%
Asian or Asian British:Chinese	–	–	859	0.8%	2,460	1.8%	3,559	2.3%	4,479	2.8%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian	–	–	837	0.8%	645	0.5%	4,203	2.8%	5,863	3.6%
Black or Black British: Total	–	–	3,055	2.8%	3,368	2.5%	7,028	4.6%	7,535	4.7%
Black or Black British:Caribbean	–	–	1745		1,664		1,874		1,629
Black or Black British:African	–	–	593		1,408		4,456		5,060
Black or Black British:Other Black	–	–	717		296		698		846
Mixed or British Mixed: Total	–	–	–	–	3,239	2.4%	6,035	4%	9,005	5.6%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean	–	–	–	–	1,030		1,721		1,916
Mixed: White and Black African	–	–	–	–	380		703		1,072
Mixed: White and Asian	–	–	–	–	974		2,008		3,197
Mixed: Other Mixed	–	–	–	–	855		1,603		2,820
Other: Total	–	–	1,305	1.2%	1,762	1.3%	2,059	1.4%	5,948	3.7%
Other: Arab	–	–	–	–	–	–	922	0.6%	1,449	0.9%
Other: Any other ethnic group	–	–	1,305	1.2%	1,762	1.3%	1,137	0.7%	4,499	2.8%
Ethnic minority: Total	6,265	7%	10,168	9.2%	17,300	12.9%	33,949	22.3%	47,479	29.3%
Total	90,027	100%	110,103	100%	134,248	100%	151,906	100%	162,040	100%

Religion	2001[54]		2011[55]		2021[56]
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
No religion	32,075	23.9	50,274	33.1	63,201	39.0
Christian	81,100	60.4	72,924	48.0	61,750	38.1
Religion not stated	11,725	8.7	12,611	8.3	16,110	9.9
Muslim	5,165	3.8	10,320	6.8	14,093	8.7
Hindu	1,041	0.8	2,044	1.3	2,523	1.6
Other religion	656	0.5	796	0.5	1,447	0.9
Buddhism	1,080	0.8	1,431	0.9	1,195	0.7
Jewish	1,091	0.8	1,072	0.7	1,120	0.7
Sikh	315	0.2	434	0.3	599	0.4
Total	134,248	100.0%	151,906	100.0%	162,040	100.0%

In addition to the largerairportsin the region, Oxford is served by nearbyOxford Airport, inKidlington. The airport is also home toCAE Oxford Aviation Academyand Airways Aviation^[57]airline pilot flight training centres, and several private jet companies. The airport is also home toAirbus HelicoptersUK headquarters.^[58]

Direct trains run fromOxford stationtoLondon Paddingtonwhere there is an interchange with theHeathrow Expresstrain links servingHeathrow Airport. Passengers can change atReadingfor connecting trains toGatwick Airport. SomeCrossCountrytrains run direct services toBirmingham International, as well as toSouthampton Airport Parkwayfurther afield.

Bus services in Oxford and its suburbs are run by theOxford Bus CompanyandStagecoach Westas well as other operators includingArriva Shires & EssexandThames Travel. Oxford has one of the largest urbanpark and ridenetworks in the United Kingdom. Its five sites, at Pear Tree,Redbridge,Seacourt, Thornhill,Water EatonandOxford Parkwayhave a combined capacity of 4,930 car parking spaces,^[59]served by 20 Oxford Bus Company double decker buses with a combined capacity of 1,695 seats.^[60]Hybrid busesbegan to be used in Oxford in 2010, and their usage has been expanded.^[61]In 2014 Oxford Bus introduced a fleet of 20 new buses withflywheel energy storageon the services it operates under contract forOxford Brookes University.^[62]Most buses in the city now use asmartcardto pay for journeys^[63]and have freeWiFiinstalled.^[64][65][66]

The Oxford toLondoncoach route offers a frequent coach service to London. TheOxford Tubeis operated byStagecoach Westand theOxford Bus Companyruns the Airline services toHeathrowandGatwickairports. There is a bus station atGloucester Green, used mainly by the London and airport buses,National Expresscoaches and other long-distance buses including routeX5toMilton KeynesandBedfordandStagecoach Goldroute S6.

Among cities in England and Wales, Oxford has the second highest percentage of peoplecyclingto work.^[67]

Oxford railway stationis half a mile (about 1 km) west of the city centre. The station is served byCrossCountryservices toBournemouthandManchester Piccadilly;Great Western Railway(who manage the station) services toLondon Paddington,BanburyandHereford; andChiltern Railwaysservices toLondon Marylebone. Oxford has had three main railway stations. The first was opened at Grandpont in 1844,^[68]but this was a terminus, inconvenient for routes to the north;^[69]it was replaced by the present station onPark End Streetin 1852 with the opening of theBirminghamroute.^[70]Another terminus, atRewley Road, was opened in 1851 to serve theBletchleyroute;^[71]this station closed in 1951.^[72]There have also been a number of local railway stations, all of which are now closed. A fourth station,Oxford Parkway, is just outside the city, at thepark and ridesite nearKidlington. The present railway station opened in 1852.

Oxford is the junction for a short branch line toBicester, a remnant of the formerVarsity linetoCambridge. ThisOxford–Bicester linewas upgraded to 100 mph (161 km/h) running during an 18-month closure in 2014/2015 – and is scheduled to be extended to form the plannedEast West Railline to Milton Keynes.^[73]East West Rail is proposed to continue throughBletchley(forMilton Keynes Central) toBedford,^[74]Cambridge,^[75]and ultimatelyIpswichandNorwich,^[76]thus providing alternative route toEast Angliawithout needing to travel via, and connect between, theLondonmainline terminals.

Chiltern Railwaysoperates from Oxford to London Marylebone viaBicester Village, having sponsored the building of about 400 metres of new track between Bicester Village and theChiltern Main Linesouthwards in 2014. The route servesHigh Wycombeand London Marylebone, avoiding London Paddington andDidcot Parkway.

In 1844, theGreat Western RailwaylinkedOxfordwithLondon PaddingtonviaDidcotandReading;^[77][78]in 1851, theLondon & North Western Railwayopened its own route from Oxford toLondon Euston, viaBicester,BletchleyandWatford;^[79]and in 1864 a third route, also to Paddington, running viaThame,High WycombeandMaidenhead, was provided;^[80]this was shortened in 1906 by the opening of a direct route between High Wycombe and London Paddington by way ofDenham.^[81]The distance from Oxford to London was 78 miles (125.5 km) via Bletchley; 63.5 miles (102.2 km) via Didcot and Reading; 63.25 miles (101.8 km) via Thame and Maidenhead;^[82]and 55.75 miles (89.7 km) via Denham.^[81]

Only the original (Didcot) route is still in use for its full length, portions of the others remain. There were also routes to the north and west. The line toBanburywas opened in 1850,^[69]and was extended toBirmingham Snow Hillin 1852;^[70]a route toWorcesteropened in 1853.^[83]A branch toWitneywas opened in 1862,^[84]which was extended toFairfordin 1873.^[85]The line to Witney and Fairford closed in 1962, but the others remain open.

Oxford was historically an importantporton theRiver Thames, with this section of the river being called theIsis; theOxford-Burcot Commissionin the 17th century attempted to improve navigation to Oxford.^[86]Iffley LockandOsney Locklie within the bounds of the city. In the 18th century theOxford Canalwas built to connect Oxford with theMidlands.^[87]Commercial traffic has given way to recreational use of the river and canal. Oxford was the original base ofSalters Steamers(founded in 1858), which was a leading racing-boatbuilder that played an important role in popularising pleasureboatingon the Upper Thames. The firm runs a regular service fromFolly Bridgedownstream toAbingdonand beyond.

Oxford's central location on several transport routes means that it has long been acrossroadscity with manycoaching inns, although road traffic is now strongly discouraged, and largely prevented, from using the city centre. TheOxford Ring Roador A4142 (southern part) surrounds the city centre and close suburbsMarston,Iffley,CowleyandHeadington; it consists of theA34to the west, a 330-yard section of theA44, theA40north and north-east, A4142/A423to the east. It is adual carriageway, except for a 330-yard section of the A40 where two residentialservice roadsadjoin, and was completed in 1966.

The main roads to/from Oxford are:

• A34– a trunk route connecting theNorthandMidlandsto the port ofSouthampton. It leaves J9 of theM40north of Oxford, passes west of Oxford toNewburyandWinchesterto the south and joins theM312.7 miles (20.4 km) north of Southampton. Since the completion of theNewbury bypassin 1998, this section of the A34 has been an entirelygrade separateddual carriageway. Historically the A34 led toBicester,Banbury,Stratford-upon-Avon,BirminghamandManchester, but since the completion of the M40 it disappears at J9 and re-emerges 50 miles (80 km) north atSolihull.
• A40– leading east dualled to J8 of theM40 motorway, then an alternative route toHigh WycombeandLondon; leading west part-dualled toWitneythen bisectingCheltenham,Gloucester,Monmouth,Abergavenny, passingBrecon,Llandovery,CarmarthenandHaverfordwestto reachFishguard.
• A44– which begins in Oxford, leading pastEveshamtoWorcester,HerefordandAberystwyth.
• A420– which also begins in Oxford and leads toBristol, passingSwindonandChippenham.

On 28 February 2022 azero-emissionpilot area became operational in Oxford city centre. Zero-emission vehicles can be used without incurring a charge but all petrol and diesel vehicles (including hybrids) incur a daily charge if they are driven in the zone between 7am and 7pm.^[88]

A consultation on the introduction of a wider zero-emission zone is expected in the future, at a date to be confirmed.

Oxford has eight bus gates, short sections of road where only buses and other authorised vehicles can pass.^[89]

Six further bus gates are currently proposed. A council-led consultation on the traffic filters ended on 13 October 2022. On 29 November 2022, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet approved the introduction on a trial basis, for a minimum period of six months.^[90]The trial will begin after improvement works to Oxford railway station are complete, which is expected to be by October 2024.^[91]The additional bus gates have been controversial; Oxford University and Oxford Bus Company support the proposals but more than 3,700 people have signed an online petition opposing the new traffic filters for Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way, and hotelier Jeremy Mogford has argued they would be a mistake.^[92][93]In November 2022, Mogford announced that his hospitality group The Oxford Collection had joined up with Oxford Business Action Group (OBAG), Oxford High Street Association (OHSA), ROX (Backing Oxford Business), Reconnecting Oxford, Jericho Traders, and Summertown traders to launch a legal challenge to the new bus gates.^[94]

The city is served by theM40 motorway, which connectsLondontoBirmingham. The M40 approached Oxford in 1974, leading from London toWaterstock, where the A40 continued to Oxford. When the M40 extension to Birmingham was completed in January 1991, it curved sharply north, and a mile of the old motorway became a spur. The M40 comes no closer than 6 miles (10 km) away from the city centre, curving to pass to the east ofOtmoor. The M40 meets theA34to the north of Oxford.

There are two universities in Oxford, theUniversity of OxfordandOxford Brookes University, as well as the specialist further and higher education institutionRuskin Collegethat is part of the University of West London in Oxford. TheIslamic Azad Universityalso has acampusnear Oxford. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in theEnglish-speakingworld,^[95]and one of the most prestigious higher education institutions of the world, averaging nine applications to every available place, and attracting 40% of its academic staff and 17% of undergraduates from overseas.^[96]In September 2016, it was ranked as the world's number one university, according to theTimes Higher Education World University Rankings.^[97]Oxford is renowned for itstutorial-based method of teaching.

TheUniversity of Oxfordmaintains the largest university library system in the United Kingdom,^[98]and, with over 11 million volumes housed on 120 miles (190 km) of shelving, the Bodleian group is the second-largest library in the United Kingdom, after theBritish Library. TheBodleian Libraryis alegal depositlibrary, which means that it is entitled to request a free copy of every book published in the United Kingdom. As such, its collection is growing at a rate of over three miles (five kilometres) of shelving every year.^[99]

As well as theBBCnationalradio stations, Oxford and the surrounding area has several local stations, includingBBC Radio Oxford,Heart South,Destiny 105,Jack FM,Jack 2 HitsandJack 3 & Chill, along with Oxide: Oxford Student Radio^[100](which went on terrestrial radio at 87.7 MHz FM in late May 2005). A localTV station,Six TV: The Oxford Channel, was also available^[101]but closed in April 2009; a service operated byThat's TV, originally called That's Oxford (now That's Oxfordshire), took to the airwaves in 2015.^[102][103]The city is home to aBBC Televisionnewsroomwhich produces an opt-out from the mainSouth Todayprogramme broadcast fromSouthampton.

Local papers includeThe Oxford Times(compact; weekly), its sister papers theOxford Mail(tabloid; daily) and theOxford Star(tabloid; free and delivered), andOxford Journal(tabloid; weekly free pick-up). Oxford is also home to severaladvertising agencies.Daily Information(known locally as "Daily Info") is an event information and advertising news sheet which has been published since 1964 and now provides a connected website.Nightshiftis a monthly local free magazine that has covered the Oxford music scene since 1991.^[104]

Oxford is home to manymuseums,galleries, and collections, most of which are free of admission charges and are majortourist attractions. The majority are departments of theUniversity of Oxford. The first of these to be established was theAshmolean Museum, the world's firstuniversity museum,^[105]and the oldest museum in the UK.^[106]Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house acabinet of curiositiesgiven to the University of Oxford in 1677. The museum reopened in 2009 after a major redevelopment. It holds significant collections of art and archaeology, including works byMichelangelo,Leonardo da Vinci,Turner, andPicasso, as well as treasures such as theScorpion Macehead, theParian Marbleand theAlfred Jewel. It also contains "The Messiah", a pristineStradivariusviolin, regarded by some as one of the finest examples in existence.^[107]

TheUniversity Museum of Natural Historyholds the university'szoological,entomologicalandgeologicalspecimens. It is housed in a largeneo-Gothicbuilding onParks Road, in the university'sScience Area.^[108]Among its collection are the skeletons of aTyrannosaurus rexandTriceratops, and the most complete remains of adodofound anywhere in the world. It also hosts theSimonyiProfessorship of thePublic Understanding of Science, currently held byMarcus du Sautoy. Adjoining the Museum of Natural History is thePitt Rivers Museum, founded in 1884, which displays the university'sarchaeologicalandanthropologicalcollections, currently holding over 500,000 items. It recently built a new research annexe; its staff have been involved with the teaching of anthropology at Oxford since its foundation, when as part of his donation GeneralAugustus Pitt Riversstipulated that the university establish a lectureship in anthropology.^[109]

TheMuseum of the History of Scienceis housed onBroad Streetin the world's oldest-surviving purpose-built museum building.^[110]It contains 15,000 artefacts, from antiquity to the 20th century, representing almost all aspects of thehistory of science. In the university'sFaculty of MusiconSt Aldate'sis theBate CollectionofMusical Instruments, a collection mostly of instruments from Western classical music, from the medieval period onwards.Christ Church Picture Galleryholds a collection of over 200old masterpaintings. The university also has an archive at theOxford University Press Museum.^[111]Other museums and galleries in Oxford includeModern Art Oxford, theMuseum of Oxford, theOxford Castle,Science OxfordandThe Story Museum.^[112]

Artgalleriesin Oxford include theAshmolean Museum, theChrist Church Picture Gallery, andModern Art Oxford.William Turner(aka "Turner of Oxford", 1789–1862), was a watercolourist who painted landscapes in the Oxford area. TheOxford Art Societywas established in 1891. The laterwatercolouristanddraughtsmanKen Messer(1931–2018) has been dubbed "The Oxford Artist" by some, with hisarchitectural paintingsaround the city.^[113]In 2018,The Oxford Art Bookfeatured many contemporary local artists and their depictions of Oxford scenes.^[114]The annualOxfordshire Artweeksis well-represented by artists in Oxford itself.^[115]

Holywell Music Roomis said to be the oldest purpose-built music room in Europe, and hence Britain's firstconcert hall.^[116]Tradition has it thatGeorge Frideric Handelperformed there, though there is little evidence.^[117]Joseph Haydnwas awarded anhonorary doctoratebyOxford Universityin 1791, an event commemorated by three concerts of his music at theSheldonian Theatre, directed by the composer and from which hisSymphony No. 92earned the nickname of the "Oxford" Symphony.^[118]Victorian composerSir John Stainerwas organist atMagdalen Collegeand later Professor of Music at the university, and is buried inHolywell Cemetery.^[119]

Oxford, and its surrounding towns and villages, have produced many successful bands and musicians in the field ofpopular music. The most notable Oxford act isRadiohead, who all met at nearbyAbingdon School, though other well known local bands includeSupergrass,Ride,Mr Big,Swervedriver,Lab 4,Talulah Gosh,the Candyskins,Medal,the Egg,Unbelievable Truth,Hurricane No. 1,Crackout,Goldrushand more recently,Young Knives,Foals,Glass Animals,Dive DiveandStornoway. These and many other bands from over 30 years of the Oxford music scene's history feature in the documentary filmAnyone Can Play Guitar?. In 1997, Oxford played host toRadio 1'sSound City, with acts such asTravis,Bentley Rhythm Ace,Embrace,SpiritualizedandDJ Shadowplaying in various venues around the city includingOxford Brookes University.^[120]It is also home to severalbrass bands, notably theCity of Oxford Silver Band, founded in 1887.

Well-known Oxford-based authors include:

• Brian Aldiss(1925–2017), science fiction novelist, lived in Oxford.^[122]
• Vera Brittain(1893–1970), undergraduate atSomerville.
• John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir(1875–1940), attendedBrasenose College, best known forThe Thirty-nine Steps.
• A.S. Byatt(born 1936),Booker Prizewinner, undergraduate at Somerville.
• Lewis Carroll(real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), (1832–1898), author ofAlice's Adventures in Wonderlandwas a student and Mathematical Lecturer ofChrist Church.
• Susan Cooper(born 1935), undergraduate at Somerville, best known for herThe Dark Is Risingsequence.
• SirWilliam Davenant(1606–1668), poet and playwright.^[123]
• Colin Dexter(1930–2017), wrote and set hisInspector Morsedetective novelsin Oxford.^[122]
• John Donaldson(c. 1921–1989), a poet resident in Oxford in later life.
• Siobhan Dowd(1960–2007), Oxford resident, undergraduate atLady Margaret Hall.
• Victoria Glendinning(born 1937), undergraduate at Somerville.
• Kenneth Grahame(1859–1932), educated atSt Edward's School, wroteThe Wind in the Willows.
• Michael Innes(J. I. M. Stewart) (1906–1994), Scottish novelist and academic, Student ofChrist Church
• P. D. James(1920–2014), born and died in Oxford; wrote aboutAdam Dalgliesh
• C. S. Lewis(1898–1963), student atUniversity Collegeand Fellow of Magdalen.
• T. E. Lawrence(1888–1935), "Lawrence of Arabia", Oxford resident, undergraduate atJesus, postgraduate atMagdalen.
• Iris Murdoch(1919–1999), undergraduate at Somerville and fellow ofSt Anne's.
• Carola Oman(1897–1978), novelist and biographer, born and brought up in the city.
• Iain Pears(born 1955), undergraduate atWadhamand Oxford resident, wroteAn Instance of the Fingerpost.
• Philip Pullman(born 1946), undergraduate atExeter, teacher and resident in the city.
• Dorothy L. Sayers(1893–1957), undergraduate at Somerville, wrote aboutLord Peter Wimsey.
• J. R. R. Tolkien(1892–1973), undergraduate at Exeter and later professor of English atMerton
• John Wain(1925–1994), undergraduate atSt John'sand later Professor of Poetry atOxford University1973–78.
• Oscar Wilde(1854–1900), 19th-century poet and author who attended Oxford from 1874 to 1878.^[124]
• Athol Williams(born 1970),South Africanpoet, postgraduate atHertfordandRegent's Parkfrom 2015 to 2020.
• Charles Williams(1886–1945), editor atOxford University Press.

Oxford appears in the following works:^{[citation needed]}

• the poemsThe Scholar GypsyandThyrsisbyMatthew Arnold.^[125]Thyrsis includes the lines: "And that sweet city with her dreaming spires, She needs not June for beauty's heightening,..."
• The Scarlet Pimpernel
• "Harry Potter" (all the films to date)
• The Chronicles of the Imaginarium GeographicabyJames A. Owen
• Jude the Obscure(1895) byThomas Hardy(in which Oxford is thinly disguised as "Christminster")^[126]
• Zuleika Dobson(1911) byMax Beerbohm
• Gaudy Night(1935) byDorothy L. Sayers
• Brideshead Revisited(1945) byEvelyn Waugh
• A Question of Upbringing(1951 ) byAnthony Powell
• Alice in Wonderland(1951 ) byWalt Disney
• Second Generation(1964) byRaymond Williams
• Young Sherlock Holmes(1985) bySteven Spielberg
• Inspector Morse(1987–2000)
• Where the Rivers Meet(1988) trilogy set in Oxford byJohn Wain
• All Souls(1989) byJavier Marías
• The Children of Men(1992) byP. D. James
• Doomsday Book(1992) byConnie Willis
• His Dark Materialstrilogy (1995 onwards) byPhilip Pullman
• Tomorrow Never Dies(1997)^[127]
• The Saint(1997)
• 102 Dalmatians(2000)
• Endymion Spring(2006) by Matthew Skelton
• Lewis(2006–15)
• The Oxford Murders(2008)
• Mr. Nice(1996), autobiography ofHoward Marks, subsequently a 2010 film
• A Discovery of Witches(2011) byDeborah Harkness
• X-Men: First Class(2011)
• Endeavour(2012 onwards)
• The Reluctant Cannibals(2013) by Ian Flitcroft
• Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again(2018)
• The Late ScholarbyJill Paton Walsh, part of the continuation of theLord Peter Wimseybooks ofDorothy L. Sayers

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The city's leadingfootball club,Oxford United, are currently inLeague One, the third tier of leaguefootball, but will compete in theEFL Championship, the second level of theEnglish football league system, in the 2024–25 season, following promotion. They play at theKassam Stadium(named after former chairmanFiroz Kassam), which is near theBlackbird Leyshousing estate and has been their home since relocation from theManor Groundin 2001.

Oxford City F.C.is a semi-professional football club, separate fromOxford United, they play in theNational League, the fifth tier, one level below theFootball Leaguein thepyramid.

Oxford City Nomads F.C.was a semi-professional football club that ground-shared with Oxford City and played in theHellenic league.

Oxford University Boat Clubcompete in the world-famousBoat Race. Since 2007 the club has been based at a training facility and boathouse inWallingford,^[128]south of Oxford, after the original boathouse burnt down in 1999. Oxford Brookes University also has anelite rowing club,^[129]and there are public clubs nearDonnington Bridge, namely theCity of Oxford Rowing Club,^[130]Falcon Boat Club^[131]and Oxford Academicals Rowing Club.^[132]

Oxford University Cricket Clubis Oxford's most famous club with more than 300 Oxford players gaining international honours, includingColin Cowdrey,Douglas JardineandImran Khan.^[133]Oxfordshire County Cricket Clubplay in the Minor Counties League.

Headington Road Runners are based at the OXSRAD sports facility inMarsh Lane(next toOxford City F.C.) is Oxford's only roadrunning clubwith an average annual membership exceeding 300. It was the club at which doubleOlympianMara Yamauchistarted her running career.

In 2013,Oxford Rugby Leagueenteredrugby league's semi-professionalChampionship 1, the third tier of British rugby league.Oxford Cavaliers, who were formed in 1996, compete at the next level, theConference League South.Oxford University(The Blues)^[134]andOxford Brookes University(The Bulls)^[135]both compete in the rugby league BUCS university League.

Oxford Harlequins RFCis the city's mainRugby Unionteam and currently plays in the South West Division.Oxford R.F.Cis the oldest city team and currently plays in the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Championship. Their most famous player was arguably Michael James Parsons known as Jim Parsons who was capped byEngland.^[136]Oxford University RFCare the most famous club with more than 300 Oxford players gaining International honours; includingPhil de Glanville,Joe Roff,Tyrone Howe,Anton Oliver,Simon Halliday,David KirkandRob Egerton.^[137]London Welsh RFCmoved to theKassam Stadiumin 2012 to fulfil theirPremiershipentry criteria regarding stadium capacity. At the end of the 2015 season, followingrelegation, the club left Oxford.^[138]

There are severalfield hockeyclubs based in Oxford. The Oxford Hockey Club (formed after a merger of City of Oxford HC and Rover Oxford HC in 2011) plays most of its home games on the pitch atOxford Brookes University, Headington Campus and also uses the pitches at Headington Girls' School andIffley Road. Oxford Hawks has twoastroturfpitches atBanbury RoadNorth, byCutteslowe Parkto the north of the city.

Oxford City Starsis the localIce HockeyTeam which plays atOxford Ice Rink. There is a senior/adults' team^[139]and a junior/children's team.^[140]TheOxford University Ice Hockey Clubwas formed as an official University sports club in 1921, and traces its history back to a match played againstCambridgeinSt Moritz,Switzerlandin 1885.^[141]The club currently competes in Checking Division 1 of theBritish Universities Ice Hockey Association.^[142]

Oxford Cheetahsmotorcycle speedwayteam has raced atOxford StadiuminCowleyon and off since 1939. The Cheetahs competed in theElite Leagueand then theConference Leagueuntil 2007. They were Britain's most successful club in the late 1980s, becoming British League champions in 1985, 1986 and 1989. Four-times world championHans Nielsenwas the club's most successful rider.Greyhound racingtook place at the Oxford Stadium from 1939 until 2012 and hosted some of the sport's leading events such as thePall Mall Stakes,The CesarewitchandTrafalgar Cup. The stadium remains intact but unused after closing in 2012.

Oxford Saintsis Oxford's seniorAmerican Footballteam. One of the longest-running American football clubs in the UK, the Saints were founded in 1983 and have competed for over 40 years against other British teams across the country.

Éire Óg Oxford is Oxford's localGaelic Footballteam. Originally founded as ahurlingclub by Irish immigrants in 1959,^[143]the club plays within the Hertfordshire league and championship,^[144]being the only Gaelic Football club within Oxfordshire. Hurling is no longer played by the club; however, Éire Óg do contribute players to the Hertfordshire-wide amalgamated club, St Declans. Several well-known Irishmen have played for Éire Óg, includingDarragh Ennisof ITV'sThe Chase, andStephen Molumphy, former member of theWaterford county hurling team.^{[citation needed]}

• Oxford Central Mosque, Oxford
• Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies
• Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
• University Church of St Mary the Virgin

Oxford istwinnedwith:^[145]

The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Cityof Oxford.

^[154]

• Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry: 1 October 1945.
• 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd): 7 November 1958.
• Royal Green Jackets: 1 January 1966.
• The Rifles: 1 February 2007.^[155]

• Howarth, Osbert John Radcliffe (1911)."Oxford".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 20 (11th ed.). pp. 405–414.