A friend used to work here so I’ve been to Merton College several times and been shown around. I had forgotten that the main garden isn’t open to the public unless you are with a member of the college. I’d just remembered that the garden has a great view over Christ Church Meadow so had been saving going to this for last and therefore was rather crushed by the big sign that said not to enter in several languages. Ah well.
All over Oxford it seems like often little doors lead to big things and big doors lead to small things, this seems equally true here, the entrance to the chapel is a little door tucked away around the edge and it leads to the large splendid chapel with a beautiful ceiling. The college buildings seem to be from a mix of eras so it’s interesting to see how they have managed to fit everything together, you could have a comedy of errors with people popping in and out of different doors and archways, going in circles trying to find each other.
Merton College
Open: Mon-Fri 14:00-17:00 or dusk, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00 or dusk
Admission: £2
(I don’t actually pay to get into Oxford colleges as I have a Bodleian Readers Card aka. a University Card so I’m usually allowed in for free. I am putting the price here for anyone else was thinking of going and also I think it’s interesting what the different colleges charge. If anyone IS thinking of going then the opening times are worth phoning up and checking as the colleges can and often do close early or shut for all sorts of reasons.)
10 Comments
I love the photo with the two bench seats and the purple flowers. What are they?
I have always loved the look of the English lawns. I’ve fantasized about lazing on the lawns for picnics, reading and photography. I hope this doesn’t sound like a silly question… but do you have ants that bite you when you lie on those lawns? Oooh how they can ruin a perfectly good lie on the grass!
I’m afraid I don’t know what those flowers are, I will see if I can find out. Luckily we don’t have many ants that bite here :)
Some lovely sunny pictures of the UK. I loved wandering through all the colleges when I was visiting a friend there. They all seem to have their own unique charm and you can’t help get inspired by the gradeur of it all.
I agree that they can be inspirational, I hope it works for all the students ;)
I love the second, fifth, and second last pictures (well, I love them all but those are my favourite). Your posts on Oxford colleges are a real treat for me, I come back to them when I’m in need of a little pick me up – thanks for sharing :)
And thank you for stopping by, I have been away for a week but hope to resume this project shortly :)
Hi Alice, I’m considering of doing a PhD at Oxford. Do you know which website Oxford locals use to find flats/rental?
By the way, I applied to St. Cross. Merton is gorgeous though!
Hi Lou, Daily Info is usually a very good source http://www.dailyinfo.co.uk/ also I think there is a good gumtree for Oxford http://oxford.gumtree.com/ although I’ve never used that. I hope that you find a place :)
Oh, I spent a year in Oxford about a decade ago and your series of photos makes me so nostalgic! All in radiant sunlight too…
Missing the sunlight now…
:)
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