Christ Church, Oxford
by Dorothy Megaw
ST ALDATES
CHRIST CHURCH
Oxford
Christ Church was founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII. It's formal title is 'The Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Christ in Oxford of the Foundation of King Henry the Eighth'. It is one of the oldest and wealthiest colleges in Oxford and it is the only one to have a cathedral.
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A statue of Mercury stands in an ornamental pond in Tom Quad. He was considered the cleverest of all the Olympian Gods. He holds a caduceus in his left hand.
Walk up the 16th century staircase and enter the Grand Hall. You might recognise this hall from Harry Potter films. To your right is a portrait of Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll author of Alice in Wonderland.
The college porters at Christ Church college wear bowler hats. They are known as 'Bull Dogs'.
If you walk further down St Aldates, on the left hand side of the street you will see a little red sweat shop called the Alice Shop. How lovely you have just found number 83 st Aldates. This is the same shop Alice Liddell bought her sweets from. The shop makes its first appearance in Alice through the Looking Glass in 1872.
Keep walking down St Aldates, past the Head of the River pub on the left-hand side and directly across on the right you'll find Folly Road Bridge House. Notice how it sits on an island in the River Thames. This is where Carroll Lewis started to make up stories about a little girl called Alice...
Folley Bridge House, Oxford