While Oxford is a picturesque university city, it is also a place of wonderful history. From Harry Potter to Alice in Wonderland, there are plenty of stories to be told.
If you are interested in visiting Oxford or you’re like keen to learn something new, keep reading.
Interesting facts about Oxford
- Oxford never got bombed during World War II
While Oxford was prepared and ready during World War II, the historic city centre escaped bombing entirely. There are several theories for this, with one being that Hitler may have wanted to make Oxford the new capital of England had he taken over.
- Oxford name
The name Oxford is derived from the word Oxanforda which is used to describe a ford in the river where cattle can safely cross.
- Oxford and Harry Potter
The famous dining hall, called The Great Hall, in the movies of Harry Potter was nearly filmed at Christ Church. However, they couldn’t fit in three of the four house tables. Warner Brothers then mapped out Christ Church and built a slightly larger version in London.
- Oxford Alice in Wonderland
The beloved tale was written by Lewis Carroll. However, that was actually the pen name for Rev Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who was a mathematics tutor at Christ Church. The books are said to be based on Alice Liddell who was the daughter of Henry Liddell, the Dean of Christ Church at the time.
- One of the oldest Universities
Oxford University is one of the oldest universities in the world, being beaten by The University of Bologna by a young eight years. Oxford University was established in 1096 making it 924 years old.
It is also said that many famous authors have found their inspiration for parts of their books while they were students at Oxford.
If you are interested in moving to Oxford or if you’re a student looking for some extra space, did you know that we have a self storage facility in Oxford to help you store your household or business items for as little as two months or for as long as you need? For more information on our Storage King Oxford store, give us a call on 01865 712 282.