Oxford is steeped in Literary history and there’s plenty to see even if you only have a day. For some of the sights you just have to know where to look.
Library
Windsor Castle: How Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House Library Helped Boost An Economy
Did you know Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote an original manuscript, and it’s about one inch tall? Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, on display at Windsor Castle, has a library filled with tiny original manuscripts by several now famous classic writers such as J. M. Barrie, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, as well as the famous cartoonist Fougasse.
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Literary Destination
Brighton, Sanditon, and Why You Should Never Humiliate Jane Austen
Jane Austen’s final unfinished manuscript parodies the aristocratic society of a fictional town modeled on Brighton, possibly due to humiliation by Prince Regent George IV.
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Literary Destination
Beckford’s Tower: Holiday in a Writer’s Retreat
While some reclusive writers favor retreats hidden away, William Beckford instead built a tall tower everyone could see, with no inclination of inviting anyone inside. If you’re looking for a quiet retreat with a reading nook above the rooftops, the lower rooms of Beckford’s Tower are available for weekend rentals.
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Literary Destination
Preservation of a Bibliophile’s Retreat
Have you ever thought about what goes into the preservation of the historic author museums we all love to visit? Let me tell you, so much more goes on behind the scenes than you’ll ever realize during your visit.
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Literary Destination
Literary Destination: How to Have A Catherine Morland Day in Bath
If like me, you can’t visit Bath during the annual Jane Austen festival -I desperately would love to attend!- don’t worry! You can still get into character and spend the day pretending to be Catherine Morland.
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Literary Destination
Author Footsteps: Learn about Jane Austen in Bath
Jane Austen never really liked Bath, and didn’t do much writing while living there. Despite her disdain, Bath has become one of the more popular destinations for Austen fans. Not only did Austen live in Bath for a time, but she also set scenes in the city in several of her novels. Despite recognizing the absurdity of memorializing the author in a place she was happy to leave, I spent some time visiting several locations in Bath related to Austen and her brilliant heroines, starting with the Jane Austen Centre.
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Literary Destination
Bath: It’s All A Facade (OPP Day 1)
If you take the time to wander around Bath, You’ll probably get lost You’ll begin to notice that everything. looks. the same., and You’ll feel so relaxed you won’t mind. Let me be the first to warn you. It’s all a facade! A big, giant, deception largely built by Britain’s high-class 18th century Georgian society.
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Literary Destination
Finding Comfort Across the Globe: Bryson & The Roman Baths
I’d been feeling nervous and jittery, and beginning to wonder if I’d made an enormous mistake when 4 simple words dispelled my anxiety. Only hours ago I’d arrived in a new city, been introduced to twenty girls with whom I’d spend the next three weeks, and I’d retained the names of exactly zero so far.
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Literary Destination
Welcome to Austen’s England & The Open Palace Programme
“Well folks, we’re a bit delayed because the airplane navigation lights aren’t working, but we’ll be fine.” I’d been lost in the book on my lap for the last 45 minutes when the captain’s announcement pulled me back to reality. I looked out the window at the fog and pouring rain. If it had been