Tuesday, July 9

Today was a busy day of travelling through the English countryside outside of Oxford. We left in the morning to drive to our first destination, the famous Uffington White Horse, which is a large outline of a horse scraped out of a hill during the Bronze Age. I found it interesting that the white chalk just underneath the soil is so bright that the entire horse had to be covered up during WWII to make it harder for Nazi bombers to get their bearings. After walking into the hilltop fort, protected by a ditch and seeing the horse we drove to the stone circles at Avebury. We had lunch and then walked around the perimeter of the site which surrounds the village of Avebury. I thought it was fascinating that although the stone circles were arranged about 4,000 years ago, modern archaeologists still can only guess at their function. After lunch at Avebury, we drove to the Great Barn at Coxwell, a large tithe barn which dates all the way back to the 13^th century. It has been remarkably preserved. William Morris, leader of the Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19^th century, considered it one of the finest buildings in England. After our long day of touring ancient historical sites in the rural outskirts of Oxford, we came back to a special dinner celebrating James Bond Day, which offered a “Smoking Gun Salad with Jaws Electric Sauce, Skyfall Brill on a Die Another Day Dahl with Octopussy Sauce, and From Russia with Love Chocolate Cake with Dr. No’s Jamaican Sauce.”

Submitted by Sterling Street

Another clear morning on Old Quad, Brasenose College.

Woodberry Forest School Oxford participants waiting for our bus on Catte Street.

Hiking through the country side around Uffington White Horse.

Anterior end of the White Horse.

Note White Horse tail to left of hikers.

Touring stone rings at Avebury.

The Great Barn at Coxwell.

James Bond theme night in the Dinning Hall, Brasenose.

Monday, July 8

Today was the first time the group was able to travel via one of the famous double-decker buses of England.  We took the bus to a small town called Woodstock roughly twenty minutes outside of Oxford.  Woodstock holds one of the most visually stunning World Heritage sights in the world, the Blenheim Palace.  The Blenheim Palace was a gift from Queen Elizabeth to the 1^st Duke of Marlborough following his victory at the Battle of Blenheim.  The Palace was built on top of a hill looking out over a man made landscape of over 2000 acres of land.  Looking down the hill from the front of the Palace, I observed the Column of Victory which is in a large grassy field with sheep grazing around it which is just past the bridge that takes you across the huge green man-made lake.  Once inside Blenheim Palace we observed the 1874 Churchill exhibit.  The exhibit included the room and bed he was born in as well as many original family heirlooms such as weapons, armor, furniture, artwork and much more.  The palace chapel and library were both incredible to see and the palace’s organ is still in mint condition and quite the spectacle.  A truly amazing thing to witness in person is the land surrounding the palace.  The gardens of Blenheim as well as the famous rose garden were remarkable.  The path we took to explore followed a beautiful river with a huge waterfall with pheasants and huge carp patrolling the riverbanks.  I really enjoy checking out the bird wild life, the river and lake have huge flocks of swans and wood ducks with babies not far behind them.  Finishing up our tour I was very pleased to have experienced historic foreign architecture of a different heritage.

Submitted by Peter Lonergan

Class starting the day recording thoughts and impressions in their journals.

Finally riding on a double decker bus!

A clear, sunny day at Blenheim with the Tower of Victory in the background.

Class (and sheep) eating lunch in the shade of the Column of Victory.

Touring Blenheim Palace and grounds.

Sunday, July 7

On our one-week anniversary of being in Oxford we had a very exciting day. We started off the day by going to a church service in Christ Church, Oxford’s cathedral. Christ Church is the biggest college of Oxford and the chapel really reflected the size of the school. In the sermon the priest related good and bad things happening today to the black swan effect, which was very interesting. In the afternoon all of us, exhausted from a long week, took a long hike out to the countryside to see the hole into which Alice disappeared in Lewis Carroll’s story. When we got there we realized it was well worth the walk. Along with the hole came a 12^th century church, St. Margaret’s at Binsey, that was beautiful. It worked out as well that this weekend was Alice weekend in celebration of the story. All around Oxford people are dressed up as Alice or the Mad Hatter. Tonight was a seated meal which took us back to those Sunday seated meals at Woodberry, but it’s nice to know we will be waking up tomorrow to go explore more great sights rather than going to sit in a classroom.

Submitted by Will Harris

At Brasenose, getting ready to walk to Matins and Sermon service in Christ Church, Oxford’s cathedral.

 In Tom Quad, Christ Church College

St. Margaret’s at Binsey, a 12^th century church

The St. Margaret's Church well, which is said to have inspired Lewis Carroll in his writing of

 "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

 Walking through the Oxford area country side. 

Viewing the sail boat races on the Thames River.

After a long, hot hike, Mr. Kendall buys the group ice cream cones. 

Canal boats on the Oxford Canal which we walked along on our return to the college.

Bennett's 16th Birthday celebration in the Brasenose Dinning Hall