Winds will not strip the blossom from the apple trees......

Oxford is one of those magical places, caught in another time, set adrift from the real world. It's like the medieval version of Disneyland, where every building has character and looks like its from a fairytale! I love Oxford, I especially love the evening walks around the illuminated streets. It sometimes feels like Narnia when you amble down a narrow street, come across a lamp post, and you believe the possibilities are endless. When Niall moved there in September we said we would try visit as many colleges as possible during his master's, we are only now getting around to it. We had already visited Trinity and Christ Church (I stayed here in September, amazing!), and Niall is a member of Oriel College, so we decided last weekend to visit Magdalen. I'll be updating the blog with each college I visit. 

Magdalen was founded in 1458 by William Waynflete. The college is set beside the Cherwell River and includes a herd of pretty deer which we caught a glimpse of (very exciting for a deer enthusiast like myself!). The grounds are beautiful and the buildings impressive. 

 Magdalen Chapel was beautiful, and when we stepped inside there was someone playing the organ which made the visit really atmospheric and a bit surreal. I loved the stained-glass windows, which seemed unusual with the brown tones. The chapel was probably my favourite part of the visit, and is well worth a peek!

 The Author C.S. Lewis was elected as a fellow of Magdalen in 1925 and stayed at the college until 1954. Lewis, the author of the Narnia series, rediscovered his faith whilst at Magdalen. When you wander around Oxford itself, you get a the sense that Narnia could have been based on some of the beautiful dream-like spots dotted around the city and the glowing lampposts by night. 

When you take a walk around Magdalen you'll come across the following plaque set beside the river, which has Lewis' poem 'What the Bird said Early in the Year' inscribed upon it. 

Details

Opening Times: 

Jan-June: 1pm-dusk

End of June-September: 12-7pm

Oct-December: 1pm-dusk

Price: 

Adults - £5

Students - £4

Oxford Students - Free

Must See: Parklands and Chapel

Website: http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/

Location: 

Magdalen College 
Oxford 
OX1 4AU 
United Kingdom 

(Title Poem - What the Bird said Early in the Year' - C.S. Lewis)

(Info from the Magdalen website)