Oxford Castle ★☆☆
Sections of this partly-ruined medieval castle dates to the 11C
Ruinous and used as a prison from the 1750s until 1996, the central keep of the original 11C Norman-era castle remains—now called the St. George's Tower (climb it for some nice views)—surrounded by extensions from the 14C and 15C.
The original castle was built in 1071–73 by Norman baron Robert D'Oyly the Elder, one of the companions of William the Conqueror.
His nephew and heir, Robert D'Oyly the Younger, got caught up in the Anarchy of the 1140s, and when he switched allegiance from King Stephen to her cousin, Empress Matilda, who quickly based herself here at the castle. Stephen besieged the town and castle in the fall of 1142, setting up his siege engines on a pair of siege mounds beside the castle and proceeded to wait Matilda out. The Empress actually (supposedly) escaped over the walls that December and, disguised in snow, crossed the frozen stream and snuck through the lines, making her way to Abingdon Castle. She surrendered to Stephen the following day.
King Henry III was the first to turn part of the castle into a prison, in the 13C, specifically for "troublesome" students from the University. After the 17C Civil War, it pretty much became a full-time prison. The prison was vastly expanded in the late 1700s, and again in the 1860s, and didn't close until 1996.
Although some sections have been open to the public in the past, the castle as a heritage site didn't open until 2006.
Large parts of the prison have been converted into the Malmaison hotel.
Tickets
You will be picked up for this tour from a centrally located meeting point in Oxford and driven to Stratford-Upon-Avon, one of England's most beautiful market towns situated to the River Avon. This small quaint place is full of history, picturesque Tudor buildings, theaters, shops, many attractions and things to see and do.
The tour will take you to the places where Shakespeare lived in Stratford, including his birthplace on Henley Street. It is open to the public with an exhibition center to learn more about this great man and see where he was born and lived in his early years. You will also be shown the King Edward VI School where Shakespeare went to study, the site of his retirement home and place of death, New Place. You can also visit his final resting place in the Holy Trinity Church.
The tour will return to the original meeting point in Oxford afterward.
Take a guided tour today and let the characters reveal their fascinating stories entrenched in the building’s 1,000 year history. When William the Conqueror invaded England and won the Battle of Hastings in 1066, Oxford Castle was marked by the Normans as the ideal place for a motte-and-bailey castle. Today, after almost one millennia, Oxford Castle Unlocked is a visitor attraction with a past stretching far beyond your imagination.
Guided tours last approx. an hour and run every 20 minutes and are led by one of the castle's costumed character guides. The rich history of Oxford and the castle is revealed as you climb the Saxon St George’s Tower, one of the oldest buildings in Oxford, and enjoy its stunning 360° panoramic views over the historic city of Oxford.
Then, descend deep underground into the dark atmosphere of the 900 year old crypt, the only surviving remains of St. George’s Chapel where it is said, began the education for which Oxford is famed, and where Geoffrey of Monmouth penned the Legends of King Arthur. Explore the austere confines of the 18th century Debtors’ Tower and Prison D-Wing and scale the Mound of the 11th century motte-and-bailey castle.
After your tour, you will be inducted into the castle’s prison and wider site where you will be able to explore at your own leisure. Admission to the castle is by guided tour only.
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You can only visit on a guided tour, which lasts for one hour.
The last tour of the day departs at 4:20pm.
