Categories

open all | close all

Sponsored By:

In Search of Lewis Carroll’s Oxford

Read more articles on Travel and Writing.

July 11, 2006

Posted by mancunian

About This Editor:

         

Oxford, that ‘lovely city of dreaming spires’ as the poet Matthew Arnold described it, has of course, many well known literary and educational associations. Perhaps none is quite as endearing as that of Lewis Carroll, (real name Charles Dodgson) author of one of the most beloved children’s books of all time – Alice in Wonderland. The well known story of Alice, who suddenly finds herself in a bewildering and somewhat grown up world, perhaps has a parallel with Dodgson, who suddenly finds himself among the grown-up world of Oxford’s hallowed cloisters and halls.
Charles Dodgson spent several years in this historic university town, and the visitor can trace his progress through the town from freshman to graduate. Oxford is a compact city and one of Britain’s most enjoyable cities to walk through. Apart from the obvious sights – the historic universities that make up the center of the town – there are many less obvious things to appreciate. Be sure to look up when you walk – watch out for the weathered stone gargoyles on top of many of the buildings; they might be straight from the fertile imagination of Dodgson.
Dodgson was educated at Richmond school and Rugby, before following in the footsteps of his father and going to Christ Church, Oxford in 1851. He worked hard and obtained first class honors in mathematics in 1854, and took up a teaching career at Christ Church in 1855. Like all the Oxford colleges, Christ Church is open to visitors and it is not hard to imagine yourself back in the 16th century as you enter the peaceful buildings, where generations of students and professors have studied. The impressive collections of the library are open to legitimate students and researchers only, including 3 separate Lewis Carroll collections. The library is considered to be the finest in Oxford, outside the more well known Bodleian Library.
Dodgson’s association with the college continued over many years – in 1882 he became the curator of the senior common room, resigning from that post in 1892. While in Christ Church, be sure to visit the great dining hall – this was the inspiration for another fantasy world; the room at Hogwarts school where the boy wizard Harry Potter has his meals.
The event that was to change Dodgson’s life and eventually lead to one of the worlds best known books occurred in 1855. Henry Liddell arrived as the new Dean of Christ Church, and Dodgson was introduced to photography and the Liddell children. Dodgson immediately took a liking to Liddell’s daughter, Alice. He spent many happy hours experimenting with the then new and exciting world of photography, taking many photographs of her, and playing hide and seek on the old college roofs.
Alice and her strange adventures were born on a boating trip on the peaceful river Thames on a warm summer afternoon in 1862. Dodgson had taken to telling the children fairy tales to amuse them, and after several such outings on the river, had the beginnings of an idea for a book. Eventually he had a title for his book, a pseudonym and he also found a publisher who was impressed by his rather odd collection of stories. The collection of fairy tales became Alice in Wonderland. Many of the obscure places mentioned in the book can be traced to real locations in and around Oxford. You can still boat those same serene stretches of the Thames today where traffic is just a distant murmur and the 21st century seems a long way away.
The next stop on any Alice tour should be the museum of Oxford. This museum is dedicated to the history of both the town and the university. The museum has taken great lengths to preserve the real-life Alice’s clothes and toys for future generations. Other displays at the museum range from a mammoth’s tooth to reproductions of students rooms, and a Victorian kitchen. The museum is conveniently situated in Oxfords historic town hall building and is open every day except Monday.
Finally, no visit is complete without a visit to the 15th century shop opposite Christ Church meadow, which featured in the second book, Alice through the Looking Glass. Carroll even featured the old lady who ran the shop – in the book however she is portrayed as a sheep with several pairs of knitting needles. Today the shop sells Alice memorabilia, attracts visitors from all over the world and also has a pleasant tea shop.
As it has been for several centuries, Oxford is still first and foremost a thriving university town. But take time to look beyond the academia and you will discover a place that has inspired one of the most brilliant children’s books ever.

Related Posts