Sudeley CastleSet against the beautiful backdrop of Cotswold Hills,
Sudeley Castle is steeped in history. With royal connections
spanning a thousand years, it has played an important role in the
turbulent and changing times of England's past. The Castle was once
home to Queen Katherine Parr (1512-48), following her marriage to
Sir Thomas Seymour, and Lady Jane Grey. Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and
Queen Elizabeth I all visited Sudeley. King Charles I stayed here
and his nephew, Prince Rupert, established his headquarters at the
Castle during the Civil War. Following its destruction by
Cromwell's troops, Sudeley lay neglected and derelict for 200
years. However, its romantic situation and ruins attracted many
visitors, including King George III. In 1837 Sudeley was bought by
John and William Dent, successful businessmen from Worcestershire,
who began an ambitious restoration programme; the castle is still
home to their descendants. Within the Castle's apartments are a
range of historic possessions dating from the Civil War and an
important art collection including paintings by Van Dyck, Rubens,
Turner, Reynolds, Claude and Jan Steen. The romantic 14-acre
grounds are worth a visit from March to September and are the
setting for outdoor Shakespeare performances, concerts, and other
events in summer.Stratford-Upon-AvonThe quaint and picturesque country town,
Stratford-Upon-Avon (which, as its name suggests, rests on the
banks of the River Avon) is the historic birthplace of William
Shakespeare. Visitors can explore Shakespeare's birthplace; Mary
Arden's House, where his mother lived before marrying his father;
his wife, Anne Hathaway's cottage, as well as the school
Shakespeare attended. Stratford-Upon-Avon is within easy access of
the Cotswolds, set in the beautiful, rural Warwickshire
countryside.Bodleian LibraryChief among Oxford's many academic and architectural
attractions is the unique Bodleian library, which is spread
throughout several buildings across the city. The central core of
this collection of buildings is set in Radcliffe Square and
includes the historic Duke Humfrey's Library, dating from the 15th
century, and the gothic Divinity School with its magnificent
vaulted ceiling, which is open to the public. Only members can use
the reading rooms of this library, which contains a copy of every
book printed in Britain since 1610, and no books are ever loaned
out. Guided tours are available to view the main
buildings.Ashmolean MuseumThe Ashmolean Museum houses a fascinating and
extensive collection of art and archaeology covering four thousand
years of history, ranging from the ancient civilisations of Egypt,
Greece and Rome to the 20th century, and including sculpture,
ceramics, musical instruments and paintings. It is the United
Kingdom's oldest museum, founded in 1683.Christchurch Picture GalleryChristchurch, one of Oxford's most renowned university
colleges, possesses an important collection of about 300 paintings
and 2,000 drawings, mainly by the Italian masters. Works by
Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Rubens are to be seen here,
along with examples from Van Dyck, Frans Hals and Hugo van der
Goes. The entire collection cannot be displayed at one time because
of space constraints, but the exhibition changes every few months.
There are also displays of 18th-century glass and Russian
icons.Carfax TowerThe photo opportunity afforded from the top makes it
worthwhile climbing the 99 stairs of the Carfax Tower in the centre
of Oxford's shopping district. The tower top is the best place from
which to view the 'dreaming spires' of this architecturally
beautiful city. The tower is the only remnant of the 14th-century
St Martin's church, demolished in 1896 to improve the traffic flow
at the junction of Cornmarket and Queen Streets. On the first floor
a display depicts the history of the church, while information
boards on the tower top identify the landmarks and spires in the
panoramic view. On the eastern side of the tower is a clock with
two figures that strike the quarter hours.Botanic GardensThe oldest Botanic Garden in the country, Oxford's
bountiful botanical collection of more than 7,000 species of plants
has been growing for four centuries. It was founded as a 'physic
garden' by the Earl of Danby in 1621, but today its biodiversity is
renowned as being greater even than that of a tropical rainforest.
One does not, however, have to be a horticulturalist to enjoy the
beautifully planted walled garden, exotic greenhouses, herbaceous
borders, rock and water gardens that make up this botanic
feast.
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