Tag Archive | Bodleian Library

Discovering the Glory of the Radcliffe Camera and An Afternoon with Visiting Friends

Sep23

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Oxford

Today was going to be a break from routine as I had my dear friend Raquel arriving in Oxford with her mother Renee who was visiting the UK from New York. They intended to take advantage of my stay in Oxford to come and visit and get an insider’s view of the town, as it were.

Morning Chores and Departure for Bodleian Library:

I, therefore, hurried through my morning routine—blogging, breakfast, shower, a review of the article I wish to submit for publication to a scholarly journal—and then I was off. It was about 10.00 am when I left the house to walk along the Thames Path, which is just gorgeous at this time of year, to get to the Bodleian Library. I paused to take pictures of swans, ducks and other mallard life and I frequently stained my finger and mouth with the ripest blackberries that are growing wild all over the place right now. They are sweet and delicious and although very tiny, they are just lovely.

At the Bodleian, I finished the book I was ploughing through and then because the next book I wanted to look at was in the Upper Gallery of the Radcliffe Camera, I wound my way up a glorious staircase with its wrought iron banister and its ornamental ceiling to get to the upper portion into which I had not ventured yet.

Discovering the Glory of the Radcliffe Camera:

And what a joy and delight awaited me at the top! The Radcliffe Camera, named after John Radcliffe, whose oil portrait greets readers at the entrance and whose sculpture finds a place on a niche high on the walls of the rotunda, is a simply magnificent space. It is ornamental in the extreme, in high Baroque style with Neo-Classical pillars topped by Corinthian details, a burst of pale blue painted highlights on the plasterwork of the grand ceiling that is reminiscent of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, heavy balustrades, more ornate winding spiral staircases that lead to an even higher floor where the History books are stored (and where the particular book I wanted was to be found). At the heavy dark wood furniture (tables, desks, chairs) scholars sat silently at work, either reading or typing on their laptops.

I was completely entranced with it all and simply could not stop taking pictures of the interior and the outside. In fact, since it was so far up in the building, I had some stirring views of the neighboring Gothic structures from angles that I had never seen before. It was with difficulty that I was able to focus on my reading and I could not stop congratulating myself that I had found this space. During the past two weeks, I have stayed in the Lower Gallery of the Radcliffe Camera and been quite delighted with that ancient space—so you can quite imagine how thrilled I was to be in these confines and how privileged I felt to have a Reader’s Card that allowed me entry into these as-yet-undiscovered parts of the university.

Meeting Raquel and Renee:

I was upstairs in the library for three hours when I received a text message from Raquel informing me that they would be arriving in Oxford in a few minutes. I left my seat with the intention of getting back to the library in the evening after their departure.

Ten minutes later, we had a lovely hearty reunion on the High Street and I met Renee for the first time. She turned out to be an absolutely delightful 83-year old lady with a thirst for all the things about which I am passionate—Gothic architecture, antiques, art, museums, libraries. Although they were hungry and it was close to 1.00 pm, we started our walking tour on our way to the Café at the new Weston Library, part of the Bodleian Library.

A Walking Tour of Oxford:

So through Radcliffee Square we went. We thought initially we would have lunch at the Vaults and Garden café in the base of the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. But, on surveying the place, they decided to go for something lighter. I, therefore, suggested the Café at the Weston.

Meanwhile, we detoured into The Church of St. Mary where we admired the beautifully carved chancel with its panoply of marble saints, the altarpiece of Madonna and Child by the French artist Simon Vouet, the Pillar at which Archbishop Cranmer was tried during the counter-Reformation and the lovely West Window in superb stained glass. Renee exclaimed over everything she saw as she was struck by the city as soon as she arrived in it.

From the Church, we entered the main courtyard of the Bodleian Library where I pointed out the sculpture of Sir Thomas Bodley after whom it is named and the various disciplines that were added to the curriculum as the centuries passed. We crossed into Clarendon Square to see the Clarendon Building by Nicholas Hawksmoor and the Sheldonian Theater by his guru Christopher Wren. We also admired the lovely Bridge of Sighs that connects the two parts of Hereford College.

Once we reached Broad Street, we made straight for the café where we had a lovely lunch of Singaporean Laksa Soup with hunks of buttered bread and sandwiches with salad—all of which we shared—at the Café of the Weston Library. The food was delicious and in the catering provided by Benugo, I have to say we were very satisfied. Raquel and Renee were very pleased to be seated inside as they were cold—London, it appears, was much warmer than Oxford when they left in the morning.

Back on Broad Street, we stepped into Blackwell and Co. bookstore so that they could see the underground Norrington Room before we crossed the street to go into Oxfam—it turns out that Renee also shares my love for thrift stores! She was as happy as a kid in a candy store as she looked through the racks, but pretty soon, we entered Exeter College where I gave them a very detailed tour of a typical Oxford College—from the Porter’s Lodge, to the dorm rooms, from the Chapel by Sir George Gilbert Scott (which they adored) to the Margery Quadrangle, from the Junior Common Room that leads into the Fellows’ Garden to the library tucked away at the back. We climbed up the steps that led to the ramparts of the college from where we had fantastic views of Radcliffe Square and where we took a few pictures.

As we made our way downstairs, we left Exeter College and walked deeper into Turl Street so that Renee could poke her head into some of the antique jewelry stores that she also loves. From there, we walked across Broad Street to take a look at Balliol College and to see the spot at which the martyrs were burned at the stake before we actually got to the Martyrs Memorial at St. Giles. This afforded us nice views of S. John’s College as well as the War Memorial on the far side.

Our tour of Oxford ended with our entry into the Ashmolean Museum as Renee also has a passion for museums. We took a look at some of the highlights as that was all for which we had the time. They saw Rembrandt’s interpretations of the senses or ‘Sensations’ which I had seen a few days ago with Rose and Carol and the two most famous paintings in its collection—The Hunt by Paolo Uccello and The Forest Fire by Pietro de Cosimo before I led them to the Alfred Jewel. Renee wanted to wander freely into every room as she was absolutely taken by the period paintings but Raquel had her eye on the time.

Close to 5.00 pm, we left the museum, passed the Randolphe Hotel and arrived at George Street where we stepped into Debenhams as Raquel needed to buy something. Just a few minutes later, I was bidding them goodbye after what had been a really terrific afternoon and they were on their way. They decided to take the train back to London as that would probably be faster.

Back to the Upper Gallery of the Radcliffe Camera Library:

It had been grand to spend time with my friends and I enjoyed every moment; but it was time for me to get back to work at the library and since it stayed open till 7.00 pm, that was where I spent the next two hours. I am sorry that my time in the Oxford libraries is coming to an end, but at the same time, I know that I will find these books at the libraries in London as well—where I will continue with my research. For the moment, I savored the thrill of sitting and reading in the Radcliffe Camera—a memory that will stay with me forever, I am sure.

Errands and Dinner and Bed:

I bought a couple of things I needed-chocolate eclairs for dessert, for instance, from Marks and Spencer—before I walked back home. Twilight was falling swiftly over the city and at Folly Bridge, I saw the salmon pink and navy blue streaks that sunset left in the Western sky. It was so beautiful.

Ten minutes later, I was back home, having a very early dinner—my Lamb Jalfrezi with bread, eclairs and ice-cream for dessert. As I munched, I watched Jamie Oliver on the Food Network on TV and suddenly felt as if I were home again in Southport.

My entire stay in Oxford has been so fabulous because it has made me feel fully at home, deeply cozy and cossetted and entirely pleased at the time that has been placed at my disposal and the great use I have made of it.

I fell into bed early (by 9.00 pm) after brushing and flossing my teeth. With just another two days left ahead of me in Oxford, I have a lot of chores to do (laundry, cleaning, tidying, repacking) before I leave this lovely university city, I have a couple of people to see as well. The next two days will be quite busy—so I have made another To-Do List to make sure I leave nothing out.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

Reading, Writing and Editing in Oxford

Sep22

Wednesday, September 21, 2019

Oxford

A Rather Unusual Morning:

Despite the fact that I am still waking by 6.00 am, I have no idea where the morning flies once I switch my laptop on. This morning was a particular case in point. By the time I checked email and responded to it, I realized that I was facing a tight deadline for the submission of a scholarly essay to a journal. Some frantic attempts at trying to find my draft began. And after I read it and realized it needed much editing, I arose from bed, washed, prepared my breakfast (muesli with honey yoghurt and coffee) and watched a bit of the BBC Breakfast show as I ate it. It was then time to return to work to revise the essay, add annotations and references in the correct format according to the publication guidelines as well as send out official forms to Italy for a lecture I will be giving there in November as well as finalize a date for a lecture I will be giving at the University of Leeds.

So although I had intended to get to the Bodleian Library by 10.00 am at the latest, in fact, it was only the afternoon that I spent there. But, of course, in-between, I was hard at work for I did not stir from my computer. When I was satisfied with the way the essay had turned out, I decided to put it away and look at it again tomorrow for more re-drafting and revising.

In-between I took a shower and had a shampoo and while my hair dried naturally, I continued working. I also darned a sweater that I intend to launder tomorrow. It is only my To-Do List that is allowing me to remain organized as I juggle the vast amount of items I try to accomplish on any given day. By 1.00 pm, I went into the kitchen to get myself lunch and was delighted to find half a quiche which I quickly warmed up in the oven and ate as I watched some more TV

Off to the Bodleian Library Along the Thames Path:

Hence, it was only at 1.45 pm that I left for the library and since I no longer have the bus pass, I am walking the 15 minute walk to it. This means that I try each day to take a different path to reach Carfax and today, I followed my gut which led me right to the Thames Path—how exciting! I passed by ducks and rowers and kayakers and the lovely river-front yuppie flats that have sprung up all over the UK’s waterways and then I was on Folly Bridge at the pub called The Head of the River before I made my way into the perennial gardens at Christ Church College to take what is known as The Broad pathway. This could either lead one to the Thames or (as I preferred to do today) to Merton Lane and Magpie Lane which leads one directly to The High. I love these little winding Oxford lanes with their cobbled streets (very hard on my feet and legs for sure) and the honey-toned sides of their Cotswold stone buildings. Often I pause to take a picture of yet another beloved Oxford vista—a steeple here, a spire there. What beauty they bring to the skyline even when those skies are grey!

An Afternoon of Reading at the Bodleian:

I stayed in the Bodleian for the rest of the afternoon as I tried hard to finish a 500 page tome I am currently reading. Meanwhile, I received the news that Chriselle’s flight had landed but when she called me in the library, I could not talk to her. I told her I would call back later.

The time flew. People in the library came and went. It is interesting to see that so many of them seem deeply engrossed in their research—they even have their headphones on–on their computers when, in fact, what they are looking at is online clothes shopping websites and Facebook! What I love about this antiquated space (apart from the superb rotunda that is part of its architecture) is the absolute quiet. No one says a word here. The only occasional word exchanged is in a whisper. Outside sometimes, tourist crowds can get noisy as they invariably stand at the Radcliffe Camera where their guides deliver commentary during walking tours. I sit at different windows each day, depending on where I can find a seat, and each day the view outside my window is different and more heartening. One day it is the twin spires of All Souls College that greets me, on another day it is the steeple of the University Church of St. Mary The Virgin. One day it is the entrance of Brasenose College that I see and on another, the ramparts of Exeter College outside the thick wrought-iron ornamental grill that frames each window. Despite the antiquity of the building, inside it is amazingly modernized. For instance, there are plug points and USB sockets at each seat so that you can keep your devices charged. I have truly enjoyed every second of quiet reading time in this space and I know that when I go back to the British Library and continue my research there in London, I will miss these stirring views that never fail to inspire me.

At 5. 30 pm, I left the Bodleian having completed a substantial amount of reading and after taking copious notes. I stepped quickly into Tesco to buy myself some honey yogurt and bread for sandwiches for the next couple of days, then walked back to Carfax and to the Thames Path to take the lovely return route to the City Center that I have discovered. On the way, I chatted on the phone with Chriselle who had very little sleep on her red eye flight, spent some time on her own around St. Paul’s Cathedral before hooking up with her friend with whom she shall spent two nights before leaving for Scotland. She was excited to be back in London and although she was tired and sleepy, I could hear the excitement in her voice as she talked about her first impression of the city—the red buses, she said, made her feel very happy!

A Relaxing Evening at Home:

In fifteen minutes I was home, had the kettle on for a hot cup of tea that I sipped by the TV with a lovely chocolate éclair from Marks and soon I moved on to my laptop again to catch up with more work that had accumulated during the day. Night moves in swiftly these days and the temperature drops rapidly so that the warmth of the afternoon disappears in a flash as the evening closes in. I felt the need to go to bed early and so made myself a plate of dinner—leftover pasta from a past recent evening with Roz was jazzed up with a bit of cream and red wine to make a sloppier sauce and as I sat eating it while watching TV, I could not help but think how happy I have been here at Oxford, how much less homesick, how much better suited this warm and cozy space is to my psyche and how sad I will be to leave when the time comes to go away.

When I received the news that I would be spending the Fall semester in the UK, little did I dream that two full weeks of it would be in Oxford. How fortunate was I to receive this opportunity? And how generous were my friends to leave their home for my use while they were on vacation? Truly, circumstances coalesced so beautifully to allow me to do such concentrated reading, writing and editing in Oxford that I know I will always cherish these weeks and remember this city with the same affection with which I have always regarded it.

It was 9.00 pm, when I went to bed as I simply could not keep my eyes open—but I have rarely had a more productive day than the one I had today. I am truly living here the academic life of a dedicated scholar—and I truly could not be happier.

Until tomorrow…cheerio.

Still More Research at the Bodleian and Visiting Cogges Manor Farm

Sep17

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Oxford-Cogges

Still trying to catch up on this blog, I usually wake up in the morning and spend about an hour on it. It is as much as I can afford in my hurry to get breakfast and a shower and get out of the house to reach the Bodleian Library. I have found some wonderful source material there for my research topic of interest and can’t wait to devour it.

Meanwhile, I was delighted to receive news from my publisher (Lexington Books) that my manuscript for my book on Britain’s Anglo-Indians that was reviewed by an anonymous expert in the field has passed approval with flying colors—and with no revision necessary! Needless to say, the news is a huge relief to me as I really did not want to spend my time in Oxford or London revising it while I could be spending it working on research material for a new project. So this is very uplifting indeed. Now onward towards publication.

Morning at the Bodleian:

Not wanting to waste any time, I had a muesli and yogurt breakfast with coffee, made my sandwiches and jumped into a bus on the Abingdon Road and was at the Radcliffe Camera by 9.00 am ready to spend an entire morning on research. Once again, I was almost the first one there and got a coveted seat at the window overlooking Brasenose Lane and the ramparts of Exeter College. How can you beat such a view? It never fails to inspire me to hunker down and focus on my reading.

More readers came and went as the morning flew, but I stayed at my post until 2.00 pm. And yes, once again it was hunger pangs that drove me out as, in the end, one has to eat to live! I am thrilled by the material I am getting a chance to peruse and the speed with which it is brought into my hands and with which I am reviewing it.   Through it all, I am learning wonderful new things about the area I have chosen to pursue and gleaning detailed information about which previously I had only a very hazy idea. It is proving to be a fabulous use of my time here and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity.

Off on the Bus to Cogges:

Just by chance, based on the tourist literature I had picked up at the Tourist Information Center at Oxford, I discovered that Cogges Manor Farm, not too far from Oxford, in-between the village of Eynsham and the town of Witney was the location for the shooting of scenes in Downton Abbey that were based on Yew Tree Farm—the place where Lady Edith leaves her daughter Mariegold to be raised by the Drews. Now having visited Highclere Castle (which was the setting of the grand home of the Granthams) and the village of Bampton (which was the setting for Downton Village and the home of the Crawleys), I figured it would make sense to get to Cogges to see the Museum and Manor Farm where a large part of the shooting was carried out for the series.

I also discovered that it is really easy to get on the bus from Oxford to Cogges. But for the fact that you need to know exactly where to get off (ask the driver), it is simplicity itself. I, therefore, hopped into a the bus S1 at George Street heading towards Oxford Station and in about 40 minutes I was there. I had a really lovely chat with a lawyer seated next to me who also happened to be a big fan of Downton and who gave me better directions for where to get off—although he did not know that Cogges Manor Farm was the location for Yew Tree Farm in the series.

En route to Cogges, we passed through the village of Eynsham that might have meant nothing to me expect for the fact that one of my oldest and dearest Oxford friends, Stan Fuller, once Hall Stewart of Exeter College when I had done grad work there, lived in the village until he passed away, two years ago. We had stayed in touch through almost thirty years and it was with a heavy heart that I saw him for the last time at the care home into which he had been moved by his family towards the end of his life. It is sad for me to come to Oxford and not be able to see him as I have done so through all my visits over the years. What thrilled me, as I looked out the window, was that we actually passed right by his lane (Spare Acre Lane) as we drove on to Cogges. Now what are the odds of that? In fact, as I sat there at the window looking at Eynsham pass by, the thought had occurred to me: I wonder if we will pass by Stan’s lane…And then, about five minutes later, there it was! It was simply too uncanny for words. I have since then thought of calling his home but I no longer have his number and other ways of trying to reach his wife Kay and son Austin have led nowhere.

Once I got off the bus, I had to walk for about ten minutes to get to the venue past hedges filled with blackberries, redcurrants and other berries that are in their prime at the moment. What’s more, they are really sweet right now—the wild ones are best, I realize. Not as large as the farmed ones, but they are delicious.

Visiting Cogges Manor Farm:

The beauty of Cogges Manor Farm is that it has been in existence for at least 300 years! Yes, can you believe it? It has stayed a farm for all that time—much modified, of course, as the centuries have gone by, in terms of the amount of land that is still farmed (today about 20 acres) and the kind of buildings that comprise it. However, the bulk of the buildings date from the mid-1800s to the early 1900s—they are stone structures decorated with timber details.

You pay a fee of 5 pounds to enter and wander around at will. It is full of farm animals today but most of them are for show. It is not really a working farm anymore. The receptionist, who turned out to be very knowledgeable about the history and the use of the place for filming, volunteered to take me on a private guided tour himself—I was really grateful for that. I told him that my interest was mainly in the use of the place for Downton and he said that about 20% of the visitors come for that reason. The majority are local residents who bring their kids in to pet the animals, use the play area and the like.

The first part of the farm to which he led me as the Manor House—although it is the original manor house of the farm and would have housed the squire and his family who owned the surrounding lands on which they tenanted farmers would have earned a living, it was considered too grand for the Duke family in Downton and was, therefore, never shown in the series. However, the kitchen (dating from the late-Victorian Age) was used (with prop modifications) as the home of the Drews, the place where Lady Edith visits often to see her daughter, where Lady Mary and Branson come to see if they ought to keep their tenants instead of turning the farm into developments, etc. So, many minor plot lines revolve around this farm and they are all easily recognized if one knows the series well. I took a few pictures of the areas that I recognized from the show and then set about wandering on my own.

Before he left, the receptionist put on a film for me that talked about why and how Cogges Manor Fam came to be chosen as the setting for Yew Tree Farm—it was because it was old, authentically antiquated and would require very little expense to modify for the exact needs of the show. The man also told me that the manor house was used at the setting of the kitchen for the TV show Arthur and George (which I had also watched on PBS in the US) and which starred Martin Clunes, Charles Edwards and Art Malik. It is a true story written by Arthur Conan Doyle on his involvement with the sad fate of a Parsi clergyman named Shapurji Edulji who lost a court case in the late Victorian Age because the jury was prejudiced. Edulji’s son George, a lawyer,  brings Doyle into the fray and upon his involvement, the entire case is re-examined. The man told me that all the cast members were really nice to work with, that they are always courteous and polite and that they loved spending all the time they did at Cogges.

I spent most of the rest of the afternoon enjoying the gardens, the orchards, the stables, the dairy, etc. at Cogges. The vines were full of the sweetest grapes, the espaliered apple and pear trees are strung full of fruit (October 5 is Apple Picking Day and the neighborhood is invited to help), the perennial beds are filled with autumnal dahlias and cosmos. It was truly a pleasure to walk through the country farms and fields and take it all in. I saw goats, pigs, cows and other barnyard animals and lots of chickens and ducks. Little did I think that I would come to Oxford to do research and end up on a farm!  However, it was one of the most unexpectedly lovely afternoons I spent on my own.

Back on the Bus to Oxford to Meet a Friend:

I was back in Oxford in about an hour by 6.00 pm, just in time to meet a friend, Carol, on the steps of the Ashmolean Museum. She had arrived in the morning from Oxford to do some research herself before meeting me for dinner.  Together we strolled about parts of Oxford I had not yet seen on this visit—Jericho, for instance, but then we made our way towards George Street as Carol sweetly offered to treat me to dinner. She was grateful that I had told her she could spend the night at my home in Grandpont (I had taken permission from my hosts, of course).

Dinner with Carol at ASK:

Italian being my favorite cuisine and George Street being filled with restaurants from where we could take out pick, we decided to get to ASK, a Italian eatery where we ordered white wine and then pasta—hers was filled with chicken and mushrooms, mine was filled with prawns and lobster. For dessert, we had a pistachio and olive oil cake which sounded much better than it tasted. I found the texture too heavy and the pistachios too finely ground up. Not a good dessert choice, but my pasta was delicious and it went perfectly well with a rather dry Chardonnay. Over our meal, Carol and I bonded as we have only very recently gotten to know each other (through our mutual friend Rose who will arrive in Oxford tomorrow).

By 9.30, we left the restaurant, hopped into a bus going down the Abingdon Road and by 10.00 pm, really tired after a rather long but very fulfilling day, we said goodnight as she retired upstairs in the master bedroom and I took my place in the spare room downstairs.

Until tomorrow, cheerio…