Colleges of Oxford Spotlight: All Souls College

Colleges of Oxford Spotlight: All Souls College

The many University of Oxford colleges are located around the Oxford city centre. Many including The College of the Souls of All the Faithful Departed are open to the public who can tour the grounds for free. Now this is quite a mouthful to say, which is why this college is better known as All Souls College. It is the sister college of the prestigious Trinity Hall in Cambridge.

Members that attend this college are postgrads and graduates who have been automatically granted fellowship status when they enrolled here. No undergrads studying here… Another shocking fact was that up until 1979, all the fellows were male. After 1979, girls were finally allowed to join and become fellows too. So how do you become a fellow if you’ve graduated or are doing a postgrad? Firstly, you must apply for an exam, once known as ‘the world’s hardest exam’. If you’ve been shortlisted, you’re then invited to an interview. After passing this stage, then you can finally receive an offer.

The Location of All Souls College

This college is conveniently located on the High Street. It is near Radcliffe Square, where you’ll find the Radcliffe Camera, St Mary’s Church, and Brasenose College. So, after you’ve been to see the Radcliffe Camera up close and seen great views of Oxford from St Mary’s Church, make sure you walk around the grounds of All Souls College too. The best thing about getting around Oxford is that all the landmarks and places of interest are located quite close to each other. Therefore, it’s a good idea to get around on foot or cycle around.

Walking Around the Perimeter of the Emerald Green Lawn

I found the atmosphere at All Souls College very quiet when I was walking around the grounds. Unlike Christchurch College, which was slightly busier, All Souls College didn’t have much footfall at all. When I was walking around, I could only see a few other members of the public here and a few staff members.

Here, I was able to walk around the perimeter of the courtyard, which had a pristine emerald lawn. One obvious method used to preserve this lawn is that visitors are not allowed to walk on the grass, and instead walk along the paths. This was quite enjoyable. I was able to admire the intricate and remarkable designs of the buildings, and the outside of the Codrington Library. As well as the spires, I was also impressed by the detail on the caricatures and crests on the walls. It is difficult to think how much effort must have gone into constructing these buildings, and it’s fascinating how the buildings have been preserved over the centuries…

The Chapel of All Souls College

All Souls College has its own chapel, which hosts services which are held in accordance with the King James Bible. Fellows, college staff, and members of the public are all welcome to attend these services. Outside of service, members of the public can go inside the chapel while touring the college, which is what I did.

One thing I love about the chapels in the Oxford University colleges is how much detail is in interior designs, and the All Souls College chapel was no exception. Like the exterior design of the college, I was also amazed at the effort that had gone into the interior, right down to the small gold caricatures on the wooden ceiling. On the walls, there were various stone carved scriptures and paintings. But one wall that caught my eye though was the wall of stone sculptures behind the alter. Each sculpture was unique, so it is a good idea to take your time to look at them. I wonder how long it took to carve each one.

See Aerial Views of All Souls College from St Mary’s Church

If you were impressed by this college’s architecture on ground level, prepare to be even more amazed when you see aerial views of it. For just £5, you can climb up St Mary’s Church and see great views. You can get views of Radcliffe Square, High Street, Brasenose College, and All Souls College. And you can see the spires of All Souls College in their full glory from here too.

Verdict

Overall, as well as visiting Westgate and the different museums around Oxford, make sure you stop by to visit each college you come across while walking around the city. This review focussed on All Souls College, which is one of Oxford’s wealthiest colleges. All Souls College has some amazing architecture, and like the other colleges, you will be amazed by the detail in the buildings.    

Find out more about All Souls College:

https://www.asc.ox.ac.uk/

Directions to All Souls College:

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