can you visit keble college

Keble College, Oxford – A Visitor’s Guide

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Planning a trip to Keble College, Oxford? Here’s what you need to know before you visit one of Oxford’s most esteemed colleges.

It’s official, Keble College will knock your socks off – and we’re not just saying that because we’ve got an alumni within our troops. Promise. 

The Victorian-Gothic masterpiece is often left out of many Oxford tourist lists and we can’t for the life of us figure out why. The college even holds the record of being longest in Oxford, as well as the most stunning. 

Ready to explore?

Why Visit Keble College, Oxford? 

Because it’s jaw-droppingly beautiful and you’ll be left standing with your mouth open murmuring ‘wow’ for at least a good three minutes, maybe four.

Dramatics aside, we’ve even heard rumours that the Harry Potter crew wanted to film the first film in Keble College but the college refused because they didn’t want to take down the paintings. 

Even though we can’t fully fact-check this rumour for you, you should without a doubt visit Keble to see it for yourself.

Take a Peek at Holman Hunt’s The Light of the World 

When visiting the college, make sure you take a peep a Holman Hunt’s The Light of the World painting . It’s Keble’s prized possession.

The process of The Light of the World started when Hunt was in his twenties, but wasn’t completed until years later. He wanted it to be perfect, and wanted to perfect the dawn, but felt he couldn’t do that until he travelled to Bethlehem where he finally saw the perfect sunrise. 

Although we weren’t there for that sunrise, we know it must have been pretty perfect for him to create what he did. 

The picture has two lights shown, the lantern is the light of conscience and the light around the head is the light of salvation. The door is there to represent the human soul, which is impossible to be opened from the outside. Wow. Wow. Wow. 

The door doesn’t have a handle and has never been opened, Christ is standing and asking for permission to enter. The writing in the image is taken from Revelation 3: 

‘Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and opens the door I will come to in to him and will sup with him and he with me.’

It’s a pretty breathtaking piece by anyone’s standards and one you’re going to want to take some time to admire. The detail, the energy, the feel of it. 

All visitors to the Keble College chapel can easily see the masterpiece in the side chapel, just before the choir stalls. 

See the Biggest Dining Hall in Oxford 

Yes, you read that right! The biggest dining hall in Oxford. First opened in 1878, the gorgeous gothic Keble College dining hall offers meals for up to 300 people… we don’t think we even know 300 people so this is a hard one to get our heads around. 

Think long wooden benches surrounded by magical portraits of iconic people from Kebel’s past. It’s practically the Great Dining Hall from Harry Potter.

Want to have a private dinner? Well, that’s possible, too. Even though private isn’t quite the word we’d choose for 300 people. 

Enjoy the Sunken Quad 

The college grounds are pretty epic too. Precise borders framing a traditional lawn quad (Keble actually has three quads, but we’re talking about the Liddon Quad, which is the main one) makes for a special spot of both living and relaxing. 

Until recently, it was thought that the sunken Liddon Quad was a deliberate feature by William Butterfield, the ground’s architect. 

Turns out that the land on which Keble was built was formerly a quarry and Butterfield had to heave plenty of earth into the college to raise the surrounding paths. He left the rest of the quad at its original level to save on costs – quite fortuitous really as the end result is pretty spectacular. 

Keble College’s History 

Keble College opened its doors in 1870 – so is one of the more recent Oxford colleges .

Founded by John Keble (an English-Anglican poet/priest), the college’s first purpose was to create an Oxford education available to “gentlemen wishing to live economically”.

Essentially, it was founded on the message that it wanted to create and attempt to broaden the social depth of the students as the college was mostly Anglican.

John Keble was also a leading member of the Oxford Movement whose aim was to stress the Catholic nature of the Church of England. As a consequence, during its early years, the college’s teaching predominantly focused on theology, and it was only until after the Second World War that it added science courses to its roster.

Keble College Architecture 

Keble College wanted to be different, it was founded on difference, and it even physically looks different. From polychromatic brickwork by architect William Butterfield, it was there to mark a change and determine itself unlike any of its predecessors.

The college design was Butterfield’s masterpiece, the different colour bricks, stonework, and encaustic tiles are arranged in such a lively yet professional way.

As mentioned, the college was distinctive for breaking the rules and being different. Not only was that true in its appearance, but also breaking away from Oxbridge many traditions, one of them being the arrangement of rooms along corridors rather than having them swirl around a staircase.

Oxford’s Friendliest College or An Ugly Eyesore?

Right, back to the history. The college admits students through a full range of subjects for just about any career you could think of. It was only in 1979 that the college began to admit women, and in 1994 the college admitted its first female Warden.

Throughout the years, Keble has earned itself a reputation for many things. Some say it’s Oxford’s “friendliest” college (strongly agree), yet it’s also been accused of being the “the ugliest building in the world” (strongly disagree).

One story even claims that whilst a French visitor walked by, they screamed out how beautiful the railway station was. 

Regardless of any different views of the college, what we can say for sure is that Keble is striking and has made a real name for itself in history.

Notable Alumni of Keble College 

The Alumni of Keble College are pretty hefty, there are a lot of them and there are some amazing ones. Interestingly, a lot of creatives, actors, writers and change makers. 

Leslie Banks 

Leslie Banks, English stage and screen actor was one of them (and we really love him). He’s now remembered for playing menacing characters in the 1930s and 1940s, but was also incredibly versatile and acted in more traditional plays. 

Frank Cottrell Boyce

Another creative and favourite of the Keble College Alumni is Frank Cottrell Boyce, a screenwriter and novelist who also dabbled in acting – he’s best known for his children’s fiction, especially the sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car. He even got married in Keble College! 

Next up we’ve got Ben Brown, who we’re sure you’ve seen on your screens time and time again bringing you those big updates – he’s a news presenter for BBC news.

Currently, Ben is a presenter on BBC News at One, BBC Weekend News, BBC News Channel and BBC World News. 

One of the most famous Keble College Alumni was in fact, the Pakistan Prime Minister. Imran Khan has truly lived an interesting life. Pakistani politician, former cricketer who served as the 22nd prime minister of Pakistan until April 2022. 

He’s also the chairman (and founder) of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insad (PTI) – one of the biggest political parties in the country, as well as being ranked the world’s most influential muslims. And it all began at Keble College! 

How to Visit Keble College 

Surely you’ve got enough reasons to visit one of Oxford’s best colleges now?

The public can visit Keble college free of charge everyday from 2pm to 5pm. It’s important to contact the porters before your visit, as the college sometimes has private events and could be closed. 

Also note that visitors can’t bring any animals into the college (bar assistance animals).  

Keble College Accommodation

If you’re keen to relive your uni years, you can even stay at Keble College . The real deal of all Oxford experiences would be staying at one of the Oxford Colleges. 

They offer a variety of different bedrooms, each very unique. Breakfast is included in your room rate AND served in the epic dining hall…. Imagine having your eggs in the best dining room in Oxford!

Map of Keble College, Oxford

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Keble College

Keble College is one of the largest Oxford colleges. Its unique design will please any architecture fan, especially if you enjoy Victorian style.

Keble College may not be as well known as some of the older colleges nearby but it’s certainly worth your time especially if you like a bit of drama. This revolutionary building stirred controversy at the time with its neo-gothic architecture.

The first thing you will notice upon your visit is the difference from the majority of Oxford colleges – the red brick with yellow and blue brick patterns so different from the predominant Cotswold limestone used across the University of Oxford and the Oxford city.

Kebel’s unique style was a concept of architect William Butterfield, who filled Kebel’s impressive space with Victorian Gothic architecture. The college design is considered Butterfield’s masterpiece which consists of sturdy bricks of various colors, stonework, encaustic tiles, and other materials in a lively but serious way. Keble’s buildings are also notable for breaking from Oxbridge tradition by arranging rooms along corridors rather than around staircases, in order that the scouts could supervise the comings and goings of visitors.

“Plain living and high thinking.”

Keble College motto

  Sadly in the past Keble’s appearance wasn’t widely admired, it was generally believed that Keble College was “the ugliest building in the world” . An apocryphal story claims that a French visitor, on first sight of the college exclaimed C’est magnifique mais ce n’est pas la gare? ( “It is magnificent but is it not the railway station?” ).

On its construction, some students of St John’s College (from which Keble had purchased their land) decided to take matters into their own hands. They formed a secret society which aspiring members were encouraged to remove a single brick from Keble College, one brick at a time. A red brick was necessary for ordinary membership, a rarer white brick for higher-level membership, and one of the rarest blue bricks for chairmanship.

Luckily as  times have changed this Victorian masterpiece gained the well deserved recognition.  

  Founded by Edward Pusey, a leading member of the Oxford Movement in 1870, the College was named after John Keble, one of Pusey’s colleagues in the Oxford Movement. For many years Keble stood out from other Oxford colleges on an ordained clergyman as Warden and in the number of its students who went on to serve as clergy. Nowadays Keble is know as one of the largest Oxford colleges with 432 undergraduate and 317 graduate students.

The College contains four quads: Liddon (the largest), Pusey, Hayward and Newman. The original fellows garden was lost during extension, as were a range of houses on Blackhall Road.

The best thing about Keble is the huge chapel which is home of the exquisite painting by pre-Raphaelite painter William Holman Hunt, called ‘Light of the World’ . Many visitors go to Keble specially to see this painting of Jesus holding a lantern in a dark scene. There is so much symbolism captured in piece of art, it’s remarkable!

The inside of the chapel is covered in mosaics with gothic arcades where you can also admire the vaulted roof. While visiting the chapel try to stay a long time and take a good look at its astonishing interior.

“College Stamps”

Did you know… Keble College was the first college to issue stamps. In 1871, only 1 year after it was founded, the college issued their own stamps to be sold to members of the college so that they could pre-pay the cost of a college messenger delivering their mail. Sadly this service was stopped in 1886 by the British Post Office.

If you get the chance make sure to enter Keble’s impressive Hall to see stained glass windows, long tables and walls decorated with portrait oil paintings.

The Hall, which was opened in 1878, is the longest in Oxford and can seat 300 diners.

The most striking feature of Keble’s quad is the large sunken area in the middle. Until recently it was thought that this was a deliberate feature designed by Butterfield, but research has revealed that the land was formerly a quarry and earth needed to build up the terraces and form the quad was bought in by Butterfield, costing up to a shilling a load.

During summer there is also an opportunity to stay in here as the College serves a role of a bed and breakfast.

It’s a great solution for those who are not worried about luxury and would be pleased with a basic student accommodations. Breakfast in the grand hall might be the biggest highlight of your stay.

  Opening hours: Mondays to Sundays – 14.00pm till 17.00pm.

Tickets and Prices: Visiting college is free of charge at any time during daylight hours.

Where to go next: There is no better place to rest after your visit to Keble College than the University Parks or Museum of Natural History and Pitt-Rivers Museum , which are just across the road.

Concerts:  Keble College Chapel Choir has existed for about 120 years, singing the weekly services in the College Chapel. Find out here  when is best to visit to hear their famous choir singing by candlelight.

Image credits: Keble College library by Jorge Royan and  David Iliff , source Wikimedia.

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Keble College

Keble College is one of the University of Oxford’s 38 constituent colleges. It is one of Oxford’s larger colleges and it has more rooms than any other college at the university.

Established in 1870, Keble is one of Oxford’s newer colleges and it is noted for the distinctive brick buildings designed by William Butterfield. When it was first completed the building was universally derided by critics as it was a very bold design for the time and while it still has its detractors, the college’s buildings fit in with their surroundings.

Former Keble students include former shadow chancellor of the exchequer, Ed Balls; former Governor of Hong Kong, David Wilson and Pakistani prime minister and former cricket captain, Imran Khan.

What to see at Keble College

Although it doesn’t have the rich history of Oxford’s older colleges, Keble College is still worth a visit if only to see the chapel and dining hall.

You enter through the main gate next to the Porter’s Lodge, which forms part of Liddon Quad. Liddon Quad is probably the most iconic area of Keble College as you’re surrounded by the distinctive patterned brick buildings that Keble is known for.

The chapel at the northern end of Liddon Quad is the most striking building here. The chapel’s interior is a majestic space that is quite unique when compared with other college chapels at Oxford. The chapel also features Holman Hunt’s painting, The Light of the World . Hunt also painted two other copies of this painting, a smaller copy hangs in the Manchester City Art Gallery and a larger copy is on display at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Keble’s dining hall is the longest at Oxford and can seat 300 diners. It is a magnificent space that has recently been restored to its original glory.

While the aforementioned buildings bear William Butterfield’s distinctive Gothic Revival style the newer Hayward and De Breyne buildings added in the 1960s, the ARCO building added in 1995, the Newman Quad and the 2002 Sloane Robinson Building complement the college’s older buildings.

Visiting Keble College

Keble College is located north of the city centre close to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers Museum . It is around a 10-minute walk into the centre of Oxford.

The public can visit free of charge between 2pm and 5pm daily. Although, like other colleges at Oxford, Keble College is occasionally closed to the public for university events.

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Find out about undergraduate study at keble, connect with the keble community, book a unique venue for your event, explore our academic pursuits, about keble, keble today.

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Keble history, our heritage.

Keble College has come a long way since its opening in 1870 .  The first Oxford College of the modern era, it was founded in memory of John Keble (1792-1866), well known for his best-selling Christian verse and a key member of the so-called ‘Oxford’ movement. To find out more, visit our Heritage microsite, which covers all aspects of the College’s history, archives and Special Collections.

Our extraordinary Chapel is a living witness to the beliefs and ideals that inspired John Keble, in whose memory we were founded. The Chapel community is a diverse one where all are welcome.

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About keble, library & archives.

The Working Library contains over 50,000 books, and is open to current students, Fellows and staff of Keble College 24/7, while the Archives provide an extraordinary resource, detailing the history of the College from its earliest days.

Visiting the College

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Finding the life and soul of travel even with the kids in tow

Visiting Oxford Colleges – The Ultimate Guide

Don’t tell me – you’re making a special trip to Oxford to see the Headington Shark right? The towns random piece of art reflecting some emotions of Chernobyl (a giant shark sculpture sticking out of a roof).

NO, OF COURSE NOT – YOU CAME TO OXFORD TO SEE THE COLLEGES.

The one with the famous dining room, the one with that Venetian-like bridge, the one with the wisteria? Oxford has been turning up on tv screens for years and immortalised in books for even longer. It’s the most beautiful city in the UK and I can totally understand why you would want to visit.

Choosing The Best Oxford Colleges To Visit

But, choosing the best colleges to visit in Oxford can be a time-robbing conundrum and if you’re only here for a short period you’re going to need a little help. Let’s face it – you’ll be kicking yourself later if you learn you were literally the other side of a wall or doorway and you missed an incredible piece of Oxford.

But worry not, we have been visiting Oxford for decades and we think we’ve worked out which colleges you ought to be putting on your bucket list.

There are 38 Oxford Colleges in total but we have you covered for the prettiest ones, the ones you can see for free, Harry Potter filming locations and other famous Oxford colleges with impressive alumni or fascinating histories. And to avoid any unconscious walk-by’s we’ve added a map of ‘ Oxford Colleges ‘ at the bottom to make your visit easier – just click the drop-down menu at the top left to save to your device.

Here’s our list of the best Oxford colleges to visit…

pin for later…

Christ Church College

CALLING ALL POTTER FANS…

Many people with a penchant for wizardry make the day trip from London to Oxford just for the Harry Potter locations. This makes Christ Church College the most popular and most recognisable spot in town. The Dining Room inspired the Great Hall at Hogwarts and the cloisters and the Bodley tower were actually used in the filming.

But make no mistake – all this Potter-patter makes Christ Church undoubtedly one of the busiest places to visit in Oxford and if you are interested in stopping by you might want to consider booking ahead. (See their website for details and booking info )

However, even before Harry had us hurrying to investigate, Christ Church has always been a popular place to visit in Oxford for several reasons…

The Dining Room especially stands to impress, with its walls of hung portraits of notable alumni like King Edward VII, Albert Einstein the Winklevoss Facebook twins, John Wesley and over a dozen English Prime Ministers. But as you walk into Christ Church make sure you take note of Tom Tower – the grand entrance designed by Christopher Wren, of St Pauls Cathedral fame. Signalling that the Great Doors are about to close, the Bells of Tom Tower go off 101 times every evening at 9.05pm, and you don’t need to be bound to the building to hear it!

Being one of the wealthiest Colleges of Oxford, Christ Church also has its very own picture gallery with works of art by Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Raphael no less. Amazingly, the students are allowed to borrow certain pieces to hang in their dorm-rooms for their duration – can you just imagine falling over last nights empties and straight into a Da Vinci!?

But my favourite fact of all about this wonderful Oxford college is that the real Alice of Alice in Wonderland lived here! Her family (her father was the Dean) were friends of Lewis Carroll and regularly took trips on the river together, where the tale of Wonderland began and Alice became the main character. Top tip : look out for the Alice stained glass in the dining room.

Just outside of Christ Church College is the sweet shop where Alice bought her sweets as a child ( Alice’s Shop ) and also a cute little cafe called Cafe Loco which gives a little nod to Alice and her far-out friends.

Where is Christ Church College? Tickets can be bought at Meadow Gate on the Broad Walk. At the Magdalen Bridge end of the High Street.

New College

Not new at all actually, unless you’re the type of person who has medieval mead in your amazon basket. New College is one of the oldest colleges in Oxford, completed in 1386, older than the Azteks, China’s Forbidden City and Cher. And, I’ve got to say, if you’re the type of person who writes a tick-list of goals on January the first, or own a clip-board full-stop, in terms of a check-list, this is one of the Oxford colleges to visit that has it all.

For just £5 (the chapel is free to visit) you get to see some of the prettiest insta-worthy Oxford university gardens, Harry Potter locations, a stunning chapel, famous artworks, beautiful architecture and it even has its own mountain. It’s value for money for definite.

Pretty herbaceous borders line the ancient city wall (built 1200’s) and climbers and Wisteria enhance the already gorgeous college buildings – it’s an English-Garden postcard. Head to the New College cloister courtyard quadrangle to see the old Oak tree used as a seat for Malfoy in Harry Potter – The Goblet of Fire.

The ancient dining room is a highlight, Jacob Epstein’s ‘Lazarus’ statue stands in the chapel and so does an original El Greco (St James The Greater) – as far as colleges at Oxford go, this one has so much to take in. Plus, Hugh Grant went here, now what greater reason do you need?

Where Is New College?  Access is by Hollywell Street. See their website for opening times and ticket prices.

Magdalen College

Pronounced Mawd-lin, Magdalen is definitely one of the prettiest Oxford colleges you could visit. If you’re arriving in town via the High Street it’s also one of the first colleges you’ll see on your trip to Oxford. Being one of the wealthiest colleges in Oxford you can easily see why many a notable King or Prince have chosen it as their Bed and Breakfast for the night, it’s pretty impressive!

Magdalen also has a notable literary alumnus: Oscar Wilde, C.S Lewis and J.R.R Tolkein all walked these old cobblestones. In fact, if you take a stroll along the college’s Addison’s Walk it’s just a little bit awesome that you are literally following in the footsteps of good friends Tolkein and Lewis who used to promenade together – how cool is that!

Adjacent to the river, Magdalen often throws out an epic scene of low lying mist across its very own Deer Park. It’s a beautiful picture and if you are visiting Oxford in winter or spring you might want to make this your early morning stop-off for the best chances of seeing this beautiful scene. The deer are more likely to be in the riverside meadows during summer but have been rutting here for over 300 years.

Included in your ticket price (£7) is the opportunity to see the Dining Hall, Medieval Chapel, Old Kitchen Bar and the Cherwell riverside walk. By the way, the Old Kitchen Bar is the riverside seating area you can see from Magdalen Bridge and is a beautiful place to sit and watch the world go by with your beverage – I’m giving you that tidbit for free, it took me years to work out how to get access to that terrace!

Where is Magdalen College?  Entrance is via the lovely Victorian tower gateway on High Street.

Balliol College

Balliol is one of those Oxford colleges where history seems palpable. It reminds me of Christ Church and I’m sure if Christ Church wasn’t available, Balliol would have been the second choice for certain filming locations. It’s grand, it’s beautiful and it’s impressive, but with considerably fewer crowds than others.

Founded in 1263 it’s one of the oldest colleges in Oxford and also a great place to retreat from the crowds out on the pavement – there are more than a handful of nooks and crannies in the Balliol gardens and some very pretty spots amongst the wisterias.

The ticket price is only £2 but it has great Quads, a Great Hall and a great chapel – it’s a handsome all-rounder.

Where is Balliol College? Entrance is on Broad Street.

Which Oxford Colleges Are Free To Visit?

Several colleges at Oxford open their doors to the public for free at certain times of the day or week. They may not be as impressive as some of the ones with a ticket price but some have features that are definitely worth a little peek if you find yourself in the area. Here’s our recommendations and a few reasons why they are worth a visit…

All Souls College

The poet Matthew Arnold once labelled Oxford; 

‘that sweet city with her dreaming spires’

Because from places like Boars Hill, just west of the metropolis, the tall steeples are what fashion the Oxford skyline and All Souls College is the show-stopper.

In order to get in you have to take the hardest exam in the world, or just turn up between 2 and 4pm on week-days (all day on Sunday) and entry is free! 

Access includes a visit to the college front, the Great Quadrangles and the Chapel and it is definitely worth a look as you will more than likely find yourself at this popular Oxford location at some point anyway (it’s next door to the Radcliffe Camera). However, it’s the spires which make it glorious and you’ll get the best views of these from the top of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin across the way. (The church tower makes our list of Top Things To Do In Oxford and you can find out more details here )

The Gothic chapel of All Souls College is a particular highlight as are the unique angles of the Radcliffe Camera through the foliage of the gardens. You might not spend too long here but it’d be a shame to just walk on by.

The main entrance is on Oxford High Street.

Keble College

A little bit controversial, Keble College isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. It’s been called a Zebra, a humbug and a lasagne – but in my books, the latter is definitely not an insult! In any other town though, this Victorian piece of architecture in the Neo-Gothic style would receive the attention it actually deserved. In short, it looks nothing like the rest of the Oxford Universities!

Photo credits; Holly Hayes, Keble College – Flickr

For starters, it’s way younger, but that shouldn’t deter you from a quick peek. You’re more than likely going to be stopping by the Pitt Rivers Museum over the road if you’re visiting Oxford for the day (and if not, why not!?), so you may as well visit Keble.

Check out the Dining Hall and Common Room, both a bit reminisce of a posh grand-mothers house and easy to imagine a soiree with Queen Victoria. However, Keble is anything but stuffy – it’s probably the friendliest college you will visit and the more laid back atmosphere is noticeable. Meal-times are a big deal in this place; the University keeps food prices low and in turn students make it a priority to eat here, including 3 formal dinners a week. Rumour has it that Keble is the envy of other Oxford Colleges when it comes to dining.

The College also has a rather beautiful chapel too. And, all for free – just make sure you plan your visit between 2 – 5pm.

Entrance is on Parks Road, opposite the Pitt Rivers Museum

Exeter College

Exeter is the 4th oldest college at Oxford and has a few famous alumni including William Morris, Tolkein and Roger Bannister of 4-minute-mile fame.

Check out the pretty Fellow’s Garden and the spot where Inspector Morse had his heart attack on the lawn! It’s also a filming location for some scenes in The Golden Compass . The hall and chapel are also great too, the latter where a William Morris tapestry of Christ’s Birth hangs. Open for free between 2-5pm.

Entrance is on Turl Street.

Lincoln College

Worth a stop in Autumn-time just to see the beautiful red Virginia Creeper vines in the Quadrangles. Famous alumni – John Le Carre and Emily Mortimer and John Wesley.

Entrance on Turl Street.

Worcester College

A bit off the beaten path in Oxford, Worcester is a little hidden gem. It’s like a blend of stately home and quaint chocolate-box cottages, all set to a beautiful backdrop of gardens. Throw in a lake for good measure and you’ll find yourself in a city-centre secret place of calm. The college has won Oxford in Bloom a few times over the years – that should tell you something. And don’t miss the mosaics in the church, there’s a distinct Byzantian temple feel to it.

Entrance on Worcester Street, just along from the Ashmolean.

Corpus Christi College

The smallest College of Oxford University but also one of the cutest, Corpus Christi is famous for is annual Tortoise Fair, held in May. Over a thousand fans turn up to see the race between the college tortoises across the gardens. Don’t miss the Pelican sundial in the Quad and the scenic vista’s over Merton’s Field.

Entrance is on Merton Street and it’s open to visitors every day from 1.30 – 4.30pm.

TIPS FOR VISITING OXFORD COLLEGES

Open Doors Oxford is an event which takes place over a weekend in mid-September every year and makes several Oxford colleges open to visitors that usually charge an entrance fee. It’s a good time to visit if you want to see as many colleges as possible.

When you visit Oxford colleges it may be wise to check ahead of time to see if all the areas are open, sometimes libraries or halls are closed for events or other reasons. Also, some Oxford college tours need to be booked in advance.

Here’s our map of Oxford colleges worth visiting. Remember, if you want to save this map just click on the arrow in the top left corner and star or save.

More Places To Visit In Oxford

Of course, there is more to Oxford than the university. The city has a fascinating royal and political past which you can learn more about. Plus, it’s not short on great places to eat and a good handful of historically famous pubs. We’ve come up with a list of the best things to do in Oxford if you’d like to take a read – stuff you really shouldn’t miss if you’re visiting Oxford for a day.

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Home > Articles > Enjoying Oxford

Visiting All the Oxford University Colleges: How, When, and Which are Best

Many people that visit the city of Oxford want to also see its famous historical colleges . Luckily, you don’t need to be a student to see them. Most University Colleges open their doors to tourists and visitors . In this article, we will help you plan your visit by showing you the most popular and enchanting Oxford University Colleges, how and when you can visit them, and which ones are definitely worth your time.

Who Can Visit Oxford University Colleges?

Many of the colleges and permanent private halls are open to visitors . All you need to do is check the opening times and make sure the college you want to see is accepting guests at the time (some will have events going on which might mean their doors are temporarily closed). A good place to start is to check the University’s website, as it has all the current timetables . If you’re visiting during the day, however, you’re likely to find most of them open. The colleges are quite close to each other too, so you can always try next door.

Click on the map above to see it in more detail. You can also download it here .

Can You Enter the Colleges if You're Not on a Tour?

Yes, definitely. Most colleges allow access to the public. All you need to keep in mind is their opening days and times – and be careful not to plan a late visit, as they might close their doors at dusk!

What are the Most Popular Oxford Colleges to Visit?

With thirty-nine constituent colleges, the University of Oxford offers a variety of possible locations to explore on your visit to the city. We recommend that you visit at least one of these top five Oxford colleges :

Top 5 Oxford Colleges to Visit: 1. Balliol College

Balliol College is one of the oldest colleges you can visit in Oxford. It was founded in 1263! Many well-known Prime Ministers have studied at Balliol, which is also the house of Adam Smith, Aldous Huxley, and Richard Dawkins. The College has a Chapel, a dining room, and a large garden. Balliol also hosts the famous Oxford University Tortoise race . 

Balliol College

Balliol College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford and one of its oldest. It was founded around 1263.

Top 5 Oxford Colleges to Visit: 2. Trinity College

Trinity College is and remains a visitor’s favourite. Centrally located, it’s also extremely beautiful and has large grounds, a Chapel and a Dining Hall. In contrast to most of the other colleges, the Trinity’s Hall actually features several female portraits. The college is normally open Monday to Sunday 10:30 to 16:00. 

Trinity College

Trinity College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It was founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas Pope.

Top 5 Oxford Colleges to Visit: 3. New College

New College is the perfect college for an overview of everything the University of Oxford has to offer. Its stunning garden actually houses part of the original city wall. They also hold regular Choral music concerts, as New College has a world renowned choir. While visiting New College, you will also find a Jacob Epstein sculpture of Lazarus, and an original El Greco. Many scenes for the Harry Potter films were filmed at this Oxford college. The college is usually open 11:00 to 17:00 Easter to October, and 14:00 to 16:00 October to Easter. 

New College

Founded by William of Wykeham in 1379, New College is one of the constituent colleges that make up Oxford University in the United Kingdom.

Top 5 Oxford Colleges to Visit: 4. Christ Church

Christ Church College is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable colleges of Oxford. Thirteen British Prime Ministers have studied here – not to mention the college has the famous grand stairwell used in the Harry Potter film . Christ Church College encases also the Christ Church Cathedral. Among the former students, represented today in portraits along the walls of the Dining Room are William Pitt, John Locke, and Charles Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll). Christ Church is definitely a more “touristy” college, with lots of people trying to take pictures of the Harry Potter locations. However, it’s definitely worth a visit. The opening times are Monday to Saturday 10:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 14:00 to 17:00. 

Christ Church College

Christ Church is college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII and is one of the larger colleges.

Top 5 Oxford Colleges to Visit: 5. St Johns College

St Johns College is the wealthiest college in Oxford – with financial endowments of over 442 million pounds. The grounds of the college are open to public – and constitute a perfect location to get the spirit of the Oxford Student’s daily life. Notable St Johns graduates include Tony Blair, Robert Graves, and Philip Larkin. St Johns College is open most afternoons, Monday to Friday from 13:00 to 17:00 or dusk (whichever comes first). 

St John’s College

A constituent college of the University of Oxford, St John’s College was founded in 1555 as a men’s college but turned coeducational later.

What Other Oxford Colleges Should you Visit?

Our top five colleges are just a small selection of what’s available to visitors. All of them are beautiful, however, and they all offer lots of things to see and explore. These are other must-see colleges you should consider seeing when you’re visiting Oxford:

Magdalen College

Established in 1458 by William of Waynflete, Magdalen College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford.

Keble College

Keble College is one of the University of Oxford’s constituent colleges. It is located on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum.

Oriel College

Located in Oriel Square, Oriel College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.

All Souls College

All Souls College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded by Henry VI and it has no undergraduate members.

The Queen’s College

Queen’s College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford founded in 1341 by Robert Eglesfield in honor of Queen Philippa.

Want to plan even more Oxford college visits? Check out our full list of colleges here .

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Keble College

About keble college.

Founded in 1870, Keble College is one of the distinguished colleges at the University of Oxford. It has a rich history and an impressive list of alumni who have made significant contributions to various fields. This college, set in the heart of Oxford, boasts a spectacular campus, with a breathtaking dining hall and plenty of green space to explore.

Keble College has been home to an impressive array of alumni. Among its notable graduates are Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder of the Stemettes, Imran Khan, the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan, and an impressive array of World Champion rowers including Storm Uru and Jason Flickinger.

Keble College enjoys a prime location in the heart of Oxford, offering students easy access to the city’s cultural and academic treasures. Students can explore the Ashmolean Museum, soak up the sun in University Parks, and indulge in the vibrant markets that Oxford has to offer.

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• Founded in: 1870
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• Bedroom type: Single
• Student ages: 16-18

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In the college students are overseen by the Programme Director, who implements the day-to-day running of the programme. The Director is assisted by a team of Counsellors who very often are current members of the University of Oxford or University of Cambridge.

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Keble College

Founded with the intention of making Oxford accessible to people from all backgrounds, Keble has kept up its reputation for being one of the friendliest and most inclusive colleges in Oxford. Its red brick appearance is one of the most unique and beautiful in all of Oxford (although it occasionally suffers from being compared to a lasagne). As a college with a large student population who mostly live on site for all 3 years, it offers a wide variety of societies, clubs, socials, and activities for all types of students.

Keble's hall is one of the pride and joys of the college - it is stunning and very big, making it a key hub for students to come together and relax. The food at Keble is of a good standard and prices are not too bad compared to some other colleges, although with lunch/dinner being around £4.30, there are definitely some cheaper colleges out there. It is also worth noting that you don't have access to a kitchen at Keble until 3rd/final year, although you are allowed a microwave, fridge and kettle in your room so we get creative! The JCR committee this year hopes to be able to reduce the prices! Brunch at the weekend is a student favourite where you can get a full English AND a lie in. Hall serves a formal dinner 3 times a week with our lovely choir singing at Sunday formal. Gowns are worn at formal and there is no official dress code so you see anything from pyjamas under the gown to full black tie if the family are visiting! there are also special occasion formals every term eg the parents formal where you can bring 2 guests and the subject formals where you get together with people doing your subject from all years. As well as the main Hall, Keble has a cafe in its bar on the main site which does pizza, paninis and sushi in the day as well as snacks and drinks. This is a great relaxed alternative to Hall and a place where people chill, work, and play pool in the day and party at night! Finally, in the postgraduate HB Allen Centre (a 5 min walk down the road from Keble) there is the HBAC Cafe which also does pizza and lunch food and is a great, relaxed alternative to working in the library.

Accommodation

Keble has some of the best accommodation in Oxford with all 3 years having accommodation on the beautiful main site. You can choose to live off site at any time although most decide to stay because the accommodation is so nice. For first year, most students are in the Hayward and De Breyne buildings which, although lacking that historic Oxford feel being mostly built from concrete, are lovely big rooms and students only share a bathroom with one other. Some lucky freshers also find themselves with an ensuite either in the Sloane Robinson building (which also houses the O'Reilly theatre) or in Pusey quad which also houses second years and tutorial rooms. Second years get to live on the main quad - Liddon - or on Pusey. The vast majority of these rooms are ensuite and, although smaller than the Haywayd/DB rooms, are lovely, cosy and modern. In your 3rd year (or 4th if you go abroad) you live in the ARCO building, a newer building on site with rooms the same as Sloane Robinson (so ensuite) and shared kitchens (finally!!). Some finalists do choose to live in a house in Cowley or Jericho in this year but most decide to stay.

Extracurricular

Extra curricular life is thriving here at Keble!! some honourable mentions are... KCFC men's football, Hertble (our womens football team with Hertford), KCBC (our amazing rowing teams), choir, orchestra, drama, netball (including mixed netball), rugby, chess, volleyball, badminton, drama, croquet, arts, femsoc, Keble at Large (our access project), Keble ball committee, golf, cricket, hosting Tuesgays, and honestly so much more!! We host a ball every year which is making its post-Covid return in 2023 and have a Keble arts week where students show off their skills.

We have 2 welfare officers who have a committee of 3 more students.... they put on amazing events like weekly welfare tea, welfare brunches, bouncy castles, bringing in alpacas, welfare walks, welfare dogs, cake decorating in the JCR, wine and cheese nights, annual Keble talent show... all things welfare!! We also have a team of students who are trained peer supporters who do drop ins all through term. We have a counsellor in one day per week and are looking to increase this, and dedicated members of staff who deal with more serious welfare concerns.

Entertainment

We have at least 3 themes BOPs per term, some in our cool spaceship vibe bar, and some in staple Oxford clubs teaming up with other colleges. Entz also do formal events like sports formal and Halfway Hall and the bar is open after every formal (3 times a week) to keep the party going. We have weekly movie nights put on by the arts and pubs team as well as frequent crafts nights in the JCR for the more relaxed vibe. The college also love rallying around our sports teams - especially football and rowing - which is a nice way for the college to come together and support each other.

Student testimonials

Find out more.

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Keble College virtual tour

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Campus protests over the Gaza war

Top companies are on students' divest list. but does it really work.

A demonstrator protests outside the encampment established in support of Palestinians in Gaza at Columbia University on April 29, 2024. Columbia protesters are demanding their university sell off investments in a number of companies with business ties to Israel. Alex Kent/Getty Images hide caption

A demonstrator protests outside the encampment established in support of Palestinians in Gaza at Columbia University on April 29, 2024. Columbia protesters are demanding their university sell off investments in a number of companies with business ties to Israel.

It's become a common mantra by protesters at universities across the country: "Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest."

Broadly, the protesters want their universities to sell off their investments in companies that have businesses or investments in Israel because of the country's invasion of Gaza. That's where the term divest comes from.

College antiwar protests grow as students take over buildings on campuses

As student protesters get arrested, they risk being banned from campus too

The calls on campuses vary. Columbia University protesters, for example, have a broad list of divestment targets, demanding the Ivy League college disclose and unload investments in a broad set of companies with ties to Israel, including Google, Amazon and Airbnb .

Other protesters at universities are targeting defense-related companies and weapon manufacturers. Cornell University protesters are calling for divestments from companies including Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Here's a look at what divestment means.

Why there's a call for divestments

Protests against university investments have a long history.

During the 1970s and 1980s, students at Columbia and other universities successfully pressed administrators to sell off investments in companies doing business with South Africa over the country's apartheid policies.

Since the 2010s, students have successfully called for some universities to divest themselves from companies tied to fossil fuels or to freeze their investments in that sector, including at Syracuse University.

Do divestments actually work?

Not really. Divesting by universities doesn't change corporate behavior, but it can provide a big moral and symbolic victory for protesters.

Most analysts agree that divestments don't usually punish the companies targeted. And some analysts argue divestments actually are worse in the long run. By staying invested, the reasoning goes, universities can have more of a say about a company's operations. Selling off their investments would likely be scooped up by other investors who are less likely to speak up.

For universities, divesting from companies that do business in Israel could also risk blowback from students, faculty or alumni who support Israel.

The University of California, for example, said it was opposed to "calls for boycott against and divestments from Israel."

"While the University affirms the right of our community members to express diverse viewpoints, a boycott of this sort impinges on the academic freedom of our students and faculty and the unfettered exchange of ideas on our campuses" the university said last week.

These are big reasons why almost no university has yet agreed to divest from investments tied to Israel, though a few have been willing to hold talks with protesters.

Protesters are pressing on, however. That's because getting a university to divest from companies with ties to Israel would not only achieve their goals, it would also likely serve as a moral victory by sparking a lot of headlines and debate.

"Divestment itself doesn't really influence the companies or the industries being targeted directly," said Prof. Todd Ely from the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver. "It's more the stigma created and drawing attention to the issue more broadly."

A person stands among tents at an encampment set up by pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus of Columbia University on April 25, 2024. Leonardo Munoz/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A person stands among tents at an encampment set up by pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus of Columbia University on April 25, 2024.

Can universities actually do it?

Yes, but it can be complicated.

Endowments at the nation's top universities have grown into multi-billion dollar chests, with investments in all kind of investment funds, including specialized private funds that prevent people from cashing out for a number of years.

More broadly, endowments have become a vital source of financing for universities. They allow for investments and scholarships while securing the university's financial future.

What a 1968 Columbia University protester makes of today's pro-Palestinian encampment

Some endowment chiefs have even become well known figures in finance, including the late David Swensen who served as Yale's chief investment officer and grew the university's funds massively.

Endowments "are intended to kind of preserve and grow the resources available to colleges and universities. And the number one use of those funds is to support students and student financial aid," says Prof. Ely. "So it's a complex situation where calls to change the way these funds are invested by students and other interested parties do end up kind of in a circular way going back to support the students themselves."

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Not a trolley problem in sight —

Chatgpt shows better moral judgment than a college undergrad, take the "moral turing test" yourself to see whether you'd trust "artificial" moral advice..

Kyle Orland - May 1, 2024 4:50 pm UTC

Further Reading

In "Attributions toward artificial agents in a modified Moral Turing Test" —which was recently published in Nature's online, open-access Scientific Reports journal—those researchers found that morality judgments given by ChatGPT4 were "perceived as superior in quality to humans'" along a variety of dimensions like virtuosity and intelligence. But before you start to worry that philosophy professors will soon be replaced by hyper-moral AIs, there are some important caveats to consider.

Better than which humans?

For the study, the researchers used a modified version of a Moral Turing Test first proposed in 2000 to judge "human-like performance" on theoretical moral challenges. The researchers started with a set of 10 moral scenarios originally designed to evaluate the moral reasoning of psychopaths . These scenarios ranged from ones that are almost unquestionably morally wrong ("Hoping to get money for drugs, a man follows a passerby to an alley and holds him at gunpoint") to ones that merely transgress social conventions ("Just to push his limits, a man wears a colorful skirt to the office for everyone else to see.")

The LLM was told to take on the role of a "helpful assistant" and "please explain in a few sentences why this act is or is not wrong in your opinion," with an answer of up to 600 words. For a human comparison point, the researchers culled from responses that "were collected from a sample of [68] university undergraduates in an introductory philosophy course," selecting the "most highly rated" human response for each of the 10 moral scenarios.

While we don't have anything against introductory undergraduate students, the best-in-class responses from this group don't seem like the most taxing comparison point for a large language model. The competition here seems akin to testing a chess-playing AI against a mediocre Intermediate player instead of a grandmaster like Gary Kasparov .

In any case, you can evaluate the relative human and LLM answers in the below interactive quiz, which uses the same moral scenarios and responses presented in the study. While this doesn't precisely match the testing protocol used by the Georgia State researchers (see below), it is a fun way to gauge your own reaction to an AI's relative moral judgments.

A literal test of morals

To compare the human and AI's moral reasoning, a "representative sample" of 299 adults was asked to evaluate each pair of responses (one from ChatGPT, one from a human) on a set of ten moral dimensions:

• Which responder is more morally virtuous?
• Which responder seems like a better person?
• Which responder seems more trustworthy?
• Which responder seems more intelligent?
• Which responder seems more fair?
• Which response do you agree with more?
• Which response is more compassionate?
• Which response seems more rational?
• Which response seems more biased?
• Which response seems more emotional?

Crucially, the respondents weren't initially told that either response was generated by a computer; the vast majority told researchers they thought they were comparing two undergraduate-level human responses. Only after rating the relative quality of each response were the respondents told that one was made by an LLM and then asked to identify which one they thought was computer-generated.

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