Oxford Castle School

44-46 Oxford Castle, Oxford, OX1 1AY, GB

Rating: 4.4 ★ (6896 ratings)

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The 900-year-old crypt beneath Oxford Castle whispers tales from a millennium of the city's history, a journey that began with its construction by a Norman baron, Robert D'Oyly, between 1071 and 1073. Costumed guides bring these stories to life, leading you through the remnants of the formidable medieval fortress that once dominated the Saxon town. You can ascend St George's Tower, believed to pre-date the main castle and offer panoramic views over Oxford's dreaming spires, before delving into the austere confines of the 18th-century Debtors' Tower and the harsh realities of the Victorian Prison D-Wing. From its early days as a motte and bailey castle, through its role in significant conflicts like the Anarchy, to its eventual transformation into a county gaol, the site has witnessed dramatic shifts in fortune.

For centuries, the castle walls served first to keep people out, and later, as a prison, to keep them in, with the site largely closed off from the public until its redevelopment after the prison's closure in 1996. Today, you can explore the mound of the 11th-century motte-and-bailey castle and even discover a vaulted well chamber. The crypt itself is the only surviving part of St. George's Chapel, a place reputedly connected to the very origins of education in Oxford and where Geoffrey of Monmouth is said to have penned his "History of the Kings of Britain," popularising the legend of King Arthur. After your guided tour, take time to wander the wider castle site and absorb the atmosphere of a place that has been central to Oxford's story for over a thousand years.

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Opening Hours

Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM; Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM; Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM; Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM; Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM; Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM