Oxford Castle & Prison
About
A thousand years of lock-ups on one site off New Road: the Saxon St George's Tower, the Norman motte, a medieval crypt, and a prison that held inmates until 1996 before its cell blocks became a hotel and visitor attraction. Entry is by guided tour only, led by costumed guides, running every 20 to 30 minutes through the day; the tour climbs St George's Tower for one of the best views in the city, drops into the crypt, and walks the Victorian D-Wing with its genuinely grim recent history. Open daily 10am to 5:30pm, with adult tickets from around £16 and a 10 percent discount for booking online. Under-fives go free but are not allowed up the tower.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓St George's Tower and its rooftop view of the city
- ✓The Norman motte and medieval crypt
- ✓D-Wing cells, in use as a prison until 1996
- ✓Costumed guides who enjoy the grim bits
Tips
- →Admission is by guided tour only; tours run every 20 to 30 minutes and pre-booking online saves 10 percent.
- →Under-fives are free but cannot go up St George's Tower.
- →Pair with the Westgate rooftop across the road for a modern contrast to the city view.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
Christ Church
Oxford's grandest college: Tom Tower, the Tudor Great Hall and a chapel that is also a cathedral. Book online; closures happen around services and events.
Bodleian Library & Radcliffe Square
Radcliffe Square is Oxford's best free sight; the Divinity School and Bodleian tours get you inside. Peak-season tours sell out by midday, book ahead.
Ashmolean Museum
Britain's oldest public museum, free every day: Egyptian mummies to the Pre-Raphaelites, five floors on Beaumont Street.