Oxford Reflections Part 3

Here is my third and final round-up of favorite photos from the Oxford Creative Writing Master Class. They’re quite a hodge-podge, as they represent all the various things I saw that didn’t fit into part 1 and 2!

Our guest cottages were at Banbury Hill Farm, planted in the Cotswold countryside near Charlbury (if you zoom in on the third and fourth photos, you can see village buildings). The farm was quite a spread, with a bed-and-breakfast, holiday cottages, camping sites, and everything else that would make visitors comfortable. And it was a working farm: walk several hundred yards and you'd find sheep, chickens, rabbits, and practically every other kind of farm animal you can imagine. If you're ever in the vicinity, I highly recommend staying here. The second photo is our guesthouse; the door to the suite (named Evenlode) where I stayed is in the middle.

The many moods of an English wood. As I said, Banbury Hill Farm had lots of amenities . . . my favorite being the woods and walking trails behind the place, quite possibly my favorite location on the whole trip. I walked these trails a couple of cold mornings, enjoying time to pray in the silence broken only by birds. 

Amanda Cannon Photography

These are views of Elstow Abbey, where John Bunyan was christened and where he attended as a child and young man, even ringing the bells. He was born not far from here in a rural cottage in 1628. We saw some things that probably inspired his book Pilgrim's Progress, including this wicket gate in the wall of the church. The stained-glass window is a Victorian depiction of important scenes from the book. The church, which used to be a much more extensive convent, was built about 1078 by William the Conqueror's niece Judith. Learning about Bunyan's humble origins and difficult life inspired us . . . if someone with limited education could write a book (Pilgrim's Progress) in a cold, dark, seventeenth-century prison, then how can we be discouraged at the small obstacles we face as writers today? God is with us as He was with John Bunyan.

Amanda Cannon Photography

The Round Church (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) is one of many intriguing buildings we saw in Cambridge, another university town.

On our last full day, we went to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace. The brown house is believed to be the actual place where he was born in 1564! Stratford still contains a lot of architecture from the era. That evening we saw Julius Caesar at the Royal Shakespeare Company—an amazing performance. The actors and actresses transported us to Ancient Rome (albeit a Shakespearean version) with only their skill and a few well-selected sets and props. 

I hope you enjoyed this summary of my week in England! Anybody want to go back with me? (I really do hope to return one day, if the Lord wills it!) Have you ever wanted to go to England? What would you most like to see?