Oxford, Blenheim, and Harry Potter

Monday, 27 June, we were out the door bright and early headed north along country roads in the direction of Oxford. We spent the morning exploring and visiting Harry Potter and Tolkien sites. Headed north again we stopped at Wolvercote Cemetery to visit Tolkien's burial spot. Blenheim Palace, just a few minutes up the road, was our next stop. Late afternoon we headed southeast to the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio, which was really quite interesting and a lot of fun. You must have a reservation so the place is not overcrowded. For supper we headed into Watford for fish and chips before heading back to our great little cottage and bed.

 A familiar view near the gates to Christ Church College

 Famous Hogwarts stairs at Christ Church College

 Christ Church great hall inspired the Hogwarts hall set

 Christ Church Cathedral

Dito

 Bodleian Library

 Divinity School at the Bodleian was the Hogwarts infirmary

The College Church of St. Mary the Virgin

 The Bridge of Sighs

 The Sheldonian Theatre

 View toward the Radcliffe Camera and St. Mary the Virgin

from the lantern of the Sheldonian Theatre 

 Looking down into Broad Street

 Good time in the lantern

 Sheldonian roof trusses

 Oxford Covered Market

 Favorite meeting spot for Tolkien and C.S. Lewis

 The Tolkiens' graves

 One ring to rule them all left on the grave

 Our large and faithful blue VW people carrier parked outside

the Wolvercote Cemetery

 Blenheim Palace

 Binkers

Dickie showing Clara the details of the ceiling painting

Impressive gallery

 

Off into the gardens

 Italian-style gardens

 Capability Brown's gardens and lake

 Longstanding Taylor tradition

 The Cascade

Oxfordshire countryside

Harry Potter!

 The great hall set with costumes and props

 Uniforms


Hagrid, Snape, Dumbledor, et al.

Hogwarts Express

 The Knight Bus

 The ancient Hogwarts bridge

 4 Privet Drive: home of the Dursleys

 Dursley's lounge with deliveries of post

 Diagon Alley

Rob, Anders, and Clara headed up the alley

 Incredible scale model of Hogwarts

EUREKA! WIFI!

Late supper in Watford

Headed into the sunset on the M4

That was day 2, and remarkably we were on schedule!

OXO

D.