Visiting the College

Members of the public are welcome to visit the College Front and Great Quadrangles and Chapel as individual visitors or in small groups (up to six) free of charge from 2.00pm to 4.00pm on weekdays and Sundays when the College is open.

The main entrance to the College is on the High Street near Catte Street. See the map of the College on the University of Oxford website, and details of road access restrictions below. Other entrances are kept locked. 

However, the College is primarily a place of research and teaching and applications for visits by individuals or larger groups with specific interests in the College's history or architecture must be arranged in advance with the Domestic Bursar. Please contact the College.

Please note that the College is closed to the public over Easter, Christmas, and for the whole month of August.
 

Access Arrangements for Disabled Visitors

General

The College welcomes disabled visitors and will do its best to assist them, although, unfortunately, not all parts of the College are accessible to wheelchair users or those with significant mobility problems. A wheelchair for visitors' use is available from the Lodge.

Access via the main entrance involves two steps. Wheelchair users and others with mobility problems are asked to alert the College in advance of their visit so that ramps can be set up or special access arrangements made to shorten the journey within the College: for example through the Library Gate in Catte Street for access to the Wharton Room.

Contact the Lodge by email, or by telephone on 01865 279379.

Access Arrangements and Disabled Facilities

Old Library (Front Quadrangle)

Main access is via steep stairs but arrangements can be made for those with limited mobility to use a stairlift and a Fellow’s room to gain access. Those wishing to use this facility are asked to contact the Lodge by email (or by telephone on 01865 279379) at least 48 hours in advance of the lecture or event to confirm details so that this can be arranged.

Hovenden Room (Kitchen Quadrangle) and Seminar Rooms 1-3

Access involves several steps or stairs. Unfortunately they are therefore not suitable for wheelchair users or those with very limited mobility.

Members of seminars and classes scheduled to be held in these rooms who might find it difficult to access them should contact either the organiser of the seminar or lecture or the Domestic Bursar as soon as possible so that the feasibility of using alternative venues within the College can be investigated.

Wharton Room (Great Quadrangle)

Access involves three steps but ramps can be put down on request. Arrangements can also be made for the gate on Catte Street to be opened where this would ease access for seminar participants. The Wharton Room is also fitted with an induction loop.

Library access involves one step. A temporary ramp, with which College staff assistance will be required, is stored near the Catte Street entrance. Readers should contact the Library on 01865 279318.

Disabled Parking

The College has very limited parking facilities and a bus gate across the High Street immediately to the East of the main College entrance prevents through access by ordinary passenger vehicles from 7.00am to 6.30pm. Between these hours cars may approach from either the East or West but must not pass the barriers.  

Limited blue badge parking may be possible on the High Street as follows:

a) to the East near the Queen's Lane Coffee House; or 

b) to the West of the bus gate opposite the entrance to King Edward's Street or for up to three hours on the double yellow lines immediately to the East of the loading bay outside the lodge except when loading restrictions are in force (7.30 to 9.30am and 4.00 to 6.30pm);

c) when loading restrictions are not in operation, i.e. after 6.00pm, in the loading bay immediately outside the Lodge to the East of the bus gate.

It may also be possible to arrange access for disabled visitors who need a parking space:

a) in the Warden's Drive, the entrance to which is immediately East of the bus gate; or

b) in Radcliffe Square.

Disabled visitors wishing to use these facilities should contact the Lodge (see above) well in advance of their visit to request the reservation of a place.   

Disabled Toilet Facilities

Toilet facilities for wheelchair users are located off the Front Quadrangle in the passage by the Bursary. A second toilet for wheelchair users is available to Readers in the Library.