Your Guide to Renting a Property in Oxford The Radcliffe Camera Bienvenue à Powitanie Добро пожаловать на Wilkommen in Hoş geldiniz يف كب الهأ Fáilte roimh Laipni lūdzam Welcome to Oxford Oxford is often known as ‘The City of Dreaming Spires’ due to its stunning skyline, made up of the University’s historic buildings. Although long established as a world leader in education, Oxford also has a diverse economy, which includes manufacturing, research, travel and tourism, publishing and science and biotech companies. Oxford’s cultural life embraces both the traditional and modern with music venues, theatres, museums and festivals to cater for all tastes. The city has a cosmopolitan feel with a wide variety of eating places, pubs and nightclubs. Whether you are moving within the area or are relocating to Oxford, we hope this guide is useful. Inside Typically “Oxford” • Flat finder • Guides to the Oxford area • City and county maps / Moving Checklist / FAQs / Why choose Breckon & Breckon? Typically “Oxford” Essential things to see ] and do while you are in Oxford Go punting Get high! See the sights of Oxford from the peaceful To enjoy the City of Dreaming Spires in Rivers Cherwell and Thames (also called the a different way, why not climb one of the Isis – just while it flows through Oxford). towers in the city centre? Many colleges have their own private punts, Visitors can experience the view over the but there are boathouses at Magdalen rooftops from the tower of the University Bridge and Cherwell Boathouse, Bardwell Church on the High Street, Carfax Tower Road which hire boats to the public. at Carfax, the tower of St Michael at the You could try and master the skills of Northgate, Cornmarket Street or the dome punting, hire a rowing boat or a pedalo – or of the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street. spoil yourself by hiring a chauffeured boat. Visit a Museum oxfordpunting.co.uk Christ Church Cathedral and gardens cherwellboathouse.co.uk Oxford is home to many world-famous museums which contain exhibits which you Explore the University’s colleges will never see anywhere else. The Museum of the History of Science on curiosities from around the world, including Broad Street includes a blackboard on a cape of hummingbird feathers and entire The colleges of Oxford University dominate The Ashmolean Museum reopened in 2009 which are the scribblings of Albert Einstein, dinosaur skeletons. the city centre and have been part of city after a multi-million pound refurbishment and houses an amazing collection ranging made on a visit to Oxford in the 1930s. life since the 13th century. There are 38 Hire a bicycle colleges in total, including many beautiful from Egyptian mummies to Anglo Saxon The Natural History Museum (also newly quads (courtyards) and gardens. jewellery and early musical instruments. reopened – and Pitt Rivers Museum house Oxford is a cycling city… why not hire a bike and see the city as a true Oxford resident? Some of the best known include Magdalen, On a bike you can go places where cars are All Souls, Brasenose, Christ Church and not allowed, cycle the towpaths of the River New College. The Great Hall, Christ Church, Thames and Oxford Canal, and not have to where scenes from Harry Potter were filmed worry about paying for parking! is a popular attraction. baintonbikes.com/bikehirerange.html ox.ac.uk/visitors_friends/visiting_the_ oxford-cycles.co.uk university Visit Oxford Castle Take a walking tour A tour of the historic Castle site includes The colleges are best explored by bike or tales of murder, betrayal and execution. on foot; there are several good walking Your guide will be one of the characters tours, which leave from various points in the who were once inmates of the prison! city centre and show you those little corners of Oxford which are easily missed. Punting on the River Cherwell oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk ] breckon.co.uk | Y [email protected] Some developments can be hard A snapshot of Oxford Flat Finder to locate from the name alone Area Guides and the surrounding area X Our map makes finding a great apartment just that bit easier X City Centre Gloucester Green, Oxford Castle, Lion Brewery Location of block or development Oxford has distinct areas, and knowing Yarnton 1 Blenheim Court/ 9 Lion Brewery roughly where you would like to live Apsley Court 10 Empress Court is a good start. The next few pages 2 Woodstock Close 11 Rowland Hill Court give a brief introduction to Oxford 3 Thackley End 12 Folly Bridge Court Pear Tree and Oxfordshire, and should help you Interchange Cutteslowe 4 Waterways 13 Grandpont Place narrow down your preferred area. 5 Waterside 14 Varsity Place Cutteslowe Roundabout 6 Foundry House/ 15 Reliance Way Renowned for its ancient University, the city Wolvercote Furness House 16 Oxford Road centre is very popular with students and Roundabout 1 7 Stream Edge 17 Bishops Court academics. Wolvercote 2 O 8 Oxford Castle 18 Osney Mews x W You might come across the phrase ‘Town fo O r O Summertown 19 Edwin Court d D and Gown’, which encapsulates the C S A 4 20 Nursery Close a T 0 A O RST T n MA ON N traditional (and generally friendly) interplay 3 h C FE O a a R 21 Cherry Tree Court 4 R R m l K Y T W R H 4 R B D e ER between the working city of Oxford and the s A 22 Dean Court E D ll N S N e BY T B PA University which tends to define it in the Wytham E w S 5 U S R r 3 R Marston N e Y eyes of the wider world. h B Barton R Y C D P A New Sandhills Oxford’s nightlife is always buzzing, with The Old Bodleian Library S Binsey Headington S Marston D D R 6 R N ancient pubs and modern clubs, meaning DO Headington N N Jericho LO O Roundabout there is always something going on. There Botley T 17 Headington S Interchange OXFORD R Quarry Risinghurst Selected Language Schools: A are always musical and theatre events, in A 19 STATION 4 M 1 Oxford Language Centre, Oxford School of BOTLEY 18 7 4 some of the most beautiful surroundings. In 20 RD Oxford 2 T E English, Lake School Of English, British Study 9 H A summer, plays are put on in college quads. E 8 A 22 Osney Wood S A B S 10 St Clements T Centres Oxford, St. Clare’s Oxford, Eckersley 21 3 L I 11 E 4 N Farm C A Public transport is excellent, with all areas S O R G W D O N Oxford, King’s School Oxford, College of Botley U D L E E O T B H Y of the city well served by buses; there N 12 R Y E D International Education. R I P N R F 13 A are good coach services to all parts of D F B T L 15 S Y h E N P Grandpont Temple S Secondary schools: (Private) North A a Y the country, with rail and coaches serving S m Cowley Hinksey S New R e D Magdalen College School P. Oxford’s other s London and its airports 24 hours a day. R South Hinksey 16 Hinksey There are both bus and rail stations. secondary schools are located in suburban 14 areas. Iffley Cowley Types of property in the city centre are Kennington Cowley Junction mixed, with period houses and modern Local Authority: Oxford City. Hinksey Hill Roundabout Interchange A423 Rose Hill flats available, but prices are generally quite Local Breckon & Breckon Letting office: A4142 Blackbird high. Very few city centre properties have a Oxford City Centre: 01865 201111 Leys Heyford Hill Littlemore garden, so if outside space is important to Roundabout Roundabout you, then you may need to consider moving Littlemore Greater Leys outside of the city centre. Kennington Sandford- on-Thames X breckon.co.uk | Y [email protected] A snapshot of Oxford Area Guides and the surrounding area R To the North Jericho, Summertown, Woodstock P To the East Cowley, Headington, Marston North Oxford boasts some of the finest Heading out of the city to the East, you schools in the country, such as the Dragon travel over Magdalen Bridge – where the and St. Edwards. Further out is Blenheim famous Oxford May Day celebrations take Palace, a World Heritage Site. With journey place – to The Plain, from where roads times to Birmingham and London at around leading off to St Clements and Headington, 40 and 75 minutes respectively, North Cowley and Iffley. Perhaps the most eclectic Oxfordshire is an ideal area for those looking areas of the city. to escape the hustle and bustle of city life to Multicultural Cowley is best characterised as find calm and serenity in the countryside. alternative, with a vast array of ethnic Jericho is close to the City Centre. It has a restaurants and shops, many pubs, an good range of local shops and facilities, independent cinema and the O2 Academy including the independent Phoenix Cinema. nightclub, Oxford’s main live music venue. There are characterful narrow streets and Cowley is also the location of Oxford Science canalside walks. A mix of student and private Park and Oxford Business Park, home to accommodation. Landmarks include Oxford large companies such as Blackwell University Press, Radcliffe Observatory. Publishing, Oxfam and British Gas. Woodstock Town Hall Bury Knowle Park, Headington Summertown has a good range of Landmarks include the Mini factory, Iffley supermarkets and small, privately owned Road Sports Ground and Iffley Lock.