Gnarled Trunk

Christ Church is the largest college in the University of Oxford. It looks splendid like this today: the tourists have evaporated, and the return of the undergraduates lies several weeks in the future.

Christ Church possesses quite wonderful Meadows. For many years, they were under threat because the city wanted to build a by-pass road right through the middle of this most peaceful place. Various branches of the river pass through the Meadow. This is a cut of the Cherwell, before it meets the Isis (Thames).

There are many fine trees and dappled glades like this. Our tree trunk is just one example of interesting and very old specimens that can be found.

On the college side of the Meadows lies a fragment of the city walls. Near where this photograph was taken is this interesting commemorative plaque that marks the place where the first manned balloon flight was made in England.