Ancient and not-so-ancient academic institutions

Notes from the train [Bristol to Egham, Sussex]:  The darkness is starting to encroach upon the day. This morning when I left home at 7am, the sky was starting to lighten but the water of the harbor was a deep blue that reflected the rippled colors of the streetlights, still on. In fact, the sun is just now rising, barely clearing the hills that surround Bath Spa, illuminating the upper hillslopes and higher houses of Cotswold limestone that glow as they soak in the new light. I’m getting the hang of train travel – have figured out not only how to order tickets on-line but also to reserve a seat in the quiet car (although there’s a fair amount of chatter from the women in the seat in front of me – but no cell phones allowed). I like the view from the train, the tracks often slightly elevated above the row houses in the towns and the hedgerows in the fields. The landscape is so different from the Pacific northwest, but lovely in a manicured and cultivated sort of way, with towns neatly condensed and confined between green fields, rolling wooded hills, and placid rivers.

I wrote the passage above en route to Royal Holloway, a part of the University of London, to give a seminar. I took the London train as far as Reading and then boarded the local, which stopped at Earley-Winnersh-Wokingham [in looking at Google maps, I note that there’s also a “Wokingham Without” – without what?] – Ascot [I looked for ladies in My Fair Lady outrageous hats BUT I guess it wasn’t a race day!] – Virginia Water and Egham. Egham sits just a bit south of Windsor… and Royal Holloway is a sight to behold. Originally constructed as Royal Holloway College by multimillionaire Thomas Holloway (he got his money from patent medicines!), the main building was modeled on Chateau Chambord in the Loire Valley. As the web site says “Built around two quadrangles, today it continues to impress as much by its size as by the exuberance of the roofline with its many towers and turrets. As solid as it is extravagant, it epitomizes the wealth, optimism and spirit of philanthropy so characteristic of the Victorian age”. I had to resort to grabbing an aerial photo off the web to give the true sense of size… it’s too difficult from the ground. Queen Victoria opened the college in 1886, which was originally a college for “ladies” (apparently the rooms came complete with maid’s rooms). And there she is within one of the two large courtyards… Much later (in the 1980s), it merged with Bedford College in London, the first college that was exclusively for women (opened in 1849). Men were first admitted to both colleges in the 1960s. It wasn’t until 1992 that the combined colleges adopted the name Royal Holloway, University of London.

And then in stark contrast there’s Oxford! Oldest English-speaking academic institution, it has been existence since at least the 11^th century. I took the train from Egham to Oxford after giving my talk at Royal Holloway, for a one-day workshop on Soufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat. The next morning was lovely – clear cool and sunny – so I ducked out of breakfast and went to wander around Oxford for a half hour before the workshop. Again I've resorted to the web for an aerial photo... I love the familiarity of the sights – mostly from watching Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis episodes! And it’s fun to walk down the Banbury Road, past plaques that celebrate various famous people (like the Oxford English dictionary editor), and into the center of town, with narrow streets of shops and houses intermingled with University colleges and buildings. I walked past the Eagle and Child pub (mentioned in a previous blog) to the Bodelian library and New College, with its copy of Venice’s Bridge of Sighs. Then it was time to scoot back to the science block, the new geology building providing a stark contrast to the historic buildings of the central campus. Actually, the geology building is lovely, with local sandstone, slate and limestone used for the decorative façade, and the tea room on the top floor with its balcony and expansive views of the Oxford skyline (not to mention the tea lady who makes tea and coffee in the morning… AND cleans up afterwards!).