Brasenose College

Brasenose sits in one of the most enviable positions in Oxford — its back gate opens directly onto Radcliffe Square, giving students a view that most visitors queue up to photograph. Founded in 1509, "BNC" as it's known takes its name from a bronze door-knocker (the "brazen nose") that was pinched by students who decamped to Stamford in the 1330s and wasn't recovered until 1890. That knocker now hangs above the high table in hall, and there's something perfectly Oxford about a 500-year grudge over a bit of metalwork.

The college itself rewards a slower visit than most tourists give it. The Old Quad is intimate and photogenic, and the chapel has a painted ceiling from 1666 with a fan-vaulted design that most visitors walk straight past on their way to the Bodleian. William Golding and John Buchan are among the former students.

What makes it special

The location alone makes Brasenose worth a visit. Step through the back gate and you're in Radcliffe Square, with the Camera looming overhead and the Bodleian to your left. But the painted chapel ceiling is worth seeking out — you'll likely have it to yourself. The small scale of the quads gives Brasenose a warmth that the showpiece colleges lack.

Visitor info

Brasenose opens to visitors at limited times, typically afternoons during term. Check the college website for current hours. There's usually a small admission charge. Enter from Radcliffe Square for the most dramatic approach — through the back gate rather than the Turl Street lodge. The college is compact, so 20 minutes is enough for a good look around.