Exeter College

Exeter is easy to walk past — its entrance on Turl Street is modest, wedged between shops, giving no hint of what's inside. But this is Tolkien's college (he was an undergraduate here from 1911 to 1915), and the compact site packs in a chapel that would be a major attraction in any other city. The college also hides one of Oxford's best-kept secrets: the Fellows' Garden, with a view over Radcliffe Square that most visitors never see. Exeter proves that in Oxford, the quieter colleges often reward the most.

What to look for

• The Chapel — George Gilbert Scott modelled it on the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, and the result is a notable Victorian chapel interior. The tapestry behind the altar, The Adoration of the Magi, was designed by Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris (both Exeter men). It is a notable Pre-Raphaelite work and routinely missed by tourists fixated on Christ Church.
• The Fellows' Garden — Walk through the college to the back garden, and you'll find an elevated terrace with a direct view across to the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian. This is a notable vantage point in Oxford, and on a quiet afternoon you might have it to yourself.
• The Turl Street frontage — Exeter shares Turl Street with Jesus and Lincoln colleges, making it one of the most college-dense streets in Oxford. The three are worth combining in a single walk.

Visiting

Exeter is usually open to visitors for free during the afternoon. Check the college website for current hours. The college is small, so a visit takes twenty minutes — the Fellows' Garden and the chapel are the highlights. Turl Street itself is a good spot for coffee afterwards.