Hertford College

Hertford is the college that every visitor to Oxford photographs without necessarily knowing what it is. The Bridge of Sighs — an enclosed skyway spanning New College Lane, connecting Hertford’s two halves — is arguably the single most recognisable image of the university. The name is borrowed from Venice (and the resemblance is loose at best), but it doesn’t matter: it’s theatrical, improbable, and irresistible. Beyond the bridge, Hertford is an unpretentious, likeable college with a surprisingly radical history — it was one of the first to admit women and has long cultivated a reputation as the least stuffy of the old colleges.

What to look for

• The Bridge of Sighs — Designed by Thomas Graham Jackson and completed in 1914, it connects the Old and New Buildings across New College Lane. Best photographed from Catte Street looking east. It is well-designed, though calling it a "bridge of sighs" is pure marketing — it’s a covered corridor over a lane, not a bridge over water.
• The Chapel — Small but distinctive, with a striking geometric ceiling. Worth stepping into if the door’s open, though it doesn’t compete with the major college chapels.
• The Evelyn Waugh connection — Waugh was an undergraduate here in the 1920s and Hertford is widely believed to be one of the inspirations for Brideshead Revisited. The college doesn’t shout about this, but literary visitors will want to know.

Visiting

Hertford sits at the absolute centre of Oxford — Catte Street, between the Bodleian and the Radcliffe Camera. The bridge is visible from the street at all times (no admission needed). Getting into the college itself can be hit-or-miss; check the college website for visitor access. Honestly, the bridge is the main event, and you can see it perfectly well from outside. Combine with the Bodleian and Radcliffe Square, which are steps away.