15 Things You Didn’t Know About Christ Church, Oxford

Christ Church is one of the most famous Oxford colleges for several reasons: its size, its wealth, its grandeur and, dare I say it, Harry Potter. It has a long history that spans back over 500 years, as Christ Church was founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII.

But after studying there for four years, I discovered that the best stories are the ones that visitors almost never hear.

Christ Church receives over half a million tourists each year, but I bet most of them don’t know even half of the facts presented below, so enjoy these little insider snippets! 

Here are 15 surprising facts about Christ Church, Oxford, from strange traditions and literary links to hidden details you might walk straight past on a visit.

If you’re a prospective student, check out this post about ten reasons to apply to Christ Church in the first place for more insider tips.

Christ Church wasn’t always called Christ Church

When Christ Church was founded in the sixteenth century, it was actually called Cardinal College. It was named after Thomas Wolsey, who was both Cardinal Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England at the time. 

After Wolsey’s death in 1530, the college was taken over by none other than King Henry VIII, and he (imaginatively) renamed it King Henry VIII’s College. 

It was only in 1546, after the break with the Church of Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries, that the college was renamed as Christ Church. 

Students call it “The House”

Christ Church is known affectionately as “The House” by its students and staff. At formal meals and other notable occasions, we’d toast “The House” and instead of saying “I go to Christ Church”, one porter would always insist you say, “I’m a member of The House”. 

It’s slightly pretentious, but the college got this nickname from its Latin name “Aedes Christi”, meaning the house or church of Christ. 

King Charles used Christ Church as a royal base

Christ Church dining hall was once used by King Charles I as a seat of Parliament during the English Civil War in the early seventeenth century. During this time, the King made the Deanery his palace too! 

The dining hall here has been replicated in many other universities and institutions globally and, perhaps most notably, as the Great Hall at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. More on that later. 

Its cathedral is one of the smallest in England

Christ Church is very fortunate to have a cathedral as its college chapel. Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the diocese of Oxford serving Oxford, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. The interior is absolutely stunning and absolutely enormous by Oxford University standards.

As cathedrals go, it is very small, and was once considered the smallest cathedral in England. Today, it remains one of the smallest, though it has lost that particular title as new cathedrals have been created from former parish churches.

From the cathedral’s unassuming entrance in Tom Quad, you would have no idea that a cathedral was even there, and you cannot help but be impressed when you step inside.

It has a high vaulted ceiling, which has been replicated in other cathedrals and chapels across the world. Even in Christchurch, New Zealand! 

The Dean of Christ Church is also Dean of Christ Church Cathedral and always holds this dual role as part of the church and the college’s governing body.  

Tom Tower was designed by Christopher Wren

Christ Church is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Oxford colleges and that’s all thanks to the wonderful architecture.

The iconic Tom Tower, which stands over the front entrance to Christ Church, was designed by architect Sir Christopher Wren.

He’s the very same man who designed St Paul’s Cathedral in London so that’s pretty impressive stuff. Wren himself was once a student at Oxford University, however, his alma mater is Wadham College.

It boasts one of the oldest forms of graffiti on record

As you approach the “Harry Potter steps” at Christ Church, which lead up to the dining hall, you will notice a curious form of graffiti on a door to the right.

On an old brown door, there is the word “Peel”, with each letter formed out of very small circles. 

This is supposedly the oldest form of “protest” graffiti on record, and the door was marked in protest against Sir Robert Peel who was the British prime minister in the early nineteenth century.

The reason it looks like there are lots and lots of tiny circles making up the word is that the name “Peel” was marked onto the door with nails. 

It has educated more British prime ministers than any other Oxford college

So far, thirteen British prime ministers have been educated at Christ Church, which means more prime ministers have been educated here than at any other Oxford or Cambridge college.

You can see the full list of prime ministers on this Christ Church alumni page on Wikipedia.

Some of the most notable include William Gladstone (read about Gladstone’s Library in Wales) and Anthony Eden. 

You can see real Da Vinci artwork here

Yes, really! At Christ Church picture gallery they have around 300 paintings and 2000 drawings, including many drawings by notable artists including Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael.

Christ Church even has a picture lending scheme whereby students can borrow a piece of work to put in their rooms for a year.

Not the Da Vinci though I’m afraid. 

NB If you’d like to visit the picture gallery, this is at an additional cost to the college entrance ticket price. Find out more here.

Tom Tower rings 101 times every evening

Every evening at 9:05pm, Tom Tower chimes 101 times in honour of the 101 first students to ever attend Christ Church.

It’s a ringing sound that can be heard throughout the centre of Oxford and signals to the students that the great doors are about to close!

It takes a whole 20 minutes for the bells to ring 101 times, so I’m sure you can see why, as a student, I found this sound incredibly irritating and disruptive.

However, now I appreciate it as one of Oxford University’s many quirks! 

Christ Church is also… Hogwarts

Numerous notable movies have been filmed Christ Church, and it is famously known for being a Harry Potter filming location in Oxford.

Here you’ll find the dining hall that inspired the Great Hall in the Harry Potter films, as well as the steps that Harry and Ron run up when they arrive at Hogwarts late in the flying Ford Anglia.  

Besides Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, based on the Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman, was also filmed here. They use Christ Church meadow in the beginning sequence when Lyra and Roger are playing. 

Check out this post for my ultimate guide to Harry Potter filming locations in Oxford.

Visitor tip: The Hall staircase is usually part of the visitor route, but access to the Hall at the top can vary because Christ Church is still a working college. It is usually closed at lunch times and on Sunday mornings.

The real Alice in Wonderland lived here

Lewis Carroll attended Christ Church at Oxford, and this is where he found inspiration for Alice in Wonderland.

The character of Alice is based on a girl called Alice Liddell, who was the daughter of the Dean of Christ Church at the time.

You can find many references to Alice in Wonderland in Oxford (check out my guide to Alice in Wonderland in Oxford for more info), but at Christ Church you’ll find a small door leading to the Deanery Gardens named after her, as well as a piece of stained glass in the Great Hall with a picture of Alice.

In the college’s private Pococke Garden, you can also find “The Alice Tree” or “The Jabberwocky Tree” as this Pococke tree is thought to have inspired the poem The Jabberwocky. 

For other literary connections here, you’ll also find mention of Christ Church in Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. 

Visitor tip: Look out for the tiny Alice and white rabbit in the stained glass in the dining hall if the Hall is open during your visit. For where to spot these and more information on Alice in Wonderland specifically, read my guide to Alice in Wonderland in Oxford.

Check out this post for my self-guided literary tour of Oxford. You’ll discover places that inspired Lewis Carroll, C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien and more!

Christ Church library was first built on stilts

Christ Church library first came into existence in 1564 but this was tiny compared to what it is today. In the eighteenth century, a new library was designed but the ground floor was made “open loggia”, which means exposed to the elements.

The main library could be found upstairs, but it was built on columns, essentially fortified stilts, and it was decided that this wasn’t wise (duh) and the ground floor was eventually closed in.  

For more beautiful Oxford libraries, check out this post, which takes you inside the best Oxford University libraries.

There’s a pond which once contained koi gifted by the Japanese Prime Minister

Mercury pond in the centre of Tom Quad was once home to lots of lovely koi carp. One carp called George was originally gifted to Christ Church by a Japanese Prime Minister.

Koi fish can live for up to 25-35 years, but whether these koi are the original ones that were donated is unknown to me. 

Christ Church is also home to a resident stork, which is routinely chased away by the porters, so I’m guessing these koi fish are indeed rather valuable.

It’s a tradition for sportsmen at Christ Church to jump into the pond in the dead of night, and unfortunately, the presence of the koi carp and the hefty fine have done little to dissuade them from continuing these antics.  

The carp have sadly been moved to a lake in Oxfordshire now as the pond needed to undergo some maintenance, but they are sorely missed!

You can stand on the grass… under one condition!

Christ Church is one of the places where you can’t stand on the grass. Not even if you’re a student!

There are numerous porters stationed around the Tom Quad, the largest quadrangle at Christ Church (and one of the largest in Europe actually), and if you step onto the grass, I can guarantee that one will start walking sternly towards you. Eek! 

However, there is one instance when you are allowed to walk on the grass. There are two dinner sittings at Christ Church each evening, and the second of which is called “formal hall”.

After formal hall, you are permitted to stand on the grass but only if you are still wearing your Oxford gown! It really is quite like Hogwarts… 

RELATED: 16 Beautiful Quotes About Oxford

Notable Alumni include…

Over the years, many famous figures have studied at Christ Church including Lewis Carroll, John Locke, King Edward VII, W H Auden, Robert Hooke, the 13 prime ministers mentioned above and more.

In fact, there are so many that there’s actually a whole Wikipedia page dedicated to notable Christ Church alumni! Maybe I’ll make it there someday… (ha).

Visiting Christ Church, Oxford

As Christ Church is a working college and cathedral, opening hours, visitor routes, Hall access and ticket prices can change throughout the year. Always check the official Christ Church website before you visit and book tickets in advance as the college is very popular.

Opening Times

Opening hours vary depending on the season so please check the website here for further information. 

Buying Tickets

Ticket prices vary depending on whether you are visiting during term time or during the vacation periods and whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Christ Church is the most expensive Oxford college to visit and tickets are pricey but there are concessions and child tickets available. 

This ticket will grant you entry to the college quads, cloisters, the hall staircase, the dining hall and Christ Church Cathedral. If you wish to enter Christ Church picture gallery too, you will have to buy an additional ticket there. 

Tickets are available to buy online and are released at around 10am each Friday for the following week.

Tickets are also available at the Visitor Centre in Christ Church Meadow; however, it’s best to book your tickets online as the college is very popular. 

Find out all you need to know about tickets and book online here.

Known Closures

As this is a working college where students live and study every day, some parts of the college are regularly closed during certain hours of the day. There are also often special events that may mean parts are closed. Please check here before you visit for any known closures.

For example, the Great Hall is closed whilst students have lunch/brunch from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, the Hall opens in the afternoon only.

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