Oxford is a city steeped in history, where present-day students and locals get to enjoy centuries-old traditions. Beyond all the academics, Oxford is full of rituals, ceremonies, and unique customs, so we thought we’d outline some of these below for you to get to know the city hosting you a bit better.
May Day
On 1st May at 6am, thousands of students and locals, many of whom have stayed up all night, gather at Madgalen Tower to hear the choir sing from the top of the tower. After the singing, the city streets are filled with folk dancing, music, and general merriment to mark the beginning of the summer.
Punting
A punt, famous in both Oxford and Cambridge, is a flat-bottomed boat that you steer with a giant pole. Whilst it may sound easy, those who have tried punting will tell you that more often or not you end up in the riverbank. Still, nothing beats being on the river when the sun is out.
Tortoise Race
Held at Corpus Christi, the annual tortoise race highlights the competitive intercollegiate spirit at Oxford. Many colleges have their own pet tortoise with an elected tortoise keeper, so the summer race gives the tortoises an opportunity to show off their speed. College tortoise names include Tortilla, Tortellini, and Aristurtle.
Time Ceremony
At Merton College, whenever the clocks go backwards, the students gather on Fellow’s Quad in full academic dress (gowns, bowties, etc.) at 2am. They then walk backwards around the quad for an hour with arms linked to “stabilise the space-time continuum” and “rescue the universe” in their own form of time travel.
Ascension Day
At Lincoln College, the door to Brasenose College is opened on Ascension Day, and the rival colleges mingle over beer flavoured with Lincoln’s ivy. This tradition dates back centuries to when a Brasenose student being chased by angry townsfolk was refused refuge in Lincoln and was killed, so ever since, Lincoln has opened its doors for one day a year as an apology. The highlight of the day is local primary school children being invited onto the main quad grass, and the college student choir throwing pennies to them. The pennies used to be heated, so as to warn the children not to be greedy, but modern health and safety requirements have meant this is no longer the case!