Tour of Oxford Castle Unlocked!

As part of our ‘Out and About’ club we visited Oxford Castle where we were met by a costumed guide who led us around the old building. He told us all about the history of the site and explained its origins in Norman England.

After watching a short video, we walked up the 101 steps to the top of St George’s Tower where we could see out over the roof tops of Oxford and beyond! Our guide told us some stories about people who had lived in the castle like Empress Matilda in the 12th Century and a prisoner named Rowland Jenks in the 16th Century who was thought to have cursed all the officials involved in his case.


We then moved from the highest point to the lowest, below the prison to the remains of the Norman Church or crypt and were alarmed to hear that food and dead bodies were stored there together! They say that their ghosts have not left the vault and people have seen or heard them there…we had a fright when we saw a ‘dead’ monk wandering through the corridors! Daria was so afraid she needed a hug, while the boys tried to take pictures and ran after him!


We then went to the Prison area and were appalled to find out that in one small cell in the 17th Century they would keep 30 prisoners! In more modern times, this became home for one – but even so, we decided we wouldn’t want to live there. We also found out that there was inequality within the prison and that people of a higher social class were allowed to have a servant and even have visitors for tea!

There were many interesting changes made to the prison system over the years and we saw how it developed into a modern successful prison … and then finally a hotel!

We decided even though it is supposed to be a luxurious hotel – we would still be afraid to stay there!

– Report by Carey, Bonnie, Dasha, Masha and Natalia