My Oxford Year: A Novel

Oxford is a city in Oxfordshire, England, but Oxford also refers to the University of Oxford, which is the oldest English-speaking university in the world. The city was founded in the eighth century, and it is located on two rivers, the Thames and the Cherwell. As Jamie explains in My Oxford Year, the name of the city refers to “fording,” or crossing the river, with “oxen,” making the Old English name Oxenaforda, or Oxenford. Robert D’Oyly built Oxford Castle after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Teaching at the university began soon after 1066, though the town and university were often at odds, which led some scholars to leave and create Cambridge University. Oxford, as a religious city, was heavily impacted by the English Reformation and the creation of the Anglican Church. In 1556, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was executed in the city, and Ella notes the location of this execution as she walks over it. Oxford officially became a city in 1542, and it served as Charles I’s capital from 1642 to 1646.

The University of Oxford is considered one of the best and most prestigious universities in the world, bringing in staff and students from around the globe. Oxford as the