The Post-Brexit Implications

     We are traveling to the United Kingdom at a time when the kingdom is anything but united.  Suddenly our trip, which was always going to offer a rich experience, has gained the added benefit of allowing us to watch history unfold in real time right before our eyes.  We'll be living in an Oxford college founded in 1509 in a city that has survived war, disease, dissent, economic hardship, political turmoil, and religious schism for a thousand years.  Oxford exemplifies the spirit of a lasting tradition, and yet while we're living there, we're going to be witnessing a furious national debate over which traditions need to be embraced and which should be abolished.
     We fly out on Saturday, July 2, and arrive on Sunday, July 3.  The next post should come from Brasenose.  

Welcome

     Hello, everybody, and welcome to the 2016 edition of the Woodberry-Forest-in-Oxford Blog.  We don't arrive in England until Sunday, July 3, but we're anticipating a lot to report once we get there.  Here are two views of Brasenose College, our headquarters:

     Above is the exterior view of the college from the Bodleian Library side of Radcliffe Square.  (You can see a bit of the cylindrical Radcliffe Camera, now a part of the library, on the left.)  At the base of a short tower is the main entrance to the college, guarded by the Porter's Lodge just inside the doorway.   Below is another view of the college, this time from St. Mary's Church.  Now you can see the Radcliffe Camera on your right and the interior of Brasenose on your left. Between the camera and the college you get a glimpse of the Bodleian Library.  Obviously, Brasenose is ideally located for anyone wanting to explore Oxford.

     If you are wondering how the college got its name, the answer is that it's named for a brass, or brazen, door knocker that was in the shape of a nose.  The original knocker now hangs in the college dining hall.  Here's an image:

     If I have another reason to post anything between now and July 3, I will certainly do so.  Otherwise, check back in a couple of weeks to get regular updates on our activities.