Exeter College Chapel
written by gyllzd
on April 27th, 2008
(1 vote)
Although Oxford is packed full of (probably) lovely college chapels, the best one is definitely Exeter College’s (although I am perhaps biased since it’s my college and all, but that doesn’t matter, it’s definitely worth a visit). It might not be St. Peter’s or the Sistine Chapel or anything, but one thing it certainly has over them is how quiet it is – it’s a hidden gem of Oxford, in a college that most tourists seem (stupidly) to pass by, so you’d be very unlucky to be stuck in the middle of a big tour group.
The chapel is a ridiculous overblown gothic-revivalist monster, but it’s lovely, and they’ve just spent millions cleaning it all up so it’s looking its best right now, all the stone work cleaned up, the tiles polished and the stained glass looking like it’s meant to. If you search hard enough, you can find a bust of Tolkien and a tapestry by William Morris (both old members of the college) and if you’re lucky you’ll get to hear the choir or organ scholar practicing while you’re snapping away (it’s got a VERY impressive organ…). And more importantly, just outside its doors is the spot where Inspector Morse had his fatal heart attack (may he rest in peace). Go during the day – mainly as you can’t get in at night, but also stained glass only looks like it should when the sun’s shining through it.
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