The Curious Matter of Time

Some of you will know that I am an avid fan of The Archers and have been for more years that I care to recall! It was quite coincidental then that we visited Oxford on the day that Archers fans finally had the news that Phoebe, one of the younger characters has been offered a place at Oxford University. We were there for similar reasons as our younger daughter had an interview at Oxford Brookes University. Not such a prestigious establishment as Oxford Uni itself but still an important day for her.

We had several hours to wander round while waiting and one aspect that caught my eye was two contrasting clock towers. The first is in the middle of the busy shopping centre and is known as the Carfax Tower. It is all that remains of the 12th Century St Martins Church and has a clock made in 1898 that chimes out the quarter hours.

One of the rather eccentric aspects of Oxford University is that although the bell Great Tom at Christchurch peels on the hour the college timetable runs 5 minutes s late because that is the time that Oxford stands on the meridian line according to the sun.

The other curiosity that met my eye was on our way back to our car in Mansfield St. I spotted a clock tower with an interesting inscription.

                                    

Should you not be able to read it the inscription says It's later than you think.....but it's never too late.These words are those of Dorothy Sayers from one of her novels. The tower is part of the Harris Manchester College which educates only mature students and so this reflects their ethos on education. Curiously as well the bell chimes 2 minutes past each hour!

Well to return to my opening comment on The Archers let's hope Phoebe is ready for these idiosyncrasies but after all we do have a youngster here who was fictionally born at Glastonbury Festival!