New College, Oxford (must see)

New College is one of Oxford’s most impressive historic colleges. It was founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, under the formal name Saint Mary College of Winchester in Oxenford. The “New” label helped distinguish it from Oriel College, which was also dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In reality, New College is one of Oxford’s older colleges and was unusually ambitious for its time. Wykeham founded it alongside Winchester College, which served as its feeder school, and New College became one of the early Oxford colleges to admit and tutor undergraduate students in an organised way.

The college has played a significant role in Oxford’s academic life and has long been associated with strong undergraduate performance, including a first-place ranking in the Norrington Table in 2017. Moreover, after nearly six centuries as a male-only institution, New College admitted its first mixed-sex cohort in 1979. The college is also known for its choral tradition. Its choir is one of Oxford’s major choral foundations and has built an international reputation through recordings, performances, and major awards.

The medieval cloisters are located on the western side of the college, often visible through a narrow stone entrance. To find this highlight, walk through the small wooden door near the chapel. Once you are within the vaulted stone walkways, look for the arched openings that face the quiet quadrangle. These spaces are now also famous for their role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; several corridor scenes were filmed here, including the moment when Harry passes students wearing “Potter Stinks” badges.

Beneath the towering chapel and hall, large stone bastions survive as relics of the old city wall. After the college was founded, William of Wykeham was required to maintain Oxford’s defences in exchange for the land. Once you are in the college gardens, look for the tall, crenellated limestone wall that borders the north and east sides of the grounds. The original stone bastions and the wall-walk have been carefully preserved for more than 600 years and remain a distinctive feature of the college landscape.

Another notable feature is the large holm oak, a massive tree situated in the Cloister Quad. To find it, look for the ancient tree with thick, twisted branches and a wide canopy near the cloisters. This spot is linked to a memorable scene from the film Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In that scene, Draco Malfoy, one of Harry Potter’s school rivals, tries to curse Harry from behind, only to be stopped by Professor “Mad-Eye” Moody, who magically turns him into a ferret.