Last Day in Oxford

My last day in Oxford began with a visit to the Lewis brothers' grave in the churchyard of Holy Trinity, Headington Quarry.

Upon arrival in central Oxford, I spent the morning in the Ashmolean museum.

While inside the Ashmolean I discovered that one can spy the location of "The Studio" where Sheldon and Jean Vanauken lived during part of their time in Oxford. The white building in the photo above stands on the spot where The Studio once stood, or as some called it "St. Udio's".

Following the aesthetic nourishment at the Ashmolean I stopped in at St. Mary Magdalen Church for some spiritual nourishment in the form of mid-day Eucharist.

A trip to Oxford is never complete without a visit to Blackwell's Bookshop where I picked up a little something.

From Blackwell's I strolled up Holywell, which to my mind has a "Rainbow Row" that rivals that of Charleston, South Carolina.

The highlight of my day was an hour spent with theologian and prolific author, Alister McGrath, discussing his forthcoming biography of C. S. Lewis. In fact, we chatted in a room at Harris Manchester College where Lewis once gave a lecture in 1924.

I finished out my time in Oxford by having the privilege of hanging out with some fine students from Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California, who are studying at Oxford for a semester. We had some great "craic" (as the Irish say) at the Perch in Binsey, a favorite haunt of Sheldon and Jean Vanauken. Thanks for a fun evening Austin, Nick, Kate and Jess.....

Tomorrow, it's on to Watford for a book signing at The Storehouse.

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Will Vaus

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