Magdalen College

High Street 276000
Open: October 1 - June 21 1pm - 6pm or dusk (whichever is earlier), June 22 - Sept 30 12pm - 6pm. Admission £3 / £2.
Official Website

Whatever you do, do not pronounce this college "mag-da-lin" unless you want to blow your cover as a tourist - Magdalen College is pronounced "mawd-lin." Founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete, the bishop of Winchester, Magdalen is Oxfords wealthiest, and arguably most beautiful college, with its own deer park and beautiful cloisters, of whose gargoyles supposedly inspired CS Lewis' stone statues in The Chronicles of Narnia. On the far right of the grounds, a bright blue wrought iron gate leads to Addison's Walk, a pretty riverside path.

Notable Facts:

• Every May 1st (May Day) at 6am, the college choir sings from the top of Magdalen's bell tower. This tradition - to celebrate the coming of summer - began in the late 15th century. Nowadays, students and townspeople use it as an excuse to drink all night the night before and hurl themselves (sometimes naked) from Magdalen Bridge into the Cherwell river, which is only about 3 feet deep at best, causing all sorts of serious injuries.

Famous Attendees:
Oscar Wilde - author
Sir John Betjeman - poet laureate
Dudley Moore - actor
CS Lewis - author
J. Paul Getty - American Industrialist