Merton College, How Do I Love Thee?

Last Monday afternoon, I partially accomplished my goal of visiting some of the many colleges that make up Oxford University. They are all pretty amazing - you enter a different world when you walk through these large, arched wooden doors, and into Jesus College, or Lincoln, or Trinity, or Magdalen. But in doing these various tours (they are simple walk-throughs of the grounds, mostly, and don't take more than maybe 20 minutes or so), it became increasingly apparent to me that Greg has had the incredible good fortune to have been invited to one of the most beautiful colleges of all. His colleague, Alex, came here to Merton five years ago, and so that's why Greg is here specifically. Merton is not one of the largest colleges, but it is one of the very oldest, being established in 1294. It is also not one of the most ornate - the several quadrangles are somewhat spare, but their ancient walls just give me chills as I walk through them. And while the quadrangles themselves are spare, the grounds are not. So come take a walk with me. Here is the entrance to Merton - this is what we see when we walk out our front door every day! The close up is of the carving above the wooden door.

Greg stands here in front of the gatehouse, reading up on Merton.

 

 And in we go . . .

That archway towards the right looks like this as you walk toward it:

And there are all these not-immediately-noticed details, like the drainspout with the dramatic face!

This archway leads to the Fellow's Quadrangle, where the various faculty live:

The next picture is the Mob Quad, which is the oldest in all of Oxford. And this is the one that somehow gives me chills for all its spareness. It just looks soooooo old! No, wait, it IS so old! The grassy areas are as fine as a golf course (no walking, please), and you often find on the pathways small clumps of old moss that the pigeons have knocked off the roofs. Also that peaked roof in the center, while looking sort of new relative to the adjacent roofs, is as old as the rest, and is solid stone - to protect the valuable archives stored within from fire.

Yes, I know, spare, but you have to be here to feel the chills!

It seems too cumbersome to talk you through the whole place, but the following are all of the grounds of Merton. What I will, from now on, consider one of the loveliest places on this earth . . . walk with me, if you will.

The above gate looks out beyond the back of Merton's properties, onto more lovely grounds and playing fields. If you turned to your left, you would see those beautiful roses on the buildings that are the Fellow's Hall, which, again, houses the permanent faculty there.

Below is the rear view of Merton Chapel, where we have heard some heavenly choral music at Evensong services.

There were alot of pictures here, but I hope you enjoyed the noodle through Merton College, the Gem of Oxford. It will haunt me for a long time coming.