Wadham College, Oxford

Summary

• 17th century buildings
• Breakfast included
• No car parking

Facilities

• Free broadband access
• Gardens
• Squash court

Drinking and dining

• English breakfast (included)
• Bar

Nearby recreations

• Pub (walking distance)
• Museums (walking distance)
• Historic houses
• Gardens
• Tennis courts (a short drive)
• Theatre (walking distance)

Wadham is an attractive 17th century College set in tranquil gardens and yet situated in the centre of Oxford on a quiet road. Everything is within easy reach whether it be restaurants, pubs, cinemas, museums or theatres. Train and bus stations are also within easy reach.

Bedrooms are grouped together in traditional staircases and each room will be provided with a welcome toiletries pack, card-operated telephone, Fair Trade tea and coffee-making facilities, towels, washbasin, refrigerator. 

Unfortunately due to the age of the buildings our rooms are unsuitable for those with mobility problems. The minimum age for guests is 21.

Smoking: all our rooms are non-smoking and we ask that if you wish to smoke that you do so in outside areas at least two metres away from all buildings. The Front Quad and area immediately to the front of the main entrance are strictly no smoking areas.

We hope you enjoy your stay with us.

History to the present day

Wadham College was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham in the reign of King James I. Nicholas died in 1609 leaving his fortune to endow a College at Oxford. The hard work of translating intentions into reality fell to his widow, Dorothy, a formidable lady of 75 who through sheer determination had the College ready for opening within four years of Nicholas’s death. Dorothy added considerably to the endowment from her own resources and kept tight control of its affairs until her death in 1618, although she never actually visited Oxford from her home in Devon to see the results of her generosity and business acumen. The style of the building is a fairly traditional Oxford Gothic, modified by classical decorative detail, most notably the ‘frontispiece’ framing statues of James I and the Founders immediately facing visitors as they enter the College.

Notable members of the college in its early years include Robert Blake and Christopher Wren. Recent members have been Dr Rowan Williams, the present Archbishop of Canterbury and Melvyn Bragg, broadcaster and novelist.

Dining and drinking

The hall, one of the largest in Oxford is notable for its great hammer-beam roof. Portraits include Lord Lovelace, who held Oxford for William of Orange during the Revolution of 1688; the inscription records his role in freeing England ‘from popery and slavery’.

Breakfast is included in the price of your room, and is served in the hall from 8.00 – 8.45am.  The Breakfast Menu consists of fruit, cereal, toast and/or a full English breakfast with a vegetarian option

During the vacations you are welcome to relax with a drink in our JCR Bar which is open each evening from 6 – 11pm.

Grounds and gardens

A stay at Wadham gives you the opportunity to relax in beautiful tranquil gardens. Restored and reshaped following the Second World War, the present gardens are divided into the Warden’s Garden, the Fellows’ Private Garden and the Fellows’ Garden, together with the Back Quad, the JCR Quad, the Cloister Garden (originally the cemetery), the White Scented Garden, and the two strips of land (now turfed) immediately in front of the College. Wadham’s gardens are notable for their collection of trees (specimens include a silver pendent lime, tulip tree, golden yew, purple beech, cedar of Lebanon, gingko, giant redwood, tree of heaven, incense cedar, Corsican pine, magnolia and a rare Chinese gutta-percha).

Other facilities

A central laundry facility is available with washing machines, dryers, ironing boards and irons. We are an environmentaly friendly college. During your stay towels will be changed every 2-3 days. If you would like them to be changed more frequently, your cleaner or the Lodge will be happy to change them for you.

Wadham also boasts the oldest (1748) custom-built concert hall in Europe known as Holywell Music Room. It may be possible for you to visit this famous music hall during your stay.

Depending when you choose to visit you may have the opportunity to purchase tickets to an open-air performance of a Shakespearian play in the Wadham gardens. Further details of dates of summer performances may be obtained from the Wadham Conference and Events Manager.

Arrival information and how to find us

Address: Wadham College, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PN

Check In: From 2pm Check Out: By 10am

On arrival, please report to the Lodge where our staff will be happy to assist you. Luggage storage is available for guests arriving before the check-in time.

Wadham College is only a few minutes walk from the train or coach station and situated in the heart of the city centre. Unfortunately we are unable to offer parking.

College Liabilities
It is understood that the College is unable to accept liability for injury to visitors to the College and/ or damage to their property unless this is proved to have been caused by the negligence of the College or its employees. Individuals undertake to indemnify the College against all proceedings, costs, claims and expenses on account of damage to persons or property caused by the negligence of the individual, his employees or any other person connected with the visitor. It is recommended by the College that visitors take out their own insurance. Should any information supplied conflict with information contained on the reservation form, the College will endeavour to meet the revised requirements but shall not be under any obligation to do so. It is understood that the College will not be liable for non-performance of any obligation under this booking if the circumstances are beyond its control.

More photos of Wadham College, Oxford

Twin En Suite Bedroom	Bowra Building Exterior	Bowra Standard Single	Back Quad Garden
A Tranquil Corner	Standard Single Bedroom	Chapel	Main Garden

Customer feedback

We guarantee that all our feedback is genuine and can only be submitted by people who have booked through our websites.

Anne Marie Bellet, July 2010: A lovely stay at Wadham college! Quiet, peaceful...with a delicious scent of lime (?) when you arrive. The spacious twin room was great and the full English breakfast marvellous. We'll come back.

Elaine Cain, July 2010: Room was good. Sharing the bathroom was a little difficult as everyone was getting ready to leave around the same time. Breakfast was great and the ladies serving who explained everything were very helpful and friendly. The college was a nice environment to stay in, even for just a short time. Would recommend it to others.

Carol Sharpe, July 2010: Staying at Wadham College was oasis of peace and calm after wandering around Oxford which was very crowded. I loved the garden and the breakfast was one of the best I've had anywhere. The room was spotless and tea and cookies welcoming. Thank you

Wil Verhoeven, July 2010: The room was a little cramped and given the basic facilities it offered, a little pricey. But other than that, my overall experience was great and I would certainly consider to stay again.

W L Hance, July 2010: Staff were very welcoming. Breakfast in the hall was a treat. Very pleased, commend unreservedly.

John Halstead, July 2010: Very satisfied

Kathleen Polfliet, July 2010: a great way to stay in Oxford; very central, large room, new bathroom and good breakfast (only a bit early)

Miss S.E. Hughes, July 2010: All the Staff were friendly and helpful;excellent breakfasts, plentiful hot water supply and certainly adequate rooms. The 3rd flight of stairs proved rather challenging to us at 70+ and we never did discover whether or not we were meant to make our own beds but this was all part of a most interesting experience.

Jayne Henley, July 2010: It was a very special 'Oxford' experience to be able to stay in the College accommodation, the College & grounds oozing with character, very central to the town, and the breakfasts were excellent!

Fiona Rose, July 2010: Exactly what I wanted from staying in an Oxford college. Brilliant.

Lisa Stoddart, July 2010: We were thoroughly delighted with the quality of the accomodation, the friendly, helpful attitude of all the college staff we met and the breakfast was wonderful (albeit a little early on a Sunday!). It was very special to see such history so closely and we plan to return next year.

Eva Wollenberg, July 2010: Had an exquisite stay, thank you. The porters and other staff were highly professional and beyond helpful. The room was beautiful and all was spotlessly clean. The bed could be sturdier (tended to rock when you turn), but I would stay again in a second!

laura fraser, July 2010: lovely team. and i didnt eat breakfast as only started at 8a.m. and i left every morning for my conference before then. would have been great to have had the option to have brakfast at 7am!

Julie Eckerle, July 2010: I will definitely use University-Rooms.com the next time I come to Oxford. And Wadham was perfect for my work at the Bodleian. An excellent experience all around.

Anthony Bartlett, July 2010: really enjoyed my stay at Wadham

Mary Collier, July 2010: Huge room with lots of windows very close to the main entrance. It was newly renovated, very beautiful.

Georgina Walker, July 2010: staff very friendly.

Dragos CALMA, July 2010: Wadham College is a nice place, not so old as the others and less famous; everything was excellent except for the internet (so complicate to get access!) and the price (100£ per night only to stay in a 2 bed room in an ancient College where the room has basic facilities and it's modern! In All Soul's College a 2 bed room had a small nice library, ancient furniture etc.). The breakfast is copious, but very very good; with a small army of people coming and going to serve you as a prince (a French socialist wouldn't like it). Don't forget to visit the museums (Pitt Rivers and the Natural History Museum at 2 minutes from the College).

elizabeth anne ralphs, July 2010: We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Wadham. The only tiny quibble was that one of the temporary beds was rather unstable. Otherwise the room was excellent and the breakfast too tempting!

john murphy, July 2010: what a fantastic college-great room great food great service

Mette Petersen, July 2010: We missed the TV a bit, but overall we were impressed and had wonderful stay at Wadham College. The best parts were the atmosphere, the quiet and the breakfast in the wonderfull hall.

Tim Heald, July 2010: Never penetrated Wadham before and was amused on entering rooms to hear the inimitabkle tones of my friend Colin Dexter in a tent below the window talking to the county's blind. Felt like joining in the applause but forbore! Good gardens, especially the bamboo and how do you get fried eggs to look like that? Taxi booking particularly good and though happy to have been a student down the road very content with a brief stay in Wadham.

Ian Davies, April 2010: Oxford is a university town, and there's no better way to appreciate it and experience it than by staying at one of the colleges. Our stay at Wadham could not have been better and I give it the highest possible rating in every regard. Our room was large, charming, and very comfortable, with a completely new bathroom. Our large mullioned windows overlooked the very old but immaculate quad courtyard and the window seat gave us a wonderful spot to read our books. The porter and security staff were personable and helpful and the dining staff could not have worked harder to make us feel at home. Having lodged at many locations throughout Great Britain I can confidently say without reservation that the Wadham breakfast experience is the best of its kind. The quality and selection of food surpassed anything we've seen, and the thrill of dining in the beautiful great hall was an experience that we will always treasure! Nice work, Wadham!

Eric Meldrum, April 2010: Fantastic experience. Thoroughly recommend it.

Dr. Eric F. Fiedler, April 2010: Once again, I'd like to thank you for my very enjoyable stay . The Full English breakfast in the Great Hall comes to mind as a gastronomical highlight. On a more spiritual note, several long walks in your lovely and peaceful gardens afforded the chance to collect one´s thoughts before being swept up in the days workload waiting outside of your comforting and protective walls. One can only envy those who for a large part of the year have these wonderful facilities at their disposal! Sincerely, Dr. Eric F. Fiedler