Oxford
Jericho & North Oxford
The residential neighbourhood northwest of the university centre: the Ashmolean Museum, independent cafes and restaurants on Little Clarendon Street, and the University Parks along the Cherwell.
About Jericho & North Oxford
Jericho developed in the 19th century as a working-class neighbourhood outside the university walls and is now a mix of residential streets, independent cafes and restaurants, and the northern reaches of the university. Little Clarendon Street is the main street: independent restaurants, a good Italian, a Thai place, and several cafes that are materially better and cheaper than anything in the tourist centre. Walton Street has more independent shops, cafes, and the Phoenix Cinema. The Ashmolean Museum is at the southern edge of Jericho on Beaumont Street: it is technically in the city centre but the neighbourhood context is Jericho. The Oxford University Parks (70 acres north of the science area, free entry, the Cherwell forms the eastern border) are the best place to walk in the city without crowds. University cricket is played here in summer. The University Museum of Natural History and the Pitt Rivers are on the eastern edge of Jericho at South Parks Road.
Things to Do
Top experiences in Jericho & North Oxford
Where to Eat
Restaurants and cafes in Jericho & North Oxford
Brasserie Blanc
RestaurantRaymond Blanc's French brasserie located near the base of Christ Church. Offers classic French cuisine in an elegant yet relaxed setting with seasonal menus. Known for their prix fixe lunch menu offering excellent value.
Jericho Cafe
CafeNeighbourhood cafe in Jericho serving breakfast, lunch and coffee at lower prices than the tourist centre. Popular with locals and students for its relaxed atmosphere and solid food. Tables inside and a few outside on Little Clarendon Street.
Nightlife
Bars and nightlife in Jericho & North Oxford
The Eagle and Child
NightlifeTraditional pub at 49 St Giles' where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis met weekly with the Inklings literary group from 1939-1962. The wooden panelling and small front room preserve the atmosphere where Middle Earth and Narnia were discussed over pints. Standard pub food and ales, with literary history the main draw.
The Perch
Nightlife17th-century thatched pub on the Thames in Binsey, 2 miles northwest of the centre. Large garden backing onto Port Meadow with views across the fields. Worth the walk or cycle for the riverside setting and traditional pub atmosphere away from tourist crowds.
The Lamb and Flag
NightlifeSt Giles' pub dating to at least 1695 where Thomas Hardy drank and another meeting place for the Inklings. The wood-panelled interior and small rooms maintain a traditional Oxford atmosphere. GBP 5-6 per pint with standard pub fare.
Getting Here
On Foot
Jericho is a 10-15 minute walk from the Bodleian. Little Clarendon Street is 5 minutes from the Ashmolean.
Insider Tips
Little Clarendon Street for lunch
Little Clarendon Street (5 minutes walk northwest of the Ashmolean) has better food at lower prices than the tourist centre. GBP 10-14 for a restaurant lunch compared to GBP 15-20 on the High Street. Jericho Cafe (Walton Street) is the standard reference for coffee in Oxford. The area around Walton Street has good lunch options on weekdays when the universities are in session.
Ashmolean opening hours
The Ashmolean is free and open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday). Opening at 10 AM. The Egyptian galleries and the Alfred Jewel are on the upper floors: go there first before the school groups arrive late morning. The Cast Gallery in the basement (plaster casts of classical sculpture) is usually empty and gives a different perspective on classical art.
University Parks
Free entry from Parks Road or Norham Gardens. The parks are open daily from dawn to dusk. The Cherwell bank walk inside the parks is quieter than the meadow walk near Christ Church. University cricket matches at the Parks ground (summer term) are free to watch from the boundary.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Continue exploring
Central University & Bodleian
The university at its most concentrated: the Bodleian, Radcliffe Camera, Sheldonian Theatre, Bridge of Sighs, and the colleges of Broad Street and the Turl, all within a five-minute walk of each other.
Christ Church & Meadow
Oxford's most famous college, the meadow where Alice's story began, and the Cherwell riverbank where punting happens from May to September.
Covered Market & High Street
The commercial and gastronomic centre of Oxford: the Covered Market (open since 1774, the best lunch in the city), the Tolkien and Lewis pub on St Giles', and the full sweep of the High Street from Carfax to Magdalen Bridge.
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