Observatories · South East England
Radcliffe Observatory
In or near Oxford.
Radcliffe Observatory — a Grade I-listed observatory in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
Philip Halling — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–2.5 h
- Best time of year
- Moonless winter nights (Oct–Mar)
- Nearest railway station
- Oxford · 0.9 km
- Free entry
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Radcliffe Observatory, the nearest railway station is Oxford, located 0.9 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is OX2 6GG. Entry is free, but wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Radcliffe Observatory is a Grade I-listed building in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom. Grade I status is conferred by Historic England (or Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland or NIEA equivalents) on buildings of exceptional national interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for full historical and architectural details.
Photo gallery
Official information
The Bate Collection of Historical Musical Instruments is a significant collection showcasing a variety of musical instruments from different periods and cultures. Visitors can explore the collection and learn about the history and craftsmanship of these instruments.
From the Wikipedia article
Radcliffe Observatory was the astronomical observatory of the University of Oxford from 1773 until 1934, when the Radcliffe Trustees sold it and built a new observatory in Pretoria, South Africa. It is a Grade I listed building. Today, the building forms part of Green Templeton College of the University of Oxford.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
on top of the observatory]] The observatory was founded and named after the physician John Radcliffe (1650–1714) by the Radcliffe Trustees. It was built on the suggestion of the astronomer Thomas Hornsby, who was occupying the Savilian Chair of Astronomy, following his observation of the notable transit of Venus across the Sun's disc in 1769 from a room in the nearby Radcliffe Infirmary. The observatory building, at a site on Woodstock Road, commenced to designs by Henry Keene in 1772 and was completed in 1794 to the designs of James Wyatt. It has a prominent octagonal tower based on the Tower of the Winds in Athens, topped with a statue by John Bacon of Atlas holding up the World. Until…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.7608, -1.2639
- County
- Oxfordshire
- District
- Oxford
- Parish
- Oxford, unparished area
- Postcode
- OX2 6GG
- Parliamentary constituency
- Oxford West and Abingdon
- Established
- 1794
- Nearest railway station
- Oxford — 0.9 km
- Opening
- Open 2–5pm Mondays and Thursdays only.
- Official site
- www.bate.ox.ac.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q2066160 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Radcliffe Observatory (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
John Radcliffe
Natural landmarks · 0.0 km
Osler House
Historic houses · 0.0 km
Bate Collection of Musical Instruments
Museums · 0.1 km
The Alchemical Tree
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
Gardens · 0.1 km
Sohmen Concert Hall
Theatres · 0.1 km
Radcliffe Infirmary
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km
Plosion 1 (Yellow)
Public art & sculpture · 0.1 km
Freud
Historic pubs · 0.2 km
Somerville College Library
Historic libraries · 0.2 km
Elipsodrome
Public art & sculpture · 0.2 km
Fountain Pen
Public art & sculpture · 0.2 km
Nearby
📷 3Natural landmarks · South East England
John Radcliffe
John Radcliffe — Public artwork (statue) by Martin Jennings.
📷 3Historic houses · South East England
Osler House
Osler House — a Grade I-listed historic house in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Museums · South East England
Bate Collection of Musical Instruments
Bate Collection of Musical Instruments — a museum in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Public art & sculpture · South East England
The Alchemical Tree
The Alchemical Tree — Public artwork (sculpture) by Simon Periton.
📷 4Gardens · South East England
Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities
Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities — a garden in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Theatres · South East England
Sohmen Concert Hall
Sohmen Concert Hall is a theatre in the United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Radcliffe Observatory
Places to stay
📷 7Hotels · South East England
Old Parsonage Hotel
Old Parsonage Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.
📷 5Hotels · South East England
The Jericho Hotel
The Jericho Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.
📷 5Hostels · South East England
Oxford Backpackers
Oxford Backpackers — a hostel in england west midlands.
📷 5B&Bs · South East England
St Michael's Guest House
St Michael's Guest House — a bed-and-breakfast in england west midlands.
📷 5Hostels · South East England
Central Backpackers Oxford
Central Backpackers Oxford — a hostel in england west midlands.
📷 7Hotels · South East England
River Hotel
River Hotel — a hotel in england west midlands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
Jericho Tavern
Jericho Tavern in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · South East England
Gee's
Gee's — a restaurant in england west midlands.
📷 7Historic pubs · South East England
The Eagle and Child
The Eagle and Child in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
King's Arms
King's Arms in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 6Cafés · South East England
The Missing Bean
The Missing Bean — a café in england west midlands.
Other works by Henry Keene
📷 3Historic churches · South East England
St Mary's Church, Hartwell
St Mary's Church, Hartwell — church in Hartwell, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.
More places in this region
📷 5Observatories · South East England
Planetarium
Planetarium — a observatory in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Observatories · South East England
Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium
Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium — a observatory in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Observatories · South East England
Aldershot Observatory
Aldershot Observatory — a Grade II*-listed observatory in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Radcliffe Observatory?
- Radcliffe Observatory is in Oxfordshire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode OX2 6GG), in the parish of Oxford, unparished area.
- What is Radcliffe Observatory?
- Radcliffe Observatory — a Grade I-listed observatory in england-west-midlands, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Radcliffe Observatory?
- The nearest railway station is Oxford, about 0.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode OX2 6GG.
- When was Radcliffe Observatory built?
- Built or established in 1794. Designed by Henry Keene.
- Who owns Radcliffe Observatory?
- Radcliffe Observatory is owned by Green Templeton College.
- Is Radcliffe Observatory a listed building?
- Radcliffe Observatory is officially recognised as Grade I listed.
- How do I get to Radcliffe Observatory?
- The nearest railway station is Oxford, about 0.9 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode OX2 6GG.