Alice in Wonderland Tours in Oxford
Oxford is the birthplace of “Alice in Wonderland”. Lewis Carroll lived in Oxford most of his life as a student and then as a don at the college of Christ Church. Alice Liddell, for whom the stories were written, was the daughter of the Dean of Christ Church. There are many places of significance to Alice and Lewis Carroll in Oxford and many ways in which Oxford influenced and inspired Carroll's writings. The best way to understand these is to arrange a guided tour.
You can arrange a tour directly with us by email. We recommend a 75/90-minute walking tour, costing £60.00. This price is for a group of up to 24 people, for a leisurely walk around Christ Church Meadow (wheelchair-users will find no particular difficulty). The walk will highlight in particular the all-important role of the River Thames in the creation of “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass”, and as the inspiration for some of the episodes. The route follows waterside paths which were once familiar to Alice Liddell and Lewis Carroll, and also passes the exterior of the place they both knew as their home: Christ Church. With reference to relevant local history and geography, and other fictional works, you will see the place where Carroll hired rowing boats for the many outings he took on the River Thames with the Liddell sisters, hear accounts of the real Oxford people upon whom some of the characters were probably based, and learn about important locations which are farther away: the 'Treacle Well', for instance, and 'The Pool of Tears'. Nearby is the Museum of Oxford (entrance free), which has on display some of Alice Liddell's personal belongings. Longer tours are also possible, by arrangement.
Our tours are conducted by Mark Davies, an experienced local guide, historian, and author of “Alice in Waterland: Lewis Carroll and the River Thames in Oxford”. Each tour must be arranged by email directly with us, and payment should then be made in full at the time of booking. Cancellation can be made up to 14 days before the arranged tour date for a full refund. Cancellation up to 3 days before will receive a 50% refund. Please note: entrance to Christ Church itself is NOT included in this tour.
Please email info@aliceinwonderlandshop.co.uk to let us know your preferred dates and times, and the number of people in your group. We will endeavour to respond within 48 hours. A lower price for smaller family groups may also be possible, depending on Mark's other commitments.