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Oxford University stands as one of the world's top academic institutions, having secured the top spot in global rankings for four consecutive years: 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. With immense popularity, the university attracts five applicants for every available seat.
Despite its global fame, Oxford's inner workings remain somewhat of a mystery. Its long-standing history, unique traditions, and remarkable achievements are often misunderstood, with several widely-held beliefs about the university turning out to be false. Get ready for an eye-opening session as we explore some fascinating facts about Oxford.
10. It Operated Its Own Police Force Until 2003
Up until recently, Oxford University had its very own police force. Known affectionately as the Bulldogs, the force was established in 1829, making it one of the oldest police units in the UK.
The Bulldogs didn’t just handle criminal activity; they also took on a parental role, overseeing students’ well-being. Before the 1940s, they even had legal authority over students, much like a parent or guardian.
In 2003, this distinctive part of Oxford's history was dismantled after a public complaint. The university decided the cost of bringing the force up to modern standards was too high, leading to the loss of their police status.
However, they didn’t completely disappear. The Bulldogs evolved into Proctors’ Officers, who still oversee student conduct, but they no longer have the power to make arrests.
9. The Bodleian Library Has Strict Fire Prevention Rules
Oxford boasts over a hundred libraries, but the Bodleian Library stands out as the most famous. Established in 1602, it is one of Europe's oldest libraries, and it carries with it a collection of intriguing traditions.
One of the key traditions is the Bodleian Library declaration, which everyone must agree to before entering. In the past, it was traditionally spoken aloud, but today students can choose to sign a letter instead. However, non-university visitors must still recite it aloud, and Oxford has translated it into over a hundred languages so that people can speak it in their own language.
The declaration requires visitors to pledge not to damage or steal any books, refrain from smoking, abide by library rules, and notably, ‘not to bring into the library or kindle therein any fire or flame.’ While modern electric lighting makes this easy to follow today, it must have been quite challenging for scholars in earlier times when lanterns or candles were the only light sources!
8. The Creation of ‘Soccer’ Happened at Oxford
Association football is the most widely played sport in the world, with over 200 million participants. It was named in the 1860s to differentiate it from other types of football played at the time. While it remains 'football' in most English-speaking countries, the term 'soccer' gained popularity in America to prevent confusion with American football. Many people believe ‘soccer’ is an American invention, but that is not the case.
During the Victorian era, Oxford students began adding ‘er’ to the ends of words to create slang terms—examples include rugger for rugby, brekker for breakfast, and bonner for bonfire. For them, Association Football was known as either footer or soccer. These slang terms spread across Britain and eventually the world as the sport gained popularity. American players adopted the Oxford slang, though the reason remains unclear.
Today, many Brits dislike the term 'soccer,' believing it to be an American invention, but in fact, it originates from Oxford!
7. Not the Oldest University Press
There are many university presses, but none are as large or as renowned as Oxford University Press. Run by 15 academics selected by the vice-chancellor (with no businessmen involved), the Press employs thousands and sells books globally. It has offices in over fifty countries, with its first international office opening in New York at the end of the 1800s. It is the world’s largest university press and certainly one of the most famous.
However, despite its prominence, Oxford University Press is not the oldest. That distinction belongs to Cambridge University Press, although the debate continues. Oxford printed its first book in 1478—just a few years after the printing press arrived in England. While this was decades ahead of Cambridge, Oxford’s publishing efforts were inconsistent until it received royal assent in 1586, much later than Cambridge, which received it in 1534.
6. Not the Oldest University in the World
One common misconception is that Oxford is the oldest university in the world. This is one of the reasons why many students, particularly those from prestigious families, flock to Oxford: the allure of studying at the world’s oldest center of learning. After all, receiving a degree from the oldest institution is seen as the most legitimate qualification. But the reality is, this isn’t quite true.
Oxford is the second oldest university in the world, so it’s not too far behind. The actual oldest university is relatively unknown: the University of Bologna in Italy. It was also the first to use the term ‘universitas’ to refer to its students and faculty!
5. The World’s First Public Museum
The model for modern museums was set by one institution: Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, which opened its doors in 1683.
The museum owes much of its origins to the esteemed Enlightenment thinker, Elias Ashmole. His vast collection of artifacts, books, and significant objects—most notably, the world’s first recognized dinosaur bone—was donated just a few years before. It took 26 large chests to transport everything from London to Oxford, establishing the museum as the first public one of its kind.
Ashmole also drafted 18 statutes that determined the operational framework for the museum. These rules included annual audits, object cataloging, and the establishment of a governing board. These foundational statutes would go on to shape the way museums are managed globally.
For Ashmole himself, the experience was less fulfilling than he had hoped. Just three years after the museum's founding, he stepped down from his position, reportedly dissatisfied with his salary.
4. Punishment Through Alcohol
Oxford remains one of the few universities where formal dinners are still a tradition. In the past, there were strict dining rules, such as avoiding discussions on religion or politics, or mispronouncing the Latin grace. If you broke any of these rules, you’d be ‘sconced’—originally, a fine that required you to pay money. Over time, however, the penalty evolved into a far more peculiar one: you had to finish your drink.
Today, the rules for sconcing vary slightly from college to college at Oxford—and in some, the tradition has been abandoned altogether. In some places, you might be asked to drink from your own shoe, while others require you to drink from someone else’s. For most, though, a simple glass will suffice. The sconce has evolved from a form of punishment into a quirky, posh icebreaker: ‘I sconce anyone who has ever done this,’ someone will announce, and those guilty must stand up and down their drinks. A strange custom, but mostly just for fun!
3. The Largest Employer in Oxfordshire
Oxford University comprises over thirty colleges, each managing its own students, subjects, and finances. Most colleges also oversee their own halls of residence, which require cleaning, maintenance, and food supplies. This is just one aspect of the work that the university supports, in addition to its extensive library system, publishing house, and museums.
Oxford is responsible for providing 30,000 jobs across Oxfordshire, making it the county’s largest employer and contributing £2.3 billion annually to the local economy. With around 24,000 students, the university employs more people than there are students! For perspective, Yale University employs only about 10,000 people.
2. Oxford Time
In the past, each town across Britain maintained its own local time. Due to the slow pace of travel and communication, the time difference of just a few minutes between places wasn’t much of an issue. However, with the rise of fast railways and instant communication, the need for accurate timekeeping became critical. By the 1840s, people began using London time, but it wasn’t until 1880 that the government officially adopted London time for the entire country.
Oxford, known for its strong traditions, didn’t completely adhere to this shift. The town continued to follow its own version of time, which was five minutes behind London’s. Every night, the Christ Church bell would ring 101 times at 9pm to signal the closing of the gates and remind students it was time for bed. This tradition persists, and even today, the bell rings at 9:05pm, following the Oxford Time.
Additionally, it’s common for lectures and events at Oxford to officially start five minutes after the hour. It’s uncertain whether this is purely a matter of tradition or practicality, but most likely it’s a combination of both.
1. Students dine on lower tables
Oxford is steeped in tradition, and one such tradition was that students would dine at a table lower than that of the professors and academics. Though these meals no longer hold the same formality they once did—when strict codes of conduct were in place—today, even formal dinners don't demand specific attire beneath the academic robes.
Different colleges have their own unique customs: some organize a formal dinner daily, others weekly, and some only a few times each term—if at all. Some offer a combination of formal and informal dinners, where wearing robes and suits is expected only on occasion. However, one thing unites them all: students eat at the main tables in the college’s dining hall, while faculty and professors dine at the High Table, which features a distinct (and more refined) menu. The main exception is Linacre College, which is known for being student-run and has no High Table—students and fellows share the same dining space.
