The Red Dragon of Oxford is released on 15th January, and I thought it would be fun to share pictures of some of the places featured in the book. Credits for photos are at the bottom of the post.

Much of the action takes place in the library of fictional Mortimer College. Given the importance of libraries in the book, it feels wrong not to include pictures of the university’s central research library, the Bodleian.

Bodleian exteriorOldest part of the Bodleian Library, dating from 15th century.

The iconic Radcliffe Camera, which forms part of the Bodleian. It was built between 1737 and 1749:

Radcliffe Camera from St Mary’s towerRadcliffe Camera from Radcliffe Square

And just because it’s beautiful – Queen’s College upper library:

The Queen’s College Upper Library

Just to the side of the Bodleian is the Sheldonian, with the mysterious heads on pillars outside that leave Mark so unimpressed. Rufus’s favourite bridge in Oxford is to the right of the Sheldonian.

The SheldonianHertford’s Bridge of Sighs

Mortimer College is, of course, fictional, but in the book it’s one of the 39 colleges that make up the University of Oxford. Please don’t ask me which one I booted out to make space for it!

Mortimer is, like most of the colleges, built around quadrangles:

Quad at Merton CollegeNew College quadAll Souls College quad

Mortimer’s accommodation and tutors’ studies are arranged around staircases leading off the quads:

Merton College quad showing staircase entrances

Mortimer is a most superior Oxford college because it’s one of the select few that has cloisters. The ones below are at New College and, if memory serves, were used in one of the Harry Potter films:

And finally, the dining hall. Or simply Hall, as it is known. Mortimer College’s is very much along the lines of Balliol’s below, and leaves Mark somewhat overwhelmed. High Table, where the dons dine, is actually on a different level from everyone else. At least the Balliol High Table dais doesn’t have red carpet like the one at Christ Church!

Hall, Balliol College

And that’s it for this particular whistle-stop tour! I hope it’s given some insight into the place that Mark encounters for the first time.

Photo credits:

Exterior of Bodleian – pic by Adam.thomp07. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Source.Interior of Bodleian – pic by annetgent. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Source.Radcliffe Camera – both pictures copyright Joy Lynn FieldingQueen’s College Library – pic by Odicalmuse. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Source.The Sheldonian – pic by Ozeye. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. Source.New College quad – pic by Nick Smith. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. Source.All Souls quad – both pictures copyright Joy Lynn Fielding.Merton staircases – copyright Joy Lynn Fielding.New College cloisters – copyright Joy Lynn Fielding.Balliol Hall – pic by Smb1001 licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Source.