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Oxford
The city of Oxford began as a Saxon town in the early 10th century, and a mere 200 years later it was a leading seat of learning (ahead of Paris!), so the first colleges were founded. Today, Oxford "town and gown" are inseparable, as the city is always awash with students rushing to and from their colleges, on foot and on bicycle. There is a special atmosphere about the place, with its historic buildings and modern buzz, which tend to sweep the visitor along at its own pace. Of course, the university is one of the most famous and greatest in the world. Comprising 35 separate colleges, spread around the city, it has educated many famous people, from Sir Walter Raleigh to John Wesley, from Lewis Carroll to Margaret Thatcher. There are limited tours of some of the colleges, and details can be obtained from the tourist office. For a panoramic view of the city, climb Carfax Tower in the centre. This tower is all that remains of St Martin's Church, where Shakespeare once acted as godfather to a younger playwright. The Martyrs' Memorial in St Giles commemorates the Protestant martyrs Archbishop Cranmer and Bishops Ridley and Latimer who were burnt at the stakes in 1555 and 1556 during the reign of Catholic Queen Mary. The gates of Balliol College were scorched by the flames and still show the marks. The Ashmolean Museum is the oldest public museum in Britain. Founded in 1683, it now houses Roman and Greek sculpture, ancient coins and Western art, including drawings by Michaelangelo.