Oxford's most beautiful colleges: Spotlight on Worcester College

Worcester College is included in my Most Beautiful College series because of its spectacular and hidden interior. The video covers the main quad commenting: isn’t it green! What a wonderful place this is in which to hold the College’s ball. It has buildings from the 13th century when it was called Gloucester College but was refounded as Worcester College in 1714 by Worcestershire baronet, Sir Thomas Cookes. Of all the Oxford College chapels, that of Worcester’s is surely one of the more impressive; it is a blaze of colour, gilding and decoration. The dining hall was similarly decorous but has now been restored its original simplicity. The college gardens are exceptionally large, beautiful and productive, containing a large lake which supports a variety of wildlife, including the occasional visiting otter. And adjacent to that is the large sports field of the college, itself overlooked by the very modern Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre with its large auditorium and dance studio and the equally modern Sainsbury Building. Nearby, the gardens have an orchard which produces a wealth of apple and pear juice for students and staff. There are a number of other buildings which make up the college, some old some new, some bordering the area of Oxford called Jericho, some actually in it. The video portrays the college as a fascinating combination of varied buildings surrounding a beautiful quad and bordered by a wealth of tended and wild parks and gardens and includes a visit to a student's room. Three of its famous graduates are portrayed in the video: Author Richard Adams, media magnate Rupert Murdoch, and opium eater Thomas de Quincey.