Oxford and Empire walking tour

Schedule

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025 at 11:00 am to Fri, 09 Jan, 2026 at 04:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

Trinity College | Oxford, EN

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See how Oxford helped to shape 400 years of colonial history - in just two hours!
About this Event

Over the course of 2 hours, you will discover Oxford's connections to:

  • The British Raj in India
  • The opium wars in China
  • The conquest of America
  • Africa, the Caribbean and the Maafa
  • Present-day wars in the Middle East
  • Anti-colonial resistance and solidarity

See Oxford's historic buidings in a new light as you walk through four centuries of Oxford's role in shaping the shifting contours of today's globalised world.

Packed with surprising stories of the legendary, the infamous and the lesser known figures who helped to build - or to confront - the colonial world order, Oxford and Empire will entertain, educate and sometimes shock.

The tour includes entrance to one of the University's medieval colleges.

Your tour guide holds a masters (distinction) in International Relations and has over two decades experience as a political journalist, author, teacher and lyricist.


Comments on Imperial Oxford walking tour

"Dan's tour was such a fantastic experience. I was blown away by Dan's research and how it corrected what we didn't know about the connections of power and control. I will definitely be booking another tour and taking my friends. I give the tour 10/10 definitely." - Osman, Oxford

"Dan's walking tour was really interesting and offered a fascinating glimpse into aspects of Oxford's history that you don't usually hear about - would very much recommend!" - Chris, Swindon

"If there's one thing you do in Oxford to learn about its history, let it be this!" - Hannah, Oxford

"A very interesting tour with plenty of surprising details weaving together Oxford's imperial past and present. I would highly recommend it to anyone curious about the depths of elitism in the colleges and recent critical engagement with otherwise stolen or hidden history.

I have started to see my home town in a new way because of Dan's specialised knowledge, which I found quite essential to understanding the town and university's predominantly obscured or glorified links to colonialism, imperialism, genocide & democide, as well as the flashpoints of local resistance throughout the ages. I am still reflecting with awe on how the consequences continue to reverberate across generations, with stark and enduring implications for humanity and ecology." - Tom, Oxford


Comments on Dan's previous tours

"Dan was incredibly knowledgeable. He spoke with depth, passion, and clarity, weaving together history, literature, art, and architecture in a way that truly captivated us. We’re still talking about the stories he told us!" - Milka, Norway

"Dan was lovely, well-informed and answered all of our questions. I learnt a lot about Oxford and would definitely recommend!" - Ceara

"Dan gave a great talk. He had a lot of knowledge about the area and delivered it in a very engaging way. Would certainly recommend this tour if you are visiting Oxford." - Debbie K, St Albans

"Dan had a solid grasp of Oxford’s history and explained the roots and hierarchy of the college scene in the UK and in Oxford. He welcomed questions and asked several of his own, which made the tour very interesting and interactive." - Roseana W, Philadelphia ,PA

"Our guide was Dan and we couldn't have asked for a better guide. Not only did we see several colleges and learned their histories, but the campuses became alive with the anecdotes that Dan shared. We felt lucky that we discovered Oxford with Dan. The four of us highly recommend." - Jeanna R, Kearney

"A fantastic tour of the university ... a lot of small stories made in to a great historical lesson." - Leif, Norway

"Dan was absolutely brilliant. He was a font of knowledge about Oxford and targeted well to the audience. Really great guide."

"What an excellent experience! We loved our tour guide, Dan, and have referred some friends to ask for him. The tour was informative, pleasant and fun - brilliant!" - Leanne T

"Tour guide Dan was great! He gave us a lot of interesting facts about Oxford very chaming and entertaining. You could understand him well and he has responded well to questions and needs of his guests very well." - Cornelia

"It was a super interesting and enjoyable tour!! Dan was our guide, he is a super polite and friendly person! The experience was much better thanks to their closeness and all their knowledge about Oxford. I would repeat 100%" - Guillermo

"A big thank you to Dan for an amazing tour of Oxford University! For nearly two hours, he shared the history of the colleges with passion and a wealth of knowledge. It was engaging from beginning to end. We highly recommend Dan!" - Atessa


All profits go towards the Grassroots Education Front, a community initiative providing free interactive political history events run by and for the local multiethnic working class

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Where is it happening?

Trinity College, Broad Street, Oxford, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 0.00 to GBP 25.00

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