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Film locations and literary connections

Oxford’s film
and literary trail.

Oxford has Harry Potter filming locations, streets seen in Wonka and connections to Alice and Narnia. This trail brings them together in a walk with time for college visits.

By Oxford City Guide Updated

Plan your walk

Build your Oxford route.

Pick your interests and available time, then fit the stops around your bookings. The planner doesn’t check opening days, age restrictions or ticket availability. Your route resets when you leave or reload this page.

Your interests

Your choices filter the stops below. Press Build to replace your current route.

Choose your stops

8 stops match your choices. Visit times are estimates, not official tour lengths.

Filming location

Christ Church staircase & cloisters

Paid timed college visit · Allow 90 minutes

Harry Potter and Lewis used the Hall staircase. The Hall has its own Hogwarts association, though the dining scenes were filmed on a studio set. Leave time to see more of the college.

Visiting, booking & sources

Entry is paid and timed. Book ahead and look up room closures. The Visitor Centre entrance is in Christ Church Meadow, but follow the instructions on your ticket. The Hall is still used by the college, and the Cathedral is used for worship.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Literary association · not a film set

The Narnia door

Free exterior view · Allow 10 minutes

The carved door at St Mary’s Entry and the nearby lamp-post are often linked to Narnia. It’s a local tradition, not a proven inspiration story, and this was not a film set.

Visiting, booking & sources

You can see the door for free from St Mary’s Passage. The building belongs to Brasenose College, so keep the entrance clear and leave room for people to pass when taking photographs.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Outdoor filming location

Radcliffe Square

Free exterior view · Allow 15 minutes

Wonka was filmed in Radcliffe Square. Look at the buildings around you and compare them with the sets and visual effects in the film.

Visiting, booking & sources

The exterior view is free. The Radcliffe Camera is a working library, and you need a separate official tour to go inside. Keep clear of cyclists and entrances.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Filming location · The Golden Compass

Exeter College

Pre-booked group tours outside term only · Allow 30 minutes

Exeter appears in The Golden Compass, based on Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights. You can see its Turl Street frontage even if you can’t get inside.

Visiting, booking & sources

Sightseeing visitors need a pre-booked tour group outside term. There’s no public walk-in entry. Contact the lodge or your guide about access, and stay on Turl Street if you haven’t arranged a visit.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Screen locations · exterior stop

Old Bodleian & Sheldonian exteriors

Free exterior view · Allow 20 minutes

The Bodleian lists Wonka, Saltburn, The Golden Compass and Oxford’s detective series among its filming credits. These cover the library estate, so they don’t tell you which rooms were used. You can see the buildings from Broad Street.

Visiting, booking & sources

Views from public streets are free. Courtyards can close for University events, and the theatre and library interiors have their own admission arrangements. Follow signs for public areas.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Filming locations · book a tour

Divinity School & Duke Humfrey’s Library

Paid library tour · ages 11+ · stairs · Allow 60 minutes

For the Harry Potter interiors, book a tour that includes Duke Humfrey’s Library. A Divinity School-only ticket covers the ground-floor room, not the library upstairs. The Divinity School can close even when a library tour runs, so find out which rooms are included.

Visiting, booking & sources

Library tours are paid, involve stairs and admit visitors aged 11 and over. There’s a separate, wheelchair-accessible Divinity School visit for younger children. That ticket doesn’t include Duke Humfrey’s Library. The map points to the Weston ticket desk, but your booking will give the tour’s meeting point.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Filming location · Goblet of Fire

New College cloisters & holm oak

Paid college visit · seasonal hours · Allow 45 minutes

The holm oak in New College’s cloisters appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Allow time for the cloisters and walled garden as well as the familiar tree.

Visiting, booking & sources

Paid entry is through New College Lane. In the 2026/27 winter timetable, the college closes on Mondays and Saturday hours differ from the rest of the week. Look up the seasonal hours and access arrangements before visiting. There are uneven surfaces.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Documented author connection · not a Narnia film set

Magdalen College: Lewis’s Oxford

Paid college visit · Allow 60 minutes

C. S. Lewis was a Magdalen fellow when he wrote the Narnia books. The college grounds have a real link to the author, though they weren’t a Narnia film set.

Visiting, booking & sources

College admission is paid. Look up closures and last-entry times before visiting. A general ticket doesn’t include Lewis’s former private rooms.

Official visitor information ↗

Film / literary source ↗

Visitors climbing a stone staircase beneath a fan-vaulted ceiling

Illustrative college interior. These colleges and libraries are still in use, so follow the visitor route and photography rules.

Planning the walk

Fit the walk around your bookings.

Before you arrive: book the interiors

Book Christ Church and your Bodleian tour before planning the walk. New College’s Harry Potter cloisters are another stop if its visitor hours fit.

Morning at the colleges

Christ Church’s staircase is a filming location. Hogwarts’ Great Hall dining scenes were filmed on a studio set. Allow time to see the college and Cathedral too.

A break for lunch

The Covered Market is nearby for lunch, or there are cafés along the way. Food stops are not automatically added to the walking directions.

Covered Market guide ↗ · Coffee stops ↗

Afternoon around the Bodleian

Continue through St Mary’s Passage and Radcliffe Square towards the Bodleian. The so-called Narnia door is a free exterior stop, although its inspiration story is unproven. Exeter needs arranged visitor access.

Staying another night?

Magdalen has a documented C. S. Lewis connection if you want another college visit and its hours fit. You can also leave an interior for a second day.

Morse, Lewis & Endeavour

The Bodleian’s filming credits include all three detective series. You could stop at the Randolph’s Morse Bar or join an official detective walking tour. Private college gardens still need permission to enter, even if they appear on screen.

Alice’s Oxford

Lewis Carroll taught mathematics at Christ Church, where the dean’s daughter, Alice Liddell, inspired his stories. If the Hall is open, look for its Alice window. Alice’s Shop is across St Aldate’s.

Tolkien and Pullman at the Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden’s literary trail includes its Tolkien connection and the bench from Pullman’s The Amber Spyglass. You’ll need separate garden admission. This extra stop isn’t added to your walking directions.

Bringing children or planning access?

Bodleian library tours are for ages 11 and over and involve stairs. Younger visitors can visit the Divinity School separately. Ask each venue about access needs before booking.

Each stop links to visitor information and a film or literary source. Admission and closures can change. This independent guide is not affiliated with film studios or attractions.

Visiting & Filming Advice

Frequently asked questions
about Oxford on screen.

Which Harry Potter scenes were filmed in Oxford?

Christ Church’s staircase, the Bodleian’s Divinity School and Duke Humfrey’s Library, and New College’s cloisters appear in the films. New College’s holm oak is the Goblet of Fire stop. Hogwarts’ Great Hall dining scenes were filmed on a studio set.

Is the Narnia door in Oxford real and where is it?

The ornate door stands in St Mary’s Passage, beside the University Church. Its carvings and nearby lamp-post invite Narnia comparisons, but the claim that they inspired C. S. Lewis is unproven. Photograph the exterior without blocking the passage.

Where are the Inspector Morse, Lewis and Endeavour filming locations?

The Bodleian lists Morse, Lewis and Endeavour among its filming credits. The White Horse on Broad Street also has a Morse connection, but find out whether it’s open before you go. An official detective walking tour covers more locations.

Do you need tickets to visit Oxford film and literary locations?

Public streets and exterior stops are free. You’ll need separate admission for Christ Church, New College and the Bodleian interiors. Book ahead where possible, though some Bodleian tickets are sold on the day. Make sure your ticket includes the rooms you want to see.

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