Tom Tower

Tom Tower

Tom Tower is a bell tower in Oxford, England, named after the Great Tom bell housed within it. It is located at the main entrance of Christ Church, University of Oxford, above the Tom Gate on St Aldate's Street, leading to Tom Quad. The tower was designed by Christopher Wren and built between 1681 and 1682, in the late Gothic style — a style that had not been used in significant architecture for 150 years, making Tom Tower a lonely forerunner of the Gothic Revival movement in the mid-18th century.

The Great Tom bell inside the tower is the loudest bell in Oxford, weighing 6.25 tons. Originally called "Mary," the bell was hung in the 12th-century Osney Abbey, moved to St Frideswide's Church after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1545, and was renamed "Tom" at some point. Until 1963, the bell was rung 101 times at 9:05 pm every night in commemoration of the college’s original 101 students. Nowadays, only current Oxford students may pass through this gate, so visitors have to walk a few more minutes to see the tourist entrance sign.

Tom Tower

Why Go: Oxford’s Most Iconic Tower

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: Britain[Britain]

Province/State: Oxfordshire [Oxfordshire]

City: Oxford [Oxford]