Oxbridge's murkier history is being brought to life for tourists as the country increasingly grapples with its colonial past
Tour guide Oliver talks with a group of people attending an 'Uncomfortable Oxford' tour outside the Sheldonian Theatre on Broad Street, in Oxford.
Image: Henry Nicholls / AFP©
British universities Oxford and Cambridge are constantly ranked among the best in the world and celebrated for their academic excellence.
But their murkier history is being brought to life for tourists, as the country increasingly grapples with its colonial past.
"This is not the standard walking tour," warned guide and student Claire McCann, before leading her group onto the cobbled streets of Oxford, which attract some seven million visitors every year.
Majestic buildings, many dating back to the Middle Ages, bear witness to the rich history of the university city, some 50 miles (80 kilometres) northwest of London.
Most British prime ministers, including current UK leader Rishi Sunak, and the Labour main opposition leader Keir Starmer, have studied behind the high walls of Oxford's various colleges.