In two classes, we’ve already covered a lot of literal and metaphorical ground!

On our first day, we explored the Ashmolean Museum, widely recognized as the first modern museum. We learned about the curatorial perspective of an art and history museum, from natural materials to state-of-the-art conservation techniques. We saw how currency can represent the ideals of a nation and trace ancient trade routes. More specific to British History, we saw plenty of Viking hoards, as well as the Alfred Jewel, a masterpiece of Anglo-Saxon goldsmithery from the ninth century.

Then we were off to London for a walking tour with professional archaeologist Khalid. We spotted Roman ruins, the world’s first ever subway, and Christopher Wren’s lasting imprint on the city’s architecture. We spent some time in the haunting St. Dunstan’s Garden, the site of a 13th century church, rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666, then destroyed in the Blitz. Somehow, the original steeple survived and lush vegetation springs through the bones of the old building.

We ended our London day on a sweet note, with a class on the history of chocolate and a blind test-taste of treats, from cocoa as the Aztecs ate it (quite bitter!) to the newest development of ruby chocolate (somewhat fruity) and several smokey flavors in between. We even tried our hand at making chocolate the old-fashioned way, with a mortar and pestle.

Several more adventures await our seminar: making scones in a medieval cottage, poking around the Bodleian Library, and a walking tour of women in Oxford’s history. With excursions to Stonehenge, Bath, Blenheim Palace, and Stratford-upon-Avon, British history has never been more present!

— Erika Jo Brown and the British History seminar